VZCZCXYZ0004
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #5476 1202342
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 292335Z APR 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA PRIORITY 0000
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0000
INFO UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 0000
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0000

UNCLAS STATE 045476 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL UNSC KPKO CG
SUBJECT: FOLLOW UP TO OIOS INVESTIGATION ON MONUC 
PEACEKEEPERS AND PURPORTED UN COVER UP 
 
 
¶1. This is an action request.  Department requests USUN and 
Embassy Kinshasa to discuss with appropriate UN officials 
what follow up action the UN has taken with India and 
Pakistan to the findings of Office of Internal Oversight 
Services (OIOS) investigations that individuals in the Indian 
and Pakistani contingents of the UN Peacekeeping Mission in 
the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) were involved in 
gold smuggling and the supply of weapons or ammunition to 
militia members, and to discuss if such activity continues in 
the present.  USUN and Embassy Kinshasa are also requested to 
inquire about claims that the UN has been discouraged from 
pursuing inquiries for political reasons, particularly for 
fear of alienating India and Pakistan, two of the largest 
troop contributing countries to UN peacekeeping operations. 
See paragraph 2 for background.  Refer to paragraph 3 for 
suggested discussion elements. 
 
¶2. Background: 
 
In May 2007, MONUC announced that the OIOS would conduct an 
investigation into possible trafficking in gold and arms by 
peacekeepers deployed in 2005 in Ituri, in the northeast of 
the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).  The announcement 
came after a report by the British Broadcasting Corporation 
(BBC), which indicated that peacekeepers in Pakistan,s 
contingent were engaged in trafficking with the Nationalist 
Integrationist Front (FNI) militia, one of five armed groups 
active in Ituri.  The BBC alleged that the trafficking began 
in 2005, and cited witnesses who described secret 
negotiations between Pakistani blue helmets and FNI militia 
commanders known as &Kung-fu8 and &Dragon8 in the town of 
Mongbwalu.  The OIOS investigation concluded that one officer 
had been responsible for dealing in gold, allowing traders to 
use UN aircraft to fly into town, putting them up at the UN 
base and taking them around town.  However, the UN declared 
that &in the absence of corroborative evidence,8 its 
investigators &could not substantiate the allegation8 that 
Pakistani peacekeepers supplied weapons or ammunition to the 
militia. 
Upon inquiries in mid-March from the Department on follow up 
action to the findings of the investigation, the Department 
of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) stated that the OIOS report 
had been given to the Government of Pakistan.  DPKO further 
stated that it had sent two letters to Pakistan asking for 
information on any action taken, but Pakistan had not 
formally replied. 
      In its latest report aired on April 28, the BBC said 
Indian soldiers were also implicated in the trafficking.  The 
18-month BBC investigation for its program Panorama found 
evidence that: 
-Pakistani peacekeepers in the eastern town of Mongbwalu were 
involved in the illegal trade in gold with the FNI militia, 
providing them with weapons to guard the perimeter of the 
mines. 
-Indian peacekeepers operating around the town of Goma had 
direct dealings with the militia responsible for Rwandan 
genocide, now living in eastern DRC. 
-The Indians traded gold, bought drugs from the militias, and 
flew a UN helicopter into the Virunga National Park, where 
they exchanged ammunition for ivory. 
The BBC report also quoted UN sources saying they had been 
discouraged from pursuing an investigation for political 
reasons.  High level UN officials, including DPKO Under 
Secretary General Jean Marie Guehenno, Special Representative 
 
SIPDIS 
of the Secretary General for MONUC Alan Doss, Deputy 
Spokeswoman for the Secretary General Maria Okabe, and OIOS 
head Inga Britt Ahlenius, have defended the organization 
against these charges, and have emphasized that whole 
countries, contingents should not be &smeared8 on the 
basis of individuals, actions.  Additionally, Pakistan has 
said that it has no means of influencing the UN, and that 
there is no evidence that its troops were involved in an 
illegal gold trade or re-arming militia.  Likewise, the 
Indian Army emphasized that an investigation by OIOS had 
revealed that all by one of the allegations were based on 
hearsay or were not backed by credible evidence. 
 
¶3. Begin suggested discussion elements: 
 
-Ask what follow up actions have been taken by the UN in 
response to the conclusions of the OIOS investigations. 
 
-Ask UN officials if they are aware of any follow up actions 
taken by Pakistan or India in response to the conclusions of 
the OIOS investigations. 
 
-Note that the Department had been informed by DPKO in 
mid-March that the UN had sent two letters to the Government 
of Pakistan requesting information on any action it had taken 
in response to the findings of the OIOS report, but at that 
time Pakistan had not formally responded.  Ask whether 
Pakistan has since responded to the UN,s inquiries. 
 
-Emphasize that we strongly agree with the UN that entire 
contingents should not be smeared on the basis of 
individuals, actions, but ask if any formal action was ever 
taken by the Governments of Pakistan or India against the 
individuals implicated in the OIOS report. 
 
- Ask how the OIOS concluded that there was not sufficient 
corroborative evidence to substantiate the allegation that 
Pakistani peacekeepers supplied weapons or ammunition to 
militia. 
 
-Ask if there will be a formal investigation on the 
allegations that Pakistani and Indian peacekeepers in the DRC 
had direct dealings with militia, and who purportedly traded 
gold, bought drugs, and exchanged ammunition for ivory. 
 
-Discuss whether or not troop contributing countries, 
specifically India and Pakistan, have taken measures to 
discourage a thorough investigation of the allegations 
against its peacekeepers deployed in MONUC. 
 
End suggested discussion elements. 
 
¶4. Department requests response by Tuesday, May 6. 
RICE