A mission mired in controversy

On Thursday, the Force Commander of the United Nations Organisation Mission in Congo, Lieutenant General Babacar Gaye, confirmed that the OIOS was in possession of a tape that had recorded the meeting.

The most serious allegation levelled against Indian peacekeepers so far is of sexual exploitation and child abuse. The charges, which even prompted UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to urge India to initiate the ‘maximum degree’ of punishment permissible under the law, are also being investigated by the Army.

Insiders say that the Army will find it difficult to wriggle out of the situation, as there is sufficient evidence to prove that the soldiers were involvement in a child prostitution racket and paid minor Congolese girls in North Kivu for sex in 2007 and earlier this year.

While the Indian military establishment has been shaken by the latest round of charges, the UN Mission in Congo has initiated some steps to keep the peacekeepers under leash. Lieutenant General Babacar Gaye said on Wednesday that the mission is trying to implement a “zero tolerance policy”.

He said that measures to curb “misbehaviour” by peacekeepers included imposing curfews and prohibitions against leaving the barracks after 6 pm. Troops have also been banned from having “any form of entertainment’ outside the barracks.

However, these incidents have prompted calls from defence experts and analysts to rationalise India’s UN peacekeeping deployment. Experts say that India should curb or totally cut down on UN deployments as they do not contribute to the image building of the country in any way. Incidentally, the two other largest troops-contributing nations to UN Missions are Bangladesh and Pakistan.

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