HRW: Kenyan peacemakers raped Somali women
NEWS CENTER (DİHA) - The soldiers used humanitarian assistance to coerce women into sexual activity. There are also allegations of raping women who came seeking water or medical assistance.
Peacekeepers in Somalia used humanitarian aid to lure women and teenagers, who come to ask for medicine and food, and to rape them, HRW said on Monday. The victims often conceal it fearing reprisals, while the troops are immune from local prosecution. The women who agreed to talk to HRW said that other victims didn’t report abuse for various reasons. Some of them fear reprisal from the soldiers, others – retribution from their own families. But there are also women who don’t want to lose their only source of income. That’s why HRW can’t draw a definitive conclusion concerning the real extent of the problem.
Following years of military conflict and famine, the economic situation in Somalia is very tough and humanitarian aid is often the only way to survive. The AMISOM troops are immune from prosecution in Somalia. It is the countries providing peacekeeping troops who are responsible for the conduct of their forces. They have exclusive jurisdiction over the personnel and have started procedures to investigate the cases. Although until now only one country, Uganda, has seen a case going before a military court.
(nt)
