Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged the Security Council on Wednesday to add at least 100 military police to a Congo peacekeeping mission to help prevent sex abuse of women by the U.N. forces. In a letter to the 15 council members, Annan reiterated his “personal outrage” at the allegations of sexual exploitation of girls as young as 13 by U.N. peacekeepers in Congo. He said the United Nationsis actively working to root out the problem, which has tarnished the reputation of the world body and the nearly 65,000 peacekeepers serving in 16 global hotspots. “I reiterate my stance — one which I know the members of the council share — that we cannot tolerate even one instance of a United Nations peacekeeper victimizing the most vulnerable among us,” Annan said. Annan appealed to the council for at least 100 military police to help the mission’s self-monitoring and enforcement programs. He said there is also an urgent need for French-speaking investigators with special skills in sexual abuse cases. Full Story
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