Peacekeepers, Atrocities, and Accountability: A Case Study of the Un Peacekeeping Forces in the Central African Republic 2014-2023

Abstract

The conflict caused by civil war and instability in the Central African Republic escalated in 2013 and thus the United Nations decided to deploy the MINUSCA Peacekeeping Mission in order to assist the country through the conflict. Although there has been some significance in deploying the mission, there are undeniable sexual abuse and exploitation allegations in the name of the peacekeeping troops. This thesis used data of possible abuse from 2014 until 2023 and the triangle violence theory by Johan Galtung. This theory can be divided into three types of violence: direct violence, structural violence, and cultural violence. The initial assumption that was made is that the type of violence committed by MINUSCA, which is sexual abuse is only direct violence (well-being needs) and structural violence (exploitation B). However, the final findings indicated that the violence is contained direct violence (well-being needs). structural violence (exploitation B & segmentation), and cultural violence which is a complete cycle of violence in the sexual abuse phenomenon perpetrated by the peacekeepers. It is important to notes that there are a number of things that the UN needs to overcome to fully eradicate the sexual abuse problem, like improving the impunity problem that peacekeepers currently have, fixing the abuse databases that are not transparent and also provides the victims with sufficient assistance both physically and psychologically.