Shame, shame, shame. This just in from UPI:

The U.N. watchdog office says peacekeeping troops have continued to abuse girls in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, sometimes paying two eggs for sex.

U.N. peacekeeping officials say member states providing the soldiers must send sterner commanders and toughen punishment for perpetrators.

A report from the U.N. Office of Internal Oversight Services says, its “investigation into allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse of local Congolese women and girls found that the problem was serious and ongoing. Equally disturbing was the lack of a protection and deterrence program.”

Although troops knew an investigation was being conducted in eastern Bunia from June to September last year, they continued their activities, the report said.

The OIOS investigated 72 allegations, resulting in 20 case studies, the report said. Of these cases, perpetrators were positively identified in six, not identified in 11 and the accusations were not fully corroborated in two.

Voice of America’s report adds the following:

Speaking to reporters Friday, lead investigator Barbara Dixon said her team concluded that sexual exploitation by blue-helmeted U.N. troops is a serious and ongoing problem.

“In our view, the problem is and continues to be widespread,” she said. “We focused on Ituri province, it seems there are allegations that cover all of the Congo, and as some of you have pointed out, it’s not just limited to the Congo.”

The U.N. report documents cases in which peacekeepers lured poverty-stricken teenagers into sex for small amounts of money and food.

At least two civilians working in the Congo peacekeeping mission have been charged with pedophilia. One was sent home to France where he is in jail awaiting prosecution. Another has been fired and sent home, where charges are pending. At least three other civilians and three soldiers are also facing charges in their home countries.

The United Nations. It’s your world.

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