SA abuses in Burundi claimed

2005-03-15 23:09

Erika Gibson

Pretoria - It's not only in the Democratic Republic of Congo that a few of the South African peace-keeping soldiers are giving the entire contingent a bad name, the same thing's happening in Burundi as well.

According to the latest intelligence report by The Economist, the South African soldiers, who are helping to keep the peace as part of the United Nations corps, are becoming increasingly unpopular with the local population.

"They got themselves the unfortunate reputation for excessive drinking and the abuse of prostitutes," says the report.

At the same time, there are indications the UN has implemented a plan to put an end to the debauchery of soldiers in Burundi.

The UN announced at the weekend it would be even stricter in the enforcement of its zero-tolerance of sexual abuse, especially regarding under-age girls in Burundi.

Two caught after abuses

An investigation into various incidents of abuse was launched in Burundi recently.

Two soldiers were caught in December after allegations of abuses in Muyinga. It's not clear from which country these soldiers come.

In September last year, a 14-year-old prostitute was killed, allegedly by a South African, 32-year-old sergeant Phillipus Jacobus Venter, after an evening of apparent debauchery.

According to a UN statement, an investigation was ordered because soldiers were disregarding the world body's restrictions.

"The UN forbids peace-keeping forces from paying for sex or having sex with girls under 18.

"In the DRC, payment varies from two eggs to $5 (about R30) a time. In many cases, the victims are orphans and illiterate."

According to a South African working in Burundi, who doesn't want to be identified for this reason, the soldiers have been criticised at diplomatic level for their behaviour for quite some time.

The source said: "The Burundians are very discreet - especially when it comes to sex. They can't stand the South Africans' crude and open approach to women.

"It's increasingly creating conflict with the local population, because the bad behaviour of a couple of soldiers has now led the locals to believe all South Africans act in the same way.

He said this meant that all South Africans were tarred with the same brush.

Beeld has already reported about a South African battalion commander who was being investigated by the UN for alleged involvement with prostitution and sexual misbehaviour.

Reinstated a vehicle curfew

Henri Boshoff of the Institute of Security Studies (ISS), who recently returned from a visit to Burundi, said the UN was clamping down increasingly on misbehaviour.

Carolyn McAskie, the UN's special representative in Burundi, reinstated a curfew - no UN vehicles may be on the streets after 23:00.

"The military police (of Kenya) scour the streets shortly before 23:00, and any UN vehicle is summarily stopped.

"The problem is that it limits potential misbehaviour, but still does not curb soldiers who move around on foot."

- Beeld