WHEN PEACE-KEEPERS GO BAD

It is not the first time but the UN Peace Keeping Force has been brought in to the limelight once again with reports that members of the force have been illegally trading weapons, minerals and precious metals with rebels and unscrupulous dealers in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This is in the wake of similar investigations two years ago which revealed improper dealings between the force and traders in Liberia. The UN’s mandate in an crisis zones is to keep peace. If UN soldiers are trading in weapons, then peace cannot be maintained. What is the way forward for the UN? For governments?