The sex-for-food scandal in Central African Republic
The sex-for-food scandal in Central African Republic
May 08, 2015
Hisham Aidi
In late March, a report commissioned by the Colombian government claimed that US military soldiers and contractors had sexually abused at least 54 children in Colombia between 2003 and 2007, emphasising that the perpetrators had not been brought to justice on account of diplomatic agreements between the US and Colombia which protect US military personnel from prosecution.
While this report made some headlines in Latin America, the US and European media barely mentioned the story - nor did international human rights organisations.
Yet last weeks revelations that French troops sexually abused children in the Central African Republic in 2014 have drawn global media attention.
This scandal has raised diplomatic tensions, led to the suspension of a senior UN official - and the reason for the widespread outrage is that it appears the United Nations sought to bury an internal report detailing the abuses.
France intervened in the Central African Republic in December 2013, months after a rebel group took over the capital and overthrew President Francois Bozize.
The subsequent violence between Muslim and Christian militias led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people, into neighbouring states, but also into makeshift camps for those internally displaced.
More:
http://nation.com.pk/international/08-May-2015/the-sex-for-food-scandal-in-central-african-republic