On Congo Rapes, DPKO Faces Council Questions, New Element

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, August 26 -- On the Congo rape scandal, the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations faced a rare barrage of questions from some Security Council members on Thursday morning. Inner City Press is told that DPKO has been asked for a copy of the July 30 e-mail noting the incursion of rebels into the area the 154 rapes would take place, and telling humanitarian workers to stay away.

The forthcoming Council press statement, the initial four elements of which Inner City Press exclusively published before the meeting, is being expanded with a fifth paragraph. Ambassador Susan Rice, it is said, will speak to the Press after the meeting and the Statement, to be read by Russia's Vitaly Churkin, the Council president for August.

Other members concerned with protection of civilians include Mexico, whose Permanent Representative Claude Heller said, even in this week's Council meeting on piracy, that “Mexico condemns and rejects these acts of sexual violence which cannot remain unpunished and deserve a categorical condemnation from the international community,” and “the Security Council should address in the appropriate time this serious issue.”

So if this is not the appropriate time, when is? Watch this site.