'No complaint against SA cop'
2005-03-29 13:41
Johannesburg - No written complaint has been laid against a South African police officer accused of sexually harassing another officer in Sudan, said a spokesperson on Tuesday.
Director Sally de Beer said: "Deputy national commissioner Andre Pruis has been in contact with the African Union. They have not received any written complaint."
She was responding to media reports that a complaint had been laid against the officer by another female officer, while stationed at El Fashir in Darfur.
Apparently the officer had 'fondled and tried to kiss' her in her tent.
Beeld newspaper reported that the officer concerned had also been accused of disciplinary problems by Senegalese and Gambian peacekeepers - and all these written complaints had been handed to Pruis two weeks ago.
'Discussing specific allegations'
De Beer said Pruis held discussions with groups from all the representative African countries when he visited. Various issues were raised with him, including "control problems".
She said: "Pruis is reviewing the problems. We are not prepared to discuss specific allegations."
The group arrived in Sudan less than two months ago.
De Beer said nearly 12 new recruits had now been added to the original six, and the plan was to expand SA's representation to 100 police officers by the end of the year.
Members of the SA National Defence Force had also been fingered in a United Nations report on sexual misconduct in peacekeeping forces in Congo.
'UN to deal with the problem'
While none of the allegations against SA soldiers included rape or harassment, it did implicate them with involvement with underage prostitutes.
Media reports at the time showed the defence force as saying the UN would deal with the problem and the UN saying it was for SA to discipline its forces.
During the Easter weekend, it was reported that the UN security was to tackle this apparent confusion in responsibility for disciplining peacekeepers by adopting a new set of regulations.
UN secretary-general Kofi Annan said the UN could not stop the sexual abuse by peacekeepers without the support of the countries providing them.
Prosecution of recalcitrant troops
He said the regulations would be implemented as soon as the security council accepted the recommendations.
If the new regulations were accepted, SA and other contributing countries would be required to report regularly on the prosecution of its recalcitrant troops.
The countries would also have to explain if the prosecution is not finalised within a reasonable time.
Other recommendations included:
The UN would reward commanders, who maintain good discipline;
Every country would deploy at least one military legal officer along with its troops, and
More female peacekeepers would be deployed to help with outreach programmes in the local communities.
- SAPA