UN troops in Congo 'traded gold and arms' !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Daanyeer]

Source: The Guardian (UK)
May 23, 2007 Author: Xan Rice




UN peacekeepers patrolling eastern Congo allegedly traded gold and weapons with the militias they were supposed to help disarm, according to leaked UN reports.

An investigation by the BBC World Service, to be broadcast today, alleges that Pakistani peacekeepers based in the mineral-rich area of Mongbwalu bought gold from two rebel commanders nicknamed Dragon and Kung Fu, and later from the national army. The UN launched an inquiry into the allegations more than 18 months ago, but it has never been made public.

UN documents seen by the Guardian show detailed allegations of gold- and weapons-smuggling made against senior officers from the Pakbatt II contingent, which formed part of the 17,000-strong UN mission to Congo, known as Monuc. The incriminated officers have completed their tours and returned to Pakistan.

If the allegations are proved, they would be another big blow to the reputation of Monuc, the UN's largest peacekeeping mission. In 2005, an internal inquiry found that peacekeepers in eastern Congo had sexually abused girls as young as 13.

The desire to control Democratic Republic of Congo's natural resources helped fan the flames of a war between 1998 and 2003 that sucked in five other countries and caused the death of more than 3 million people, mainly through disease and hunger.