Voicing deep concern at media reports that United Nations peacekeepers in southern Sudan have engaged in sexual exploitation and abuse of locals, including children, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon soundly denounced the practice while pointing out that the world body’s own investigations have already resulted in the dismissal of four blue helmets there.
In a statement released by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban emphasised that “the UN standard on this issue is clear – zero tolerance, meaning zero complacency and zero impunity.” He said the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) was examining the substance of the press reports to determine if the allegations are new or refer to existing cases under investigation.
“It is the UN’s policy to treat credible allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse as serious offences to be investigated by the Office of the Internal Oversight Services (OIOS),” the statement said.
The statement added that OIOS already has a team based permanently in Sudan and that four UNMIS peacekeepers have been sent home over the past year as a result of the Office’s investigations.
“The UN is working closely with local authorities and all operational partners, including our troop-contributing countries, to ensure that UN personnel adhere to the highest standards of accountability. When necessary, strong disciplinary action will be taken.”
The problem of sexual abuse and exploitation by blue helmets surfaced in 2004, when a UN report found that a “shockingly large number” of peacekeepers had engaged in such practices in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with payments for sex sometimes ranging from two eggs to $5 per encounter. The victims included many abandoned orphans who were often illiterate.
The UN responded with forceful policy decisions and disciplinary action. By the end of last November, 319 peacekeeping personnel in all missions had been investigated. These probes resulted in the summary dismissal of 18 civilians and the repatriation on disciplinary grounds of 17 police and 144 military personnel.

The government of Southern Sudan has joined the United Nations in launching an investigation into media reports of sexual abuse by international peacekeepers.

Describing child sexual abuse as a terrible crime, the Southern Sudanese minister for presidential affairs, Luka Biong Deng, said in a statement: "If any persons are proved to have committed these terrible crimes, the government will take all possible steps to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice."

"We fought a long and bitter war to ensure that they [the children] have the right to live productive and happy lives, free from exploitation," Deng added. "We will not tolerate their abuse at the very time when they should be enjoying the fruits of peace. Child abusers take note: southern Sudan is not a place where you will be allowed to operate."

Meanwhile, abuse expert, Jennifer Kiiti, has advised that empowering the community to monitor sexual abuse in southern Sudan is the key to combating this growing problem in the region.

She has warned of a possible backlash against international aid workers in the following the media reports of abuse. Kiiti, who set up training and reporting mechanisms for the UN agencies and NGOs in southern Sudan, said such allegations could upset the local community who could turn hostile towards the aid workers.

She believes that local communities should be trained to understand the problems of child sexual abuse and rape, and that encouraging people to monitor and report such events will discourage the perpetrators.

"If you upset the community they will react; they will not keep quiet," Kiiti told IRIN. "In November I heard of a case where they publicly whipped somebody who had been accused of an inappropriate relationship with a member of the community; 200 lashes in public. I have no information on whether it was an international staff member, but they gave a traditional punishment which is a much more stringent and not as pleasant."

Kiiti said it was impossible to monitor thousands of international and government employees in Juba. "That is why the community plays a very important role," she explained. "We have to discuss with the community; train the community [and] empower them. Unless we do that, we don't find out."

Citing the example of Juba hospital where staff have been trained to treat rape victims, Kiiti said the community is not even aware of what services are available for victims.

"A lot of work has been done in southern Sudan on this particular issue, but as long as the management follow-up and the commitment -total zero tolerance - is not applied it creates a space [and] gives employees the belief that they can get away with it," she added.

According to Kiiti, prostitution has gone up in Juba due the huge influx of foreign workers and the fact that the local community is impoverished.

In southern Sudan, Save the Children Sweden is working in close cooperation with the communities which is helpful in preventing and possibly reacting to sexual exploitation of children. Our protection focus, prevention through community work and establishing reporting systems and links to hospitals and legal systems, is also helpful to prevent exploitation.

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