Eagerness to send peacekeepers raises questions
NEW DELHI: The indictment of Indian troops in a sex scandal in Congo has sparked calls for a rethink of the government’s policy of committing thousands of personnel for peacekeeping operations around the world, especially in Africa.
The United Nations on Wednesday announced that its investigators have prima facie found evidence of Indian soldiers posted in Congo engaging in organised sexual exploitation and abuse of local children and women.
The UN revelations are most embarrassing for the Army and a disconcerting development for India’s role as a global peacekeeper — India at present has more than 8,000 troops deployed in UN peacekeeping operations.
The latest incident is part of a rising trend in recent years of organised indiscipline involving Indian peacekeepers. Recently, investigators found evidence that some Indian soldiers, including an officer, bought gold dust from smugglers who were directly linked to a deadly militia involved in the killing of 800,000 people in Rwanda in 1994.
And the UN authorities have taken notice of this.
In a rare departure, UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon, whose predecessors have otherwise only showered praise on Indian troops, said he “is deeply troubled by the outcome of the investigation (into the sex scandal) by the Office of the Internal Oversight Services of the UN.”
“He reiterates, in the strongest possible terms, that such behaviour, if substantiated, is wholly unacceptable and that disciplinary action to the maximum degree permitted by Indian law should be taken as soon as possible against those found to be involved in such misconduct,” a UN spokesman said.
In New Delhi, defence minister AK Antony demanded a time-bound investigation and strict action. Late on Tuesday, the Army, fearing that the UN will make the report public, issued a clarification promising action.
“In keeping with the efforts to ensure the highest standards of discipline and conduct by the Indian Peace Keepers”, the vice chief of army staff had during a visit to Congo in the last week of May ordered an “internal inquiry”. But the Army had kept it a secret all this while, only to sheepishly issue the late evening press statement.
“The inquiry is under judicial scrutiny and strict disciplinary action will be taken should any individual be found guilty,” the statement said.
India has been overzealous in committing troops to various global peacekeeping efforts
under the UN. On an average, India has been committing at least 4,000 troops in a decade starting 1950s. The commitments climbed further after the Cold War. But the increasing inability of these operations to bring in lasting peace and the lure of gold, diamonds and easy money, combined with the fact that the troops are far away from their home, resulted in such shameful acts of ill-discipline.
“As is the case with any counter-insurgencypeacekeeping operations, there is a high possibility of corruption and ill-discipline in the ranks. We are beginning to see the problems that have settled into the system,” a senior Army officer told DNA. He and several others in the military told DNA that it was time India took a deep look at its huge commitments to peacekeeping.
However, many still defend the deployment saying it was necessary for India to retain its influence in international affairs and maintain its profile as an important global player.
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