U.N. "Hanky Panky"

Once again, we find more evidence that the U.N. is one of the most corrupt institutions in the world. A French U.N. logistics specialist was found with "home-made pornographic videos . . . in the Democratic Republic of Congo." He was apparently using money and force to bring young Congalese women into his home to make the videos of sexual acts he performed with them.

The London Times reports that "When the police arrived the man was allegedly about to rape a 12-year-old girl sent to him in a sting operation. Three home-made porn videos and more than 50 photographs were found. . . . Investigations have already turned up 150 allegations of sexual misconduct by peacekeepers and UN staff despite the UN’s official policy of “zero-tolerance”. One found 68 allegations of misconduct in the town of Bunia alone.

UN insiders told The Times that two Russian pilots based in Mbandaka paid young girls with jars of mayonnaise and jam to have sex with them.

They filmed the sessions and sent the tapes to Russia. But the men were tipped off and left the area before UN investigators arrived.

The Moroccan peacekeeping contingent based in Kisangani — a town on the Congo River with no road links to the outside world — had one of the worst reputations. A soldier accused of rape was apparently hidden in the barracks for a year.

[These and other crimes are evidence of] rampant sexual exploitation of Congolese girls and women by the UN’s 11,000 peacekeepers and 1,000 civilians.

Once again, the U.N. proves it is inept and immoral. It has no true vision for freedom. Its leaders and institutions are led by their pants and a desire for power--among the basest motives known to mankind--rather than justice, freedom and peace.

As we reported at Opinion Times a few weeks ago, sexual misconduct and outright murder were practiced by U.N. administration in Rwanda in the 1990's. And the result of internal investigations was to award back pay to the U.N. official responsible for that U.N. mission.

I question what argument Congress or the Administration can make for continuing our association with this incorrigable institution until it is totaly reformed or abolished. The time to act is now.