U.N. investigates alleged sexual abuse by peacekeepers in Eritrea

Addis Ababa (dpa) - The U.N. Mission monitoring the disputed border between Ethiopia and Eritrea disclosed Thursday that it has set up a committee to investigate allegations of sexual abuse which Eritrean women have made against Mission peacekeepers and civilian staff.

Gail Sainte, spokesperson for the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), said that ''UNMEE has established a committee today composed of civilian and military personnel to look into sexual abuse accusations made by Eritrean women, one of which was informally and the other two were formally reported to us.''

''We take these allegations very seriously, as does the U.N. headquarters in New York,'' she said, adding that ''there is zero tolerance in our Mission for sexual abuse and exploitation.''

Two years ago UNMEE sent home two Irish soldiers who took pornographic photos of young Eritrean women. dpa gh pmc