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After 70 Minova Rapes, UN Cites Conditionality, No Answer on Which Regiments

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 6 -- The day after the UN raised from 22 to 70 its count of rapes in Minova during the days the Congolese Army filled the town, a belated partial answer was given to Inner City Press' questions about the UN's conditionality or Human Rights Due Diligence Policy.

  Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Martin Nesirky said that the UN "flags" allegations to the authorities, and if corrective action is not taken, suspends support to the military units at issue.

  Inner City Press asked again if the UN in the Congo works or has worked with two sample regiments photographed and witness as being in Minova during the rape spree in late November, the 802 regiment and the 1001 regiment.

  Or does the Department of Peacekeeping Operations have a policy against naming which units they work with? Spokesman Nesirky said DPKO was hearing this, and he hoped that they would help.

  But DPKO chief Herve Ladsous has repeated refused to answer the questions. First, about rapes in Minova generally: on November 27, he refused this Press question, then took hand-picked correspondents into the hallway, click here for video.

  Then on November 30 at an event across the street from the UN, where Inner City Press asked the question in a more public setting, Ladsous gave an indirect answer about the Human Rights Due Diligence Policy, but refused to answer if he will name the units or regiments.

  And so on December 6 at the UN noon briefing, Inner City Press asked for a list of any Congolese Army units the UN has stopped assisting in the past year. Nesirky again said DPKO heard and he hopes they will help.

The UN's own Radio Okapi now reports on members of the Mai Mai Mayele militia, which has been involved in human rights abuses including according to UN sources the mass rapes in Walikale and child soldier recruitment, are being integrated into the 104th regiment, to fight the M23 mutineers.

  How will they be vetted? Does the UN through its MONUSCO mission work with this regiment? Watch this site.

News note: Inner City Press is informed that UN Military Adviser Babacar Gaye has returned from the DRC and will brief the Security Council on Friday, December 7, including on how the UN proposes to re-configure MONUSCO.

  Ladsous had spoken of drones, without answering if he would seek approval from the General Assembly, where opposition has been described to Inner City Press. What are Gaye's views on drones? Will Council members ask?

Footnote: Ladsous during this time has been in Paris, where he made public statements about, among other things, Syria and Mali. Inner City Press on December 6 asked if Ladsous was speaking for the UN, or in some other capacity, and if DPKO has a transcript.

  Nesirky said "any remarks by Mr. Ladsous are important," but that he wasn't sure if DPKO has a transcript. We'll see.

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