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Washington's ambassador to the U.N. this week circulated a draft resolution to the 15-member Security Council, seen by Reuters, that would approve a regional protection force "to use all necessary means, including undertaking robust and active steps and engaging in direct operations where necessary," to secure Juba and protect the airport and other key facilities.
Meanwhile a U.N. report released Friday said the organization's own peacekeepers failed through a "combination of inaction, abandonment of post and refusal to engage" to protect people who were attacked by gunmen within a U.N. Protection of Civilians site in the city of Malakal.
[...] Beyond failing to do their job, U.N. peacekeepers have been embroiled in sexual abuse scandals involving children being paid for sex and raped at the hands of soldiers.
A report last March revealed that at least 98 girls from the Central African Republic were sexually abused by U.N. peacekeepers and French troops, with four of the girls forced to have sex with a dog by a French commander. The soldiers were deployed as part of the U.N.'s mission in CAR known as MINUSCA.
[...] In June, The Intercept reported that rebel forces in South Sudan used child soldiers and that the U.S. State Department, under Hillary Clinton, sent arms despite a law that bans providing military assistance to nations that arm children.
Source: TeleSUR
South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011, following a referendum that passed with 98.83% of the vote.
(Score: 2, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 10 2016, @09:06AM
A father from Virginia has gone to extreme lengths for his daughter, flying to Africa and claiming a “kingdom” between Egypt and Sudan so that she can be an actual princess. --http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/10965298/US-father-takes-unclaimed-African-kingdom-so-his-daughter-can-be-a-princess.html [telegraph.co.uk]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 10 2016, @11:56AM
Hmm. It would be legal to kill this family and claim their land, right?
(Score: 2) by Jeremiah Cornelius on Wednesday August 10 2016, @03:24PM
No.
You are thinking of Game of Thrones. It's a show on television.
You're betting on the pantomime horse...
(Score: 2) by PartTimeZombie on Wednesday August 10 2016, @10:12PM
Wow, the man in that article is a total idiot.
Any 7 year old is old enough to understand the real world, she is well aware that she will never be a real princess, despite what her fool of a father says.
He and his wife are in the process of raising a self-absorbed, entitled ratbag.
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 10 2016, @09:32AM
Because 3 billion more people will be added to Africa's population in the next few decades https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FACK2knC08E [youtube.com]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 10 2016, @12:15PM
I highly doubt they could ever increase their population to such numbers.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday August 10 2016, @02:08PM
Never let a good scandal go to waste? We just need more people involved, and the scandal can become the norm!
We're gonna be able to vacation in Gaza, Cuba, Venezuela, Iran and maybe Minnesota soon. Incredible times.
(Score: 2) by Thexalon on Wednesday August 10 2016, @02:20PM
It may well be that having scandal-ridden UN troops is better than not, because the alternative is even worse.
On the other hand, that doesn't seem to be the game the US is playing in South Sudan. If I had to hazard a guess, their real motivation is:
1. South Sudan has significant oil production.
2. Right now, US-based oil companies can't get in on that oil, because South Sudan uses child soldiers and the US has a ban on companies doing business with countries that use child soldiers.
3. Ergo, if we add in enough UN troops, maybe we'll have leverage to convince the South Sudanese government to stop using kids, so that Shell, BP, et al can get a piece of the action.
"Think of how stupid the average person is. Then realize half of 'em are stupider than that." - George Carlin
(Score: 2) by Jeremiah Cornelius on Wednesday August 10 2016, @04:00PM
Lesser evil.
That's always how to direct well-intentioned and generally generous, solicitous people to support acts of oppression and subjugation.
Saddam Hussein was once "the lesser evil", through much of the 1980's.
Yet through pursuing a policy begun in the 90's, there are now branches of Al Qaeda governing parts of the same territory - also now provided treasure and armaments as "the lesser evil".
Such an invocation is nearly always a form of deception. It is certainly a fantasy and the outcome is never a lesser one.
You're betting on the pantomime horse...
(Score: 2) by Spook brat on Wednesday August 10 2016, @02:40PM
This BS was going on with the UN in Bosnia as well until they were kicked out by the host countries and replaced with NATO peacekeepers. What made it worse was the official coverup afterwards, which there is no excuse for. The way I heard the story go was that UN officers were given a report of human trafficking, and thought that instead of a request to prosecute a crime that it was a referral for where to go for a good time.
Shameful doesn't begin to cover it. I'm not sure there are words strong enough to properly condemn people who abdicate their duty to humanity so fully.
References:
The telegraph, [telegraph.co.uk] a few years after the incident (coincident with sale of the movie rights about the situation)
DW (Deutsche Welle, a German publication), [dw.com] interviewing the Bosnia investigator about ties to the current situation in Sudan
Travel the galaxy! Meet fascinating life forms... And kill them [schlockmercenary.com]
(Score: 2) by Jeremiah Cornelius on Wednesday August 10 2016, @03:52PM
I have to agree with your premise, but quarrel with your emphasis. The Bosnian scandals were outrageous, as were the incidents in Haiti after the earthquake. By drawing attention to these, you probably don't mean to say "old story, who cares much about Africa? Move on." Yet, that is the impression.
Some of this comes from the title of your reply. This seems intended to lower the expectation for legal and ethical behavior by UN forces and consequently, deflate the importance of this story. Your information should be positioned to create a greater impact to the subject of conversation. Even more so, as this article discusses a repetition of that situation, in conjunction with extraordinary US requests.
You're betting on the pantomime horse...
(Score: 2) by Spook brat on Wednesday August 10 2016, @04:16PM
Good points; thanks for the support. I definitely could have worded my post better, and you did a good job capturing my intent. I'm kinda world-weary about this: I'm sad that the UN forces are living down to my bad opinion of them. We can and should demand better from those entrusted with enforcing global peace.
What we need is a spotlight on the crimes and prosecution for the perpetrators. Until the UN demonstrates that it can participate in peacekeeping without also committing or abetting atrocities themselves their involvement should be limited.
More people need to know about this issue so foxes no longer have the run of the henhouse on any continent.
Travel the galaxy! Meet fascinating life forms... And kill them [schlockmercenary.com]
(Score: 2) by Jeremiah Cornelius on Wednesday August 10 2016, @05:02PM
I believe that our problem is a race-to-the-bottom that has been led by the supposed exemplars.
When the uses of "democracy" and "human rights" become transparent shams for the quasi-Imperial actions of states with elite economic and military positions, then all devolving standards for behavior suffer equal deterioration.
This is evident in the hollow efforts made to token prosecution and restitution. We are in a dark age.
You're betting on the pantomime horse...