As Bosco Dines in Congo, UN Called Shameful by Former Commander, Chissano's Bye

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at the UN: News Analysis

UNITED NATIONS, June 24 -- A former commander for the UN Mission in the Congo (MONUC), Major General Patrick Cammaert, on Wednesday told the Press that recent events in Eastern Congo are "shameful" and "destroy the reputation of the UN and of MONUC." Video here, from Minute 37:29.

Inner City Press had asked him about MONUC working with indicted war criminal Jean-Bosco Ntaganda of the CNDP rebels, and having stood by and done nothing about rapes by CNDP forces, according to a doctor from Bukavu's Panzi Hospital. Click here for previous Inner City Press story.

Cammaert recounted that in the past, MONUC had tried to arrest Bosco but failed -- because a subordinate commander lost will, Cammaert, said. But now, MONUC is aware that Bosco has been described as a deputy coordinator of an operation by the Congolese Army which MONUC is assisting. Video here, from Minute 24:40. Cammaert said that MONUC should not even indirectly work with Bosco. But it is.

Cammaert said that he was recently in Goma, dining at the lakeside Le Chalet, and almost "choked on his chicken" when he saw that Bosco was dining there too. He said that President Kabila should be pressure to arrest Bosco, rather than being allowed to say that despite being indicted he is invaluable to the peace process.

Patrick Cammaert reviews blue helmets: "shameful" (Bosco not shown)

Jan Egeland, former UN Humanitarian Coordinator and now with the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs, concurred that heads of state should be held accountable. Inner City Press asked Egeland not only about Sri Lanka -- article elsewhere on this site -- but also Northern Uganda. Egeland said he had been proud of his work there, reducing the level of threat in Northern Uganda. But it spread to Eastern Congo.

Inner City Press asked for Egeland's view of the early termination of the UN-funded mission by Joaquim Chissano to meditate with the Lord's Resistance Army. Egeland said that mediation should continue.Video here from Minute 41:50. But the UN is closing the office, and Chissano is moving on to a SADC inspired mediation in Madagascar.

UNIFEM's Anne-Marie Goetz, describing the outcomes of the colloquium on Conflict Related Sexual Violence in Peace Negotiations, said that UN envoys -- like MONUC's Alan Doss -- should be measured and assessed by what happens on these issues. She said that data should be collected, as it is on the issue of Children and Armed Conflict. Who will hold the UN accountable?