While UN Cuts Loose a Brigade in Congo, Leaked Memo Shows Other Knowledge

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, November 3 -- Shortly after the scandal plagued chief of the UN Mission in the Congo Alan Doss dismissed reports of massacres by the Congolese Army units he works with, head UN Peacekeeper Alain Le Roy has committed not to work with unspecified units in the 213th Brigade. But a leaked MONUC memo shows knowledge of other Brigades' misdeeds, and questions remain unanswered.

In New York on November 2 and 3, there was bragging about this decision. At the November 2 noon briefing:

Spokesperson Michele Montas: MONUC has agreed on the launch of the investigation and I can assure you that the UN will not very easily abandon this. We will definitely make sure that the investigation is carried out.

Inner City Press: Recently here, the Special Rapporteur on Summary Execution, Philip Alston, said he named a massacre, he called it, of 50 civilians in Shalio, which seemed to be a different attack than this. At the time, Alan Doss was here and he said that there wasn’t sufficient evidence of that and they’d continue working. Are these two related, or is the UN looking into what Alston found, or…?

Spokesperson Montas: Every time there is an allegation, there is a follow-up. In this specific case, it’s because we had enough information to warrant an investigation, a full-blown investigation.

Inner City Press: On what Alston reported, is there not an investigation? Is there not enough evidence for what he said?

Spokesperson Montas: I can check for you what has been done on this.

More than 24 hours later, no information has been provided. A MONUC memo, however, has surfaced, showing UN knowledge of abuses beyond those it is belatedly acted on. The memo, signed by Doss' outgoing deputy Ross Mountain and put online here, states:

"the FARDC in Nyunzu are already accused of harassing the population"

UN staff are told to "avoid any gathering of locals" due to "anti MONUC sentiment"

in fact, "MONUC daily workers in Bunia" are deemed a "potential threat"

UN's Le Roy and Doss in DRC, Ross Mountain's memo not shown

"the FARDC are misbehaving against the local population in Dungo Territory"

"Anti-Chinese sentiment continues in Katanga"

"two human rights activists were physically assaulted by soldiers in Punia"

"In Kasugho, the 112th FARDC Brigade completely looted the town" and "fired in the air all night long"