Peacekeepers in Africa not real solution: Analyst
Press TV has interviewed Douglas DeGroot, with the Executive Intelligence Review, about a recent report on sexual abuse cases by UN peacekeepers in the Central African Republic (CAR).
The following is a rough transcription of the interview.
Press TV: As we’ve just mentioned, this is not the first allegation of sexual abuse to come out pointing the blame at UN peacekeepers in CAR; however, we haven’t seen any concrete result of multiple investigations that have been launched. The only thing we’ve seen is the repatriation of Congolese peacekeepers.
DeGroot: Yes, that’s true so far. I have no information one way or another about the truthfulness of the charges at this time. However, it could… given the kind of degeneration that’s going on around the world… it’s possibly true.
The thing I’ve looked at and [am] probably more concerned about is whether the campaign now is being done in order to get peacekeepers out of there altogether and lead to further chaos in the country as supposed to just cleaning up the act of the peacekeepers, because some UN peacekeepers were pulled out after the prior reports and claims.
So, maybe that will happen again. And instead of just cleaning up the situation of the peacekeeping forces, I’m concerned this might be an effort just to get all peacekeepers out and leave the situation more chaotic in this whole central African region.
Press TV: Had there been more urgency given to this situation, the minute the first allegation came out, it could have been nipped in the bud, wouldn’t you think?
DeGroot: Yes, it could have. They could have maybe avoided coming to this conclusion. Maybe… it’s possible that the situation was permitted to fester for a while so it would be easier to get all the peacekeepers out. I just don’t know, I’m speculating at this point, but definitely something is needed to help solidify the situation in the country and there are global forces that don’t want this kind of stability in Africa now, as the BRICS nations are trying to build up infrastructure in that continent. So, I’m looking at it from that standpoint.
Press TV: Putting these allegations aside, you would say that the UN peacekeepers have been largely successful in bringing back some form of security and stability to the Central African Republic.
DeGroot: Well, it’s hard to say. If we look at the history of the peacekeepers in the DRC for example, we see how protracted it’s been and how large a number there are there and they have never really resolved the thing. So, it’s only kind of a temporary measure in an effort to try and reduce somewhat the problem, but it’s never a real solution and large lies far beyond the UN in fact.
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