Peacekeepers are supposed to help maintain peace in the country not disrupt it. The patriotic Pakistanis may feel offended for their soldiers being criticized and pin pointed at but the truth cannot be denied. The incident that has been highlighted by the several news channels a few days ago is highly shameful for Pakistan and Pakistanis.
According to several news reports three days ago two Pakistani UN peacekeepers were found guilty of raping a 14 year old boy in Haiti. The only action that has been taken against them is that they have been sentenced to one year in prison and have also been court martialed.
The soldiers were declared guilty by a Pakistani military tribunal in Haiti and as per decision they will be facing charges back in their homeland Pakistan. This is where people of Haiti are protesting and demanding that the soldiers be punished according to the law enforced by the government of Haiti rather than being sent home.
They feel if the crime was committed in their country then they should be charged according to their laws. Which is fair don’t you think?
Though it would be unfair to just hold Pakistanis responsible and blame them for such incidents. This is not the first time that such as incident has occurred at the hands of UN officials. Just last year 5 Uruguayan soldiers were accused of sexually assaulting a teenage boy at the UN base.
These incidents have been occurring a little too often. We need go into depth and think as to why. To balance out both sides is compulsory. These soldiers are kept away from home for several years and fighting in war is not at all pleasant. Sometimes it is unfavorable conditions that mentally disturb you and make you act like barbarians. To see someone blown up to bits, to take a life or see someone die is not very easy but these soldiers are exposed to all this every day.
Then comes is human need. Sexual requirements are built in every human being and these soldiers have a right to attain that need as well. Don t you think keeping these soldiers away from their families and depriving them of their sexual rights is what drives them to the extent of such frustration? As a result of it they start to act like animals.
Not that there is any justification for them to do what they did but shouldn’t soldiers be sent back home to their families often enough so they can fulfill their needs in the correct manner. Isn’t it true when blinded by lust men lose the ability to think straight?
Do you think being court martialed and sentenced to one year in prison is enough for the two Pakistani UN peace keepers who raped a 14 year old boy in Haiti? Doesn’t it get you thinking why these incidents are happening so often at the hands of those who serve in military forces? Are the unfavorable conditions that these soldiers live in resulting in such actions?
Is this why you hear of such actions in jails, boarding schools, churches, madrassas or from workers away from their families for months and years? What is the solution? Counseling? Training? Or exemplary punishment?
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