I know I promised to give you an early run on ideas for Christmas presents, ideal holiday resorts and other yummy stuff to keep your groove on, but I am way too incensed and mad to write about love this week.
By Grace Mutandwa
Very soon we will be commemorating the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, and the United Nations (UN) will be in the forefront of imploring the world to deal with this scourge and eradicate it.
The UN is very good at hosting talk shows that rarely change the lives of those that desire change. It conducts peacekeeping missions that sometimes turn out to be more punishment for the very people it is supposed to protect.
The news this past week that four UN “peacekeepers” in Gao, Mali (Minusma troops) raped a woman do not inspire confidence. We have already had to deal with cases of some so-called peacekeepers brutalising vulnerable people.
The rogue peacekeepers are among the 1 500 Chadian troops charged with security duties in Mali.
The fact that we continue to hear stories of atrocities by some UN peacekeepers means that some of these people do not take their peace missions as seriously as they should. Because the UN is so lenient, there will be more troops who will feed off vulnerable women.
If the UN treated errant behaviour as something not to be tolerated, maybe some of the men it allows to go and play peace games in war-torn countries would behave better.
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I am incensed that the men got away with a slap on the wrists and the UN believes it is enough to give the said woman merely counselling and will not compensate her! She will get psychological and legal support — how very generous of the UN! Maybe women will be better protected if the next UN Secretary-General is a woman.
Unless the UN is prepared to address violence against women, it should not pretend to care and come up with silly campaigns every year when in its own camp terrorists masquerading as peacekeepers are allowed to ravage vulnerable women.
The UN lamely says it wants Chad to investigate and discipline against the four men. Residents of Gao say soldiers have raped many women. There are 12 600 UN troops deployed in Mali.
The people of Gao have suffered enough torment and instability at the hands of Islamic militants. Now the women of this northern city have to contend with a group of entitled and arrogant peacekeepers.
UN should have firm rules for peacekeepers
Countries that tolerate human rights abuses should never be allowed the privilege of serving in peacekeeping missions. The UN should exert firm authority over the soldiers serving under its missions. Countries should be held accountable for the behaviour of its troops serving under the UN. Any country that sends soldiers who rape or ill-treat people under their care must be suspended from participating in peace missions. If a country includes in its peace troops men known for heinous crimes in their countries of origin, that country must also lose the right to serve in any peace mission.
As long as the UN takes the line that it is up to countries such as Chad to investigate and discipline its troops, we will have more women in war weary countries living in fear not just of militants and the home army but also of unsavoury “peacekeepers”.
It is disturbing that although there were witnesses who saw the rowdy Chad troops herd a group of women into a room off a bar and proceed to rape the women, only one woman came forward. The rest must have been too scared and it is understandable. If you are already scared of your own countrymen and the people claiming to care for your safety turn out to be wolves, it is difficult to imagine you can win sympathy or even get anyone to believe you.
The UN has to clean up its image. It really has to do better than just a slap on the wrist and pass the buck. Troops serving under its mandate must be answerable to the UN in a manner that will send a clear message, that such animal behaviour will not be tolerated.
Troops who abuse women and children must be tried for crimes against humanity. The UN must ensure that these guys are tried in an international court. The International Criminal Court (ICC) must not be reserved for rogue government leaders, but for those soldiers who obviously need to be removed from society.
Women stuck in war-torn countries deserve better treatment from the UN and its peacekeepers. Maybe the UN should stipulate that troops serve for brief periods and return home, as it seems some of its peacekeepers cannot live for long periods without sex and are also incapable of asking politely for sex but prefer treating women with impunity. Rapists must never be treated lightly.
The UN must know that coming up with a theme for every 16 Days of Activism is not all women expect from it. We demand better treatment of women in difficult circumstances. If the UN cannot keep peace, it should not pretend to do so.
Maybe we should set up vigilante groups to deal with these rapists — and if we do, I promise you it is not going to be pretty.
l Grace Mutandwa is a communications specialist, media trainer, and published author. She can be reached at: [email protected]/Twitter:GraceMutandwa1/Skype:Wisteria42
