UN Criticises Irish Troops In Chad

The office of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNCHR) has criticised Irish troops in Chad after a raid on their offices by rebels.

A spokeswoman for the UNCHR said the she accepted Irish forces where serving in Chad on a basis of neutrality, but is reported to have argued they should have stepped in.

Spokeswoman Annette Rehrl is reported as saying: "If a humanitarian base is attacked, and we were, logic tells you they should have protected us. Maybe they have a different understanding of the mandate."

However, the Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea who is presently in Chad said Irish troops did not have a "policing" role. The Irish, like all EU peacekeeping troops, would come to the assistance of those they are mandated to protect whenever assistance was sought.

"My understanding is that when the Irish were requested to evacuate people they acted immediately. They put 250 people up in their camp for several days," he said.

Chadian rebel forces made their way into the south eastern area of Goz Beida, which lies near the Sudan border and Darfur, looting a UNHCR compound and house. Items were stolen including satellite telephones and fuel and some of the staff were threatened at gunpoint.

The rebel groups now claim to control the town, while 25 people where reportedly injured in the attack.

Ms Rehrl said the UNHCR staff were left traumatised.

She added: "The Irish troops in Goz Beida were not able to protect [UN staff] or prevent the looting because they simply were not there. They are here to protect us but they didn't protect anything. There was shooting going on and they did not appear. Their mandate is to protect refugees, displaced persons and humanitarian staff, including the UN."

Ms Rehrl’s comments follow similar accusations by Chad’s president Idriss Deby, who has accused UN forces of ”closing their eyes” to civilian shootings and refugees by rebel forces.

(DW)