Message about peacekeepers. Peacekeeping operations: Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God (Matthew 5:9) - how to understand this expression of the Lord from the “beatitudes”? How to learn this virtue? How to distinguish peacemaking from people-pleasing? In what situations can we be peacemakers, and when should we, remembering the words of the Savior, bring not peace, but a sword? The rector of the temple in honor of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in the city of Saratov, Hegumen Nektary (Morozov), reflects.
In the evangelical understanding, this is a person who helps to establish peace where there was previously enmity, or, in a more expanded understanding, who does not allow this enmity to break out. But, probably, in the full sense of the word, to an even greater extent a peacemaker is a person who, having involuntarily become one of the parties to the conflict, at the same time not only does not allow this conflict into himself, but also does absolutely everything possible to pacify the one who found himself “on the other side of the barricades.”
This can be achieved primarily when a person finds it possible to renounce his interests, aspirations, desires, and to some extent even his will in this particular situation. Indeed, the basis of any conflict - in the family, or at work, or between two different political parties, or two states - almost always lies in the fact that one of the parties or both parties puts their interests above the interests of their opponents. And then the struggle begins, in which the stronger side imposes its will and its desires on the other, weaker one. Or it happens with varying degrees of success. This is how protracted conflicts begin, this is how information wars begin, and this is how sometimes real wars begin - bloody ones. But if one of the parties has the good will to relieve the severity of the conflict situation, then it is possible that the other will not have the opportunity to conflict.
The peacemakers we see on TV and read about in the newspapers are hardly peacemakers in the evangelical sense of the word.
But because there are very few peacemakers at such an everyday, everyday level, there are also few opportunities to promote peace in some global conflicts. But the peacekeepers, who today are called blue helmets, that is, soldiers sent to certain zones and certain parts of the world, are still primarily engaged not in reconciling people, but in enforcing peace. And this, in turn, is often associated with the suppression of one side or another of the conflict, and, mainly, only because someone needs it. Therefore, of course, those peacemakers whom we see on TV and about whom we read in newspapers are hardly peacemakers in the Gospel sense of the word; there is a colossal substitution of concepts here.
Yes, there are situations when the efforts of these peacekeepers, even if associated with some kind of force, still lead to peace. But this is only partly true. Of course, if a contingent of peacekeeping forces is deployed somewhere, then, as a rule, the fighting stops, but at the same time, we understand perfectly well that in the world around us there are certain mechanisms that serve the interests of the most powerful side. And the strongest party is almost always the one that gave rise to this conflict without directly participating in it.
For example, today one could find on Youtube a speech by the head of the largest American private intelligence agency Stratfor, George Friedman, in which he directly said that the United States should not directly participate in any armed conflicts, since it is too costly. But they can quarrel between different states and prevent partnerships between them. In particular, they discussed the inadmissibility of a union between Russia and Germany, since this is the most important threat to the United States and its hegemony in the modern world. The same applies to the countries of Europe, which need to be disunited and, by dividing and dividing, to rule. The words of this person also indicated the need for the process of disintegration of the EU, which Britain has now launched, and, as a consequence, armed conflicts within Europe. Therefore, we can clearly see how conflicts are born, or more precisely, how they are planned. To paraphrase a well-known saying, one can argue that if wars start, it means that someone needs it.
But here we can also recall the wonderful words of the late Patriarch of Georgia Ephraim that if out of two people at least one is smart, then there will be no quarrel. And if of the two parties that are forced to enter into a conflict, at least one is, let’s say, smart, then there will be no conflict and no war. After all, it is always in the interests of the people to avoid war in any case, unless we are talking about a war of liberation, when someone has already invaded our territory, and we need to defend it.
Give up self-love, but not faith
If you want to evade and give in, there is a danger of going to the other extreme - to people-pleasing, to, to weakness that is tempting for potential aggressors. Common sense is required to clearly understand where the line lies, beyond which it is no longer possible to retreat.
But most conflicts occur for the stupidest reasons. An ideal illustration is Gogol’s “The Tale of How Ivan Ivanovich and Ivan Nikiforovich Quarreled.” This happened over some nonsense, and after a while no one could even remember what the reason for the quarrel was. Most often, people conflict over little things that hurt their pride. One did not let the other get off the bus, one stood in line and was sure that he was standing in this place, but it turned out that another was standing in this place, they began to find out, word by word - the whole line almost clashed hand-to-hand . This is what our life is filled with. A Christian needs to sacrifice his pride in such cases. You cannot compromise principles, ideals, and, of course, you must under no circumstances compromise your faith. Just as you cannot give in to someone to the detriment of the interests of your loved ones.
− Any conflict is a matter of human egoism
And it is very important not to look for the unreason or even madness in other people that leads them to conflicts over trifles, but to see all this in ourselves. And by neglecting these little things, you can get away from most of the conflicts and quarrels in your life. Of course, any conflict is a matter of human egoism. And the one who has less egoism is more likely to be able to stop the conflict, end it, come out of it with honor and, at least to some extent, become a peacemaker and be honored with the bliss of peacemakers.
The strong are not afraid to appear weak
Of course, there are conflicts that do not arise because of trifles. For example, one of your colleagues is trying to shift their responsibilities to another or is abusing their official position, and it is quite clear that this is a reason for tension in the relationship. But in any case, as a rule, several types of reaction are possible. They are trying to shift someone else’s work onto me, I agree with this, but over time I find myself overloaded and fail both my own and someone else’s work at once. You simply cannot force someone who is used to shifting their work onto my shoulders to work. Another type of reaction: “Why are you allowing yourself to do this? Are you crazy? You are not a good person." The result is obvious. And a third type of reaction is possible, when I say: “Sorry, please, I have my own work, and this is not mine, so I still can’t do it. It’s my fault, but I can’t handle it.” And in this case, the danger of conflict is much less than even in the first case. Because at that moment, when you find yourself unable to do the work for another, he will still demand this from you and be angry, and when you immediately set a certain line, but at the same time express regret and do not blame him for anything, this reduces danger of conflict. But even if a person tries to quarrel with you, you can be a stone wall against which he will break his arms and legs, or you can be a pillow that gently absorbs all these blows. It's not easy though.
- Evil has this peculiarity: when you don’t resist it, it grows
The fact is that evil, unfortunately, has this peculiarity: when you don’t resist it, it grows. There are different ways to fight evil, the most important thing is that these methods should not be associated with the fact that evil multiplies in you. Therefore, it is better to approach each situation of this kind, let’s say, technically: do not give in to the first impulse to release a fire-breathing dragon that will scorch everything around with the fire of anger, irritation, frustration, but take, figuratively speaking, a step back and give yourself time, at least the shortest , to remember that I am not just reasonable, mature and independent, but also a believer who wants to be a Christian and is trying to be one. Therefore, I must have enough firmness, but at the same time meekness and love, so that conflict does not arise. And if a person comes into conflict with me, I will not answer - I, God willing, will turn out to be the same smart person that Patriarch Ephraim spoke about.
And there is no need to be afraid that by doing this, we will seem weak, downtrodden, and will find ourselves in last place in the team. Often a person gets angry, irritated, in fact, because he feels weak in himself and is afraid to give in. And, on the contrary, a strong and self-sufficient person understands that no one will force him to do anything against his will. And therefore he can communicate correctly, politely, with love, in a Christian way and at the same time know that he will allow himself to do this, but not that. And other people in the team, as a rule, feel this power. In addition, a person who does his job well, is courageous, firm and at the same time calm, as a rule, does not end up in last place.
What should we do if someone close to us clearly commits some mistake, some sin and thereby creates problems not only for ourselves, but also for those around us, but at the same time we know that any remark, even made with love, will cause will indignation lead to a quarrel? Study the person and look at the situation. And in some cases we will understand that in principle we can do without this remark, which will cause anger, and we will not do it, and in some cases, knowing that work, other people or the person himself may suffer, everything We will do it again, but at the same time we will be ready for a “volcanic eruption.” And, as the Psalmist says, having prepared ourselves, we will not be dismayed.
Sons of God and sons of the enemy
“You need to think carefully: aren’t you being complacent in vain and thinking in vain that the causes of discord are insignificant?
If a person witnesses a conflict and tries to reconcile two warring parties, it often happens that each of them tries to attract the peacemaker to its side and is offended by his neutrality. And it happens that those in conflict unite and begin to quarrel with those who tried to reconcile them. Therefore, before any peacemaking actions, you need to think carefully: are you not in vain and are you thinking in vain that the causes of discord are insignificant? You must first try the situation on yourself to make sure that you yourself could calmly and soberly give in and not conflict. And in no case should you act as an “elder”, because, as a rule, this hurts a person’s pride, but you need to stand on the same level with them and act, perhaps at first not so much with rational arguments, but with a call to love . And most importantly, you need to be well acquainted with these people and they need to respect you.
Of course, sometimes there is no time for thinking when people are killing each other before your eyes - then you have to think about whether you can really help stop this fight, the massacre, or whether it is better to call someone for help. After all, Christianity does not imply unreason, therefore, when we begin some business, we must judge what needs to be done in order for this business to be successful.
The Gospel says: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God(Matthew 5:9), what do these words mean? The Lord came into the world in order to carry out this amazing sacrament of reconciliation between man and God, to give man the opportunity to be reconciled, including with himself, and to return to the state of sonship with God. Therefore, those who imitate Christ, the main Peacemaker, in this transformation of hostility into peace, are so pleasing to God and so dear to God that they become His sons. And on the contrary, those who sow enmity become not the sons of God, but the sons of the enemy.
That the presence of peacekeepers is appropriate, however, he emphasizes that these forces “must be located on the demarcation line and in no other territories.”
In addition, the head of the Russian Federation emphasizes that it is necessary to resolve such a conflict with representatives of the “DPR” and “LPR” after the separation of the parties and the withdrawal of heavy equipment.
In turn, the representative of Ukraine at the negotiations in Minsk, First Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Irina Gerashchenko, said that there can be no talk of peacekeepers only along the demarcation line.
“Peacekeepers should be deployed throughout the territory occupied by the Russians in order to monitor the security situation and demilitarization; their mandate should end at the Ukrainian-Russian border,” she believes.
Earlier, the topic of peacekeepers in Donbass was raised by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. In August, he announced that he intended to present the idea of introducing peacekeepers to the occupied Donbass at the session of the UN General Assembly in New York in September this year.
The head of the BPP faction, Artur Gerasimov, said that the introduction of a peacekeeping mission in Donbass is possible in three options at once.
"There are several options currently under discussion. The first is, for example, the format proposed by the president, announced during the session of the UN General Assembly. Also under discussion is the format for introducing peacekeepers under the OSCE format. And the introduction of peacekeepers under the format of a police mission from Europe is also being discussed Time will tell what will be faster and more effective,” the press service of the Petro Poroshenko Bloc quoted the parliamentarian as saying.
This discussion is not the first on the topic of “peacekeepers and Donbass.” The intensification at the end of August and beginning of September may be associated with the visit of the US special representative to Donbass Kurt Volker to Moscow, the results of which are not available in detail. Previously, the topic of peacekeepers in the conflict zone periodically surfaced in the information space, but consensus on it could not be reached, since the parties to the conflict voiced radically different proposals for the deployment and functions of peacekeepers.
We propose to understand what UN peacekeeping missions actually are and what their role is in the modern world.
"Will the UN come and ruin everything? That's not true"
Practice shows that the deployment of peacekeepers to a conflict zone actually means freezing it for an indefinite period.
Over the past 15 years, the shortest involvement of the Blue Helmets has been in Burundi (2 years) and East Timor (3 years). Most missions last from 2002-2004 until today.
Photos from open sources
A similar idea was expressed by Ukraine’s permanent representative to the UN, Vladimir Yelchenko, in an interview with Forum Daily.
“It should be understood, however, that even if such a decision is made, it will take many, many months and will not bring the result that an ordinary person expects, thinking that the UN will come and sort everything out. This is not so. At best, there will be a freeze in the conflict ", said the Ukrainian diplomat.
He also commented skeptically to Radio Liberty on the latest initiatives regarding peacekeepers, saying that the introduction of a mission is impossible until the complete cessation of hostilities.
In addition, it is worth considering that UN peacekeepers are predominantly involved in resolving conflicts in third world countries in Africa, Asia and Central America. The last UN mission in Europe was a contingent in Kosovo, introduced into the region in 1999. Thus, the appearance of a mission in Ukraine will not add credibility to the country.
Missions are different
There are two types of UN peacekeeping operations: observer missions and operations involving peacekeeping forces.
The difference between them is that observers are unarmed, have diplomatic status and immunity, while peacekeeping forces are armed with light weapons, which they can only use for self-defense (using weapons against civilians and taking sides in the conflict is prohibited).
Let us remind you that an observation mission under the auspices of the OSCE has been operating in Ukraine for a long time, the effectiveness of which is very doubtful.
While peacekeepers ensure peace on the ground, UN mediators meet with the leadership of the warring parties or countries and try to find a peaceful solution.
Who makes the decision to send peacekeepers and how?
As a conflict develops, the UN conducts a series of consultations that typically involve all interested parties, including the host government, regional and intergovernmental organizations and member states that are willing to contribute troops and police to the peacekeeping operation.
A technical assessment mission is then sent to the country where the UN operation is planned to be deployed. It assesses the security, political, military and humanitarian situation. Based on the findings of the mission, the UN Secretary General makes a report in which he proposes options for deploying the operation.
The Security Council then formally authorizes the operation by passing a resolution that defines the mandate and scope, and outlines the objectives to be achieved.
Let us recall that the UN Security Council includes 15 member states - 5 permanent and 10 non-permanent, elected by the UN General Assembly for a two-year term, 5 each year. The five permanent members of the Security Council are Great Britain, France, the USA, China and Russia. Security Council decisions require 9 votes out of 15, including the concurring votes of all permanent members. But most importantly, each of them has the right of veto.
In its decisions, the Security Council is guided by Chapter VI of the Charter, which deals with issues of “peaceful resolution of disputes” and Chapter VII, which contains provisions providing for “actions regarding threats to peace, violations of the peace and acts of aggression.” It is the last chapter that has recently been most often mentioned in the context of decision-making on the deployment of operations.
Photos from open sources
Let us note that in certain situations the General Assembly can make decisions on issues of peace and security, despite the provision limiting its powers provided for in the UN Charter.
General Assembly Resolution 377 (V) "Uniting for Peace" of November 3, 1950 provides for the power of the General Assembly to consider matters in the event that the Security Council is unable to fulfill its duties due to differences of permanent members. This provision applies to all cases where there are grounds to perceive a threat to the peace, a breach of the peace or an act of aggression. The General Assembly may consider this matter with a view to making recommendations to members regarding the adoption of collective measures to maintain or restore international peace and security.
In the entire history of UN peacekeeping, reference to this resolution was made only once, when in 1956, by decision of the General Assembly, the First UN Emergency Force (UNEF I) was created in the Middle East.
UN peacekeepers today
The UN does not have its own armed forces or police forces, so member states provide the necessary military and police personnel upon request. Peacekeepers wear the military uniform of their countries, and their membership in the UN peacekeeping contingent is indicated only by a blue helmet or beret and an identification badge.
Photos from open sources
Civilian peacekeeping personnel are international civilian employees recruited and deployed by the UN Secretariat.
There are currently 16 peacekeeping operations deployed. Operations are managed by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. In total, 80,067 military personnel, 11,982 police representatives, 1,543 military observers, and 15,153 civilian personnel are participating in the missions.
In order to prevent or eliminate a threat to peace and security through joint coercive actions (military demonstration, military blockade, etc.), if measures of an economic and political nature turn out to be or have proven to be insufficient.
Decisions on the creation, composition, use and financing of UN peacekeeping forces are made by the UN Security Council. Strategic leadership is carried out by the Military Staff Committee.
In 1988, UN peacekeeping forces were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
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✪ UN peacekeepers at work!
✪ The work of UN peacekeeping forces
Subtitles
UN peacekeeping operations
During the first 40 years of the existence of the United Nations (1945-1985), only 13 peacekeeping operations were carried out. Over the next 20 years, 51 missions were deployed.
Initially, peacekeeping operations were primarily operations to enforce ceasefire and disengagement agreements following interstate wars.
Recruitment of personnel for peacekeeping operations
According to a number of researchers, for a long time the selection of personnel for peacekeeping operations was clearly discriminatory and politically motivated. Mostly career or reserve officers of the armies of Western countries were selected who had direct or indirect state interest in conflict zones, thus, there was no talk of impartiality and neutrality when carrying out UN missions in certain developing countries at that time. Until sep. In the 1970s, in UN practice, socialist countries (apart from Yugoslavia’s participation in the group of military observers in Yemen in 1963-1964 and the peacekeeping mission in Egypt in the 1950s) did not participate in peacekeeping operations and military observer missions. At the same time, American officers acted as UN observers during UN operations in
He further explained: “...the peacekeeping force through its efforts has made an important contribution to the implementation of one of the fundamental principles of the United Nations. Thus, this world organization began to play a more central role in world affairs and enjoy increasing confidence."
Impartial Soldiers
The fact that the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to military personnel involved in UN peacekeeping efforts may seem an anomaly. One of Alfred Nobel's requirements for laureates is that they must do the maximum or most effective work to "eliminate or reduce regular armies." However, this fact should be considered in the light of international events of that time. The award confirms the generally accepted idea that UN peacekeeping forces operate in the spirit typical of the requirements for Nobel Peace Prize laureates, that they exist to prevent hostilities and prepare the way for peaceful settlements in conflict areas through the use of negotiation and persuasion rather than violence.
The Cold War between the USSR and the USA and the resulting nuclear arms race were realities for decades after World War II, creating instability in the world and fear of a catastrophe fraught with the destruction of humanity. In this atmosphere of instability, a new technique of peacekeeping has become an alternative to war and conflict. “There has been a practical reassessment of the realities of international peace and security. “The basis of these efforts was 16 peacekeeping operations and countless mediation missions of successive Secretaries-General,” said then-UN Secretary-General Javier Pérez de Cuellar in his Nobel speech, calling peacekeeping operations “the most successful renewal of the UN.”
Since then, cases of “intervention” by UN peacekeeping forces have become more frequent. Troops are on standby to be deployed on a voluntary basis and with the approval of the UN Security Council to troubled areas. They may be deployed in areas where a ceasefire has been reached, but negotiations for a formal peace treaty have not yet been completed. This force, consisting of lightly armed troops and unarmed observers, constitutes an independent structure and can, through its mere presence, significantly contribute to defusing tension in volatile situations. UN Secretary-General Pérez de Cuellar, who favored the path of “consensus, conciliation, mediation, diplomatic pressure and cooperative nonviolent peacekeeping,” saw the evolution of peacekeeping forces as a useful practical reflection of how international administration could be built and maintained. Referring to the use of these troops as “a catalyst for peace rather than an instrument of war,” he described peacekeeping operations as the direct opposite of military action against aggression, and called the non-combatant soldiers of peace a symbol of international administration offering “an honorable alternative to war and a useful pretext for peace.”
UN intervention using observer groups began in 1948, when international control was established over the observance of the armistice between Israel and the Arab states. The first full-scale UN peacekeeping force, the 10-nation First United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF I), was created in 1956 to oversee the withdrawal of foreign troops from the Suez Canal Zone. Then, in 1967 and again in 1974, peacekeeping troops controlled and defused hostilities in the Middle East. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which carried out the most intensive operations in the area, was created to monitor events on the ground following Israel's invasion of Lebanon in 1978. It assisted in maintaining peace during the Israeli withdrawal and also contributed to reconstruction authorities of the Lebanese government. Reducing tensions in the area came at a high cost, with approximately 250 UNIFIL troops killed.
In Congo, UN peacekeeping operations played an important role in containing the civil war that began after the country gained independence from Belgium in 1960. The UN again paid dearly for this operation, losing its energetic Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld, who died in a plane crash. Peacekeeping operations also continue in other regions where the underlying causes of conflict remain, such as the Indian subcontinent and Cyprus, where international intervention has contained and prevented hostilities.
“In situations of conflict...initiatives are vitally needed through which real negotiations can begin. In the opinion of the Nobel Committee, UN peacekeeping operations make just such a contribution,” stressed the Chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Egil Aarvik, in a speech given in January 1989, when he introduced UN peacekeeping forces as a candidate for the prize, also pointing to “mobilization troops from countries around the world as tangible evidence of the desire of the world community to resolve conflicts by peaceful means.”
“The Nobel Committee also believes that peacekeeping operations and the way they are carried out contribute to the implementation of the ideas on which the UN was created. Therefore, the award of the Nobel Peace Prize for this year should be considered recognition of the services of the UN as a whole. This award is a reflection of our hopes for the UN.” In his closing statement, Aarvik welcomed the role that young people play in UN peacekeeping forces, as their contribution creates the opportunity for the positive implementation of UN goals.”
Diarra, from Mali, was just 19 years old when she was raped by two peacekeeping soldiers. They were never punished. Even their identities were not established, and who needs that? Every year, thousands of rapes and even more acts of sexual harassment are committed in hot spots around the world. The worst thing is that often the role of rapists is not militants of rebel groups or terrorists, but “men in blue helmets,” soldiers of UN peacekeeping contingents, whose task is to bring peace and protect unarmed civilians.
UN soldiers commit thousands of rapes
Famous news agency Associated Press published a report highlighting sexual crimes against United Nations peacekeepers and personnel. Over twelve years, according to data published in the report, peacekeepers committed almost two thousand sexual assaults. And this is only the information that the agency has. In practice, of course, there are many times more such cases. The peacekeepers do not even spare children - it was established that about 300 children and teenagers became victims of sexual harassment and rape by the peacekeepers.
The conclusions of journalists, unfortunately, are confirmed by official documents of the United Nations itself. A representative of this organization was the first to report mass rapes by UN peacekeepers Zeid Ra'ad al Hussein ten years ago. Then he drew attention to the problems of children born to women after such rapes. Both children and their mothers are doomed to poverty - in traditional society, the attitude towards victims of rape and illegitimate children is known to be very cool.
On March 9, 2017, the UN published a report citing 145 cases of sexual violence by peacekeepers. In 2015, only 99 such cases were recorded - that is, the number of crimes increased by 1.5 times. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres even called on the international community to eradicate cases of violence by peacekeepers against civilians.
The largest number of victims of sexual violence by “blue helmets” are in countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic. In these African states, armed conflicts have been raging for many years; there is, literally, a “war of all against all.” Naturally, those who suffer first of all are those who have no weapons and nothing to protect themselves with - civilians, especially women and children. They are being bullied by government soldiers and fighters from rebel groups, simply criminal gangs. But, as it turned out, it is useless to ask UN peacekeepers for protection. Moreover, they themselves often behave like bandits - they rob, beat, and even rape.
So, in 2004-2007. In Haiti, where UN peacekeeping forces were stationed, nine local children and teenagers became victims of regular rape by peacekeepers. Children were raped and abused by 134 soldiers - Sri Lankan citizens. When the circumstances of what happened were revealed, the only sanction was to send 114 servicemen home. Of course, none of them suffered any punishment for their actions.
Modern Landsknechts come from Bangladesh and Rwanda
By the way, peacekeeping troops have long been, for the most part, not Europeans or Americans. Military personnel from the USA, France, Great Britain, and other developed countries are present, first of all, where the political or economic interests of Western countries are affected. Western governments prefer not to send their soldiers to the poor and war-torn countries of Tropical Africa. The reason for this is several cases of failure of peacekeeping operations, as well as the death of Western soldiers. For example, in 1994, Hutu militants brutally killed ten Belgian peacekeepers in Rwanda. Therefore, now in Africa the UN prefers to act with the hands of modern Landsknechts - military personnel from Asian and African states. The largest contingents of military personnel to participate in UN peacekeeping missions are sent by Bangladesh, Pakistan and India. Additionally, the top 10 peacemakers on the planet include Ethiopia, Rwanda, Nigeria, Nepal, Jordan, Ghana and Egypt.
In essence, wealthy Western countries are simply taking over as sponsors of peacekeeping operations, funding UN missions. Poor countries, in turn, are suppliers of manpower - just as they supply guest workers to the labor market, they also supply military personnel to peacekeeping missions for the “hot spots” of the planet. However, very often financial conflicts arise between sponsors and Landsknechts. Suppliers of soldiers are demanding more money paid for the maintenance of peacekeepers, and sponsors are outraged by their exorbitant appetites. Peacekeeping missions now cost $8.5 billion a year.
The moral and psychological level and qualities of military personnel from African countries raise many questions. As a rule, the command is very negligent in recruiting those wishing to go on peacekeeping missions. Many soldiers themselves are not much different from the fighters of the rebel groups from which they are supposed to protect the world and civilians. It must be understood that these soldiers were brought up in an environment where women are not considered full-fledged people, and justice is understood as the right of the strong (the one who is physically stronger, armed or has a high status) to act as he pleases.
From buying sex to violence at gunpoint
In the “hot spots” of Africa, peacekeepers buy sex for meager remuneration from local women - for food, cheap jewelry. Many women and girls agree out of poverty and hopelessness. But often there is no need to buy - the “blue helmets” threaten to use weapons or simply take what they want by force. Moreover, it is not only soldiers from third world countries who commit crimes, but also Europeans. For example, in 2013, facts of sexual harassment of French peacekeepers against boys in the Central African Republic were revealed.
African Union peacekeepers are also involved in rapes. This organization, which unites the countries of the African continent, also sends international military missions to “hot spots” in Africa, for example, to Somalia. Representative of Human Rights Watch Lizul Gerntholz reported that some African Union soldiers, including peacekeepers from Uganda and Burundi, were raping women and girls in Somalia.
Will the Blue Helmets be held accountable for what they have done?
It is almost impossible to hold peacekeepers accountable. And there are reasons for this. We decided to ask a famous private detective about them Ernest Aslanyan.
“SP”: — What are the difficulties in bringing peacekeepers to justice?
- As is known, soldiers and officers of UN peacekeeping missions are protected by the 1946 Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations. This document, adopted more than seventy years ago, protects all UN employees, including peacekeeping troops, from any persecution. Peacekeepers and UN staff are subject to jurisdiction only in the countries of which they are citizens. Of course, states are very reluctant to initiate criminal proceedings against their citizens accused of committing crimes on the territory of third countries. Moreover, these are not ordinary citizens, but military personnel of peacekeeping missions. In many African countries, governments are simply afraid of their armies and do not want to offend the military by opening criminal cases against their fellow soldiers. Criminal cases are initiated only in the most extreme cases, when information about the egregious actions of peacekeepers becomes publicly known and pressure begins from the world community.
“SP”: — But, probably, there are some other reasons?
— The practical unprovability of such crimes is also very important. They are carried out in areas where hostilities are taking place. The population there is intimidated, local authorities and the police are often either absent or do not function normally. Therefore, victims, even if they want to protect their rights, simply have nowhere to turn. And they will not be able to prove the crime committed. In addition, the legal illiteracy of local residents also plays a role.
“SP”: — And yet, what if the crime becomes known to the UN structures and the world community? Are criminals punished?
— There is some hope for adequate punishment only if the person involved in the case is a soldier from a Western country where things are better with justice. Even if it is possible to bring peacekeepers responsible for sexual crimes to justice, its nature is clearly disproportionate to the gravity of the criminal acts. Thus, back in 2009, over 50 UN peacekeepers were found guilty of committing sexual crimes between 2007 and 2009. But they got off lightly - from demotion in military ranks to (maximum) eight-month placement under disciplinary arrest. And this is for sexual crimes, including against minors. In March 2016, the UN announced that, firstly, a DNA database of all peacekeeping troops would be created, and secondly, data would be made public on which military personnel from which countries of the world were involved in sexual crimes.