After a series of charges ranging from gold smuggling to illegal detention of local citizens to making statements in support of rebel groups, Indian peacekeepers in Congo have been accused of child abuse by an internal UN investigation.

In a report, the United Nation Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) investigation has indicted Indian peacekeepers posted in Congo for child abuse and paying minor Congolese girls in North Kivu for sex in 2007 and earlier this year.

On the day that a copy of the investigation — it was instituted by the OIOS in March this year — was received by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the Army said it had also ordered an internal probe into the allegations and the inquiry is under “judicial scrutiny”.

A senior officer said the Army had received reports of “Indian peacekeepers being involved in sexual exploitation including child abuse” and the Vice-Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen M L Naidu, had ordered an internal inquiry into the matter in May.

Sources told The Indian Express that the UN report not only indicts Indian peacekeepers for indulging in a child prostitution ring near a base camp in Masisi but contains evidence of the involvement of Indian soldiers in the racket and recommends strong action against them.

The report, which also contains observations by investigators who have interviewed witnesses, is likely to be made public by the UN OIOS on Wednesday. Sources said that a copy of the report was received by the MEA on Tuesday.

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