Over a four-day period from late July into early August, rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo systematically raped more than 200 women – and four infant boys – in a remote area of that African nation.
That is horrible in itself, but the horror is compounded by the fact that the vicious attack took place near a so-called U.N. “peacekeeping” station. The U.N. spends over $1 billion a year to “keep the peace” in Congo, though there is apparently little peace to keep.
The first day of the attack in Congo, U.N. agencies got an urgent e-mail stating that rebels had taken over the area and were committing rape. But the “peacekeepers” did not respond, and soon hundreds of innocent women and the four babies were being brutally attacked.
Days later, U.N. officials said they had not responded because they did not know what was happening. But the e-mail warning the U.N. of the horror unfolding in the remote area showed the U.N. did know but chose not to do anything. Later, the organization offered a useless condemnation of the savagery.
We do not suggest there is an easy solution to Congo’s violence, which involves various factions, racial strife and a host of other factors. But does this atrocity not illustrate how ill-equipped the U.N. is to handle such situations? Its forces were very close to the site of the violence, yet they were either helpless or indifferent.
Because the United States is the biggest source of funds for the U.N., your tax dollars are paying for the bungled mission in Congo. Do you feel that’s a wise use of your money?