The reputation of Indian and Pakistani peacekeeping forces could be at stake, reports Martin Plaut of the BBC
A BBC investigation into United Nations peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of Congo has put the spotlight on Indian troops for the first time, and revived questions about Pakistani troops there.
Much of the report is based on confidential UN documents. Concerns were first raised within the UN about Indian troop activities in eastern DR Congo in July, 2007. After discussions between the UN and India, it was agreed that a UN investigation team would “determine whether the allegations are credible and require full investigation by India and the United Nations”.
That team identified five areas involving Indian troops in which a UN report says allegations have been “corroborated”
- The illegal purchase of gold from rebels of the FDLR – the former Rwandan army that fled to Congo following their involvement in the Rwanda genocide of 1994
- The use of a UN helicopter to fly into the Virunga national park, to exchange ammunition for ivory with the rebels
- The exchanging with the rebels of UN rations for gold
- The buying of drugs from the rebels
- The failure to support the disarmament of this rebel group.
