Allegations against peacekeepers from Georgia, France and other unnamed European country for sexually abusing children while on deployment in Central African Republic (C.A.R).
According to the United Nation’s statement released on Friday the soldiers committed most of the crimes which include rape in the year 2014. The alleged crimes are under investigation by the European Union since they have only just come to light.
Reuters reports that a United Nation’s staff conducted an interview with a 7 year old girl and a 9 year old boy in 2014 when they were allegedly abused by French troops. The girl said that she was given a bottle of water and a sachet of cookies for performing sexual acts on French soldiers.
“These are extremely serious accusations and it is crucial that these cases are thoroughly and urgently investigated,” U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said in a statement. “Far too many of these crimes continue to go unpunished, with the perpetrators enjoying full impunity.”
Last month, an independent review panel accused the United Nations and its agencies of grossly mishandling allegations of child sexual abuse in 2013 and 2014 by international peacekeepers in the Central African Republic.
“What is abundantly clear in CAR is it has been rampant. I don’t know the exact number of contingents involved, something like 10, both U.N. and non-UN, which is something truly shocking,” Colville told a news briefing in Geneva.
Georgia’s Defence Ministry said it would investigate the allegations as quickly as possible.
The European Union said it followed a zero-tolerance policy on sexual misconduct and criminal activity.
Mainly Muslim rebels from a group called the Seleka seized power in the majority Christian nation in early 2013, forcing President Francois Bozize to flee and provoking reprisals from Christian anti-balaka militias. Leaders have since fueled a cycle of religious and inter-communal violence that has killed thousands.
