The case was kept secret for several months. On Wednesday the British newspaper The Guardian found that a confidential UN document had been sent to the French authorities. This report, written in the summer of 2014 a UN team reported rape of minors by French soldiers based in CAR. François Hollande assured on Thursday it would be “relentless” if sexual abuse was found.
What are the accusations against French military?
The incident allegedly took place in Bangui, the CAR capital, between December 2013 and June 2014 in the refugee camp M’Poko airport, a place where refugees were thousands of civilians. The French soldiers are accused of raping young boys in exchange for money and food. The report also refers to “sodomy”. The victims were about ten. These children were supposed to be protected by the French military under the Sangaris operation.
The Department of Justice said Wednesday that a preliminary investigation for rape of minors under 15 years was opened in July 2014. A source at the Elysee stated Wednesday in L’Express that the highest state authorities were aware of the case from the open of the preliminary investigation. Also on site where many were aware of these actions. “In this camp, it was an open secret, ‘” concedes a senior UN official, whose remarks were relayed by Libération .
The prosecutor of Bangui, Ghislain Grésenguet, was indignant Wednesday on RFI of having been ruled out. “The floor is totally indignant at not having been made aware of these extremely serious facts that could not be ignored.”
How many soldiers would be affected?
A total of 14 French soldiers are involved in the case. And five foreign soldiers, says Le Monde . A Chadian soldier and two Equatorial Guineans are also involved.
A judicial source reported Thursday told AFP that a “small minority” of them have been identified. Europe 1 puts the figure of three. None, for now, been heard, according to AFP. Chad and Equatorial Guinea were involved at the time in Misca, a pan-African force in CAR peacekeeping preceding the minusca.
& gt; & gt; The military, like other litigants
On what is the ratio?
The document is based on the testimony of several miners . At this stage of the investigation, they number six. Which would be between 9 and 13 years. Four of them say they are direct victims and two witnesses say sexual abuse facts.
According to The Guardian , children have provided “good descriptions of the soldiers involved.” Europe 1, Paula Donovan, director of an NGO gives more details about these testimonies. “Some children have been able to give the nicknames by which the soldiers asked them to be called, but also to identify specific physical characteristic. Skin color, hair color, tattoos
The report, stamped confidential, was sent to the French authorities by Anders Kompass, an official of the UN. From Swedish origin, he acted at the lack of reaction to the UN says The Guardian . The British daily also states that one of the top Anders Kompass was aware of the intentions of the latter, and does not oppose it
& gt; & gt; Read also:. Anders Kompass, a whistleblower in the UN collimator ?
Pending the outcome of the investigation, Anders Kompass was placed “on administrative leave with full pay”
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