The UN peacekeeping contingent serving in the Central African Republic are accused of sexually abusing street children in Bangui, a UN spokesman has said. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moons
spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said the latest
incident was the third case of alleged child sexual
abuse involving peacekeepers in the CAR to have
surfaced in recent months. If the allegations are substantiated, this would
constitute a grave violation of UN principles and of
the code of conduct of peacekeepers, Dujarric
said on Tuesday. The UN mission in Bangui has notified the troop-
contributing country of the new allegations and
has opened an investigation, Dujarric said. The country of origin was not identified, but a UN official said it was an African contingent. The member-state will be requested to take swift
and appropriate punitive action, he added.