The Pakistani Spectator

About 4,500 Indian troops are presently posted in Congo under the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping mission. In the past Indian Army personnel were involved in activities like gold smuggling, sexual abuse and other acts of misconduct, which prompted the Congolese government to write to the UN to stop sending replacements of Indian troops.  Indian peacekeepers including Colonel Chand Saroha, instead of supporting Congolese authorities were in support of renegade Tutsi General Laurent Nkunda.  Colonel Saroha had been unofficially meeting the rebels groups.  In an audio recording of the ceremony the Indian officer called General Laurent Nkunda “brother” and described him as fighting for a “noble cause” and ready to make sacrifices following the example of “true revolutionaries.”  In response of remarks of Colonel Chand Saroha, General Nkunda thanked him for his friendship and his support, telling him that he has helped them enormously. UN took serious note of misconduct of Indian peacekeepers and disclosed that the UN mission disowns the personal remarks of Colonel Saroha and reiterates its full support for the Congolese authorities.

Past record of Indian peacekeeping contingents in Congo was never clean but despite numerous complaints by the locals as well as indiscriminating evidences against them, there was no action against them. It seems that the people of Congo are treated like animals with no rights at all; same is the reason that the international body did not take any action against India rather allowed them to send additional number of personnel. June 2009 was probably the ugliest day for the people of Congo that despite their all out protests, UN did not ban India from contributing troops in Congo as peacekeepers. There was a gap of 15 months but UN forced Congolese government to compromise with India. In June 2009, Indian Air Force contingent comprising 285 personnel was airlifted to Congo. This was followed by dispatch of 1,000 Indian troops, mainly 5 Bihar regiment. Later other Indian troops also joined the peacekeeping force in Congo.

It is pertinent to mention here that Indian peacekeepers have in the past been seriously involved in gold smuggling, sexual abuses and arming local warlords. In the same context, a Court of Inquiry was held and all of them were found guilty. The latest involvement of Indian officers in below dignity activities including sexual harassment to locals in Congo reminds of the address of Air Marshal K.M. Rama Sundra who warned departing Air Force personnel “You are the ambassadors of peace and the nation has high expectations from you in terms of discipline, integrity and professional standards. Don’t do things which are perceived wrong or could be wrong. Don’t fall to false contemplation. Be extremely cautious.” He also cautioned “”In the past some disgruntled elements have made allegations. But in all enquiries we have come clean. Do not let any one raise questions on your character. It would be very difficult to remove stains. Don’t take advantage of locals and their weakness. Don’t take advantage of your position. Be courteous to them.”

It is quite disturbing that India personnel deployed as peacekeepers in Congo probably put a deaf ear to the cautions and warnings of their superiors. They are still engaged in constant acts of terrorizing and sexually abusing locals. In the first week of October 2009, six Indian officers were beaten and injured by the locals for their involvement in unethical activities. More disturbing was that instead of taking action against those Indian officers who sexually abused locals and were thrashed as a reaction, a 25-year-old Yanik Nzengu, a management student from Kinshasa city in the Congo was brutally beaten up at market in Saket, South Delhi. Due to serious head injury and extensive bleeding Nzengu got unconscious and was rushed to a local hospital where doctors put stitches at the back of his head. Despite such a serious condition of said foreigner, the culprits have not been arrested.

The only fault of this poor individual was that he belonged to Congo where Indian officer were beaten by locals on account of their below officer like activities. The Indian crowd, which attacked Nzengu, claimed that they were taking revenge for the attacks on their officer in Congo. It is pertinent to mention here that Nzengu is simultaneously doing a management course from Nagaland University and a computer degree course from NIIT Limited. The beating of Indian peacekeeping officers in Congo and its revenge from Congolese national in India is criminal. There can be no second opinion that India should not be allowed to violate UN mandate and code of conduct. UN must take stern action in this regard and ban Indian troops in these peacekeeping missions. The peaceful nations of the world expect from UN Secretary General to hold a high level inquiry into the incidents and ensure that UN charter and mandate remains intact and impartial.