US embassy cable - 05KINSHASA1484

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 001484 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/13/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, KPKO, PREL, PHUM, CG 
SUBJECT: MONUC TAKES ACTION ON SEXUAL MISCONDUCT 
ALLEGATIONS INVOLVING CIVIL POLICE 
 
 
Classified By: Poloff Gons Nachman for Reasons 1.4 B and D 
 
1. (C) Nigerian Civil Police (CivPol) officers under 
investigation for alleged sexual misconduct remain confined 
to their barracks in Kinshasa pending official results of a 
board of inquiry, an official at MONUC's Office for 
Addressing Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (ASEA) reported. 
According to this official, MONUC started an investigation 
into serious allegations of sexual misconduct, including 
prostitution and sex with minors, in mid-July, as soon as the 
information came to the attention of the Special 
Representative to the Secretary General (SRSG).  Following 
the conclusion of the investigation at the end of August, 
MONUC opened a board of inquiry to review the results and 
recommend action.  Although preliminary findings implicated 
ten members of the 120-man Nigerian CivPol contingent in 
Kinshasa, MONUC confined the entire contingent to their 
barracks pending a final decision by the board of inquiry. 
 
2. (C) The ASEA official said, despite press reports that the 
GON had decided preemptively to recall the entire Nigerian 
CivPol contingent, the Nigerian contingent remains in 
Kinshasa.  MONUC's board of inquiry is expected to finish its 
proceedings within the next two days and to forward the 
results to DPKO in New York for action.  The ASEA official 
emphasized that MONUC has a "zero-tolerance" policy regarding 
cases of sexual misconduct and that decisive action against 
any offenders.  We understand from MONUC sources that Nigeria 
intends to repatriate the entire contingent (and not only 
those directly implicated). 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
3. (C) MONUC has handled the allegations against Nigerian 
CivPol officers in a proactive and decisive manner.  It 
opened an investigation immediately after the allegations 
came to its attention, and it confined the entire contingent 
to its barracks once the preliminary investigation 
substantiated allegations of sexual misconduct.  MONUC 
officials intend to repatriate offenders as soon as the final 
results of the investigation are confirmed and to continue 
efforts to educate and inform civilian and military staff of 
its "zero-tolerance" policy on sexual misconduct. 
MEECE