South Africa recalls soldiers suspected of molesting children in the DRC

Almost a dozen peacekeepers are believed to have been running a system of mass prostitution in front of their barracks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to a Sunday announcement from the South African army.

Eight South African peacekeepers stationed in the eastern town of Beni have been detained, according to the UN mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Monusco), on suspicion of “systematic and widespread violation” of UN policies against sexual exploitation and abuse. One officer has also been suspended.

The South African army stated that it had “decided to recall the soldiers to South Africa to respond” in light of the seriousness of the claims, and that investigators had been dispatched to the DRC to investigate into the situation.

The peacekeepers detained are charged with participating in a network of “brothels” and “makeshift bars that appeared in front of the Monusco base at Mavivi”, close to Beni, and were used for prostitution, according to internal Monusco documents examined by AFP.

Following the arrest of peacekeepers for frequenting brothels, which led to an attempt at elude, a fight, and a chase with members of the UN military police, the officer in question allegedly “intimidated and verbally threatened” UN personnel.

According to Stéphane Dujarric, the UN Secretary-General’s spokesperson, Monusco got information this week that the soldiers in question “were meeting after curfew in a bar outside the boundaries (of the base) known to be a place of prostitution.”

UN police officers “were physically attacked and threatened by members of the South African contingent” when they arrived to arrest the suspect, he continued.

South Africa is among the SADC nations that have been urged to send troops to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to assist the Congolese army in fighting the M23 insurrection, which has taken control of vast portions of the nation’s east, since May.

The DRC government is also calling for an “accelerated” departure of the UN force from next December, accusing it, after 25 years of presence, of having failed to put an end to violence by armed groups. UN contingents in Africa have been accused on several occasions in the past of fostering prostitution, exploitation and sexual abuse of young local men and girls around their bases.

As a result of “allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse” involving 11 of them, Tanzania announced in June of last year that a 60-person military unit would be returned in its entirety.