Africa renewal · 2005 · 17 citations · 0 references
Social SciencesConflict StudiesInternational RelationsArmed ConflictInternational Humanitarian LawPeacebuildingConduct Of HostilitiesCrimes Against HumanityHuman SecurityHumanitarian Impact Of WarWar CrimesCurfew PoliciesInternational PeacekeepingSexual Exploitation OffensesUnited Nations PeacekeepingUnited Nations Personnel Protection
The devotion to duty of nine UN peacekeepers who died in a hail of rebel bullets in the lawless eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo on 25 February is a grim reminder of how high the price of peace can be. Their sacrifice stands in stark contrast to the behaviour of a small minority of “blue helmets” responsible for acts of sexual exploitation and abuse that have damaged the credibility of the UN mission in the Congo. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has denounced the abuses as “an ugly stain” on the world body. He has put in place tough new measures to end them, including a dusk-to-dawn curfew for military personnel and an outright ban on unauthorized contact with local residents.