UN Troops trading their guns for gold...

What could be worse than UN troops illegally selling their guns? Why it would be UN troops illegally selling their guns to ruthless militias known for violating human rights. And to top it all off, the UN attempted to cover it up.

Via the UK Commentators we have this story from the BBC:

Pakistani UN peacekeeping troops have traded in gold and sold weapons to Congolese militia groups they were meant to disarm, the BBC has learnt. These militia groups were guilty of some of the worst human rights abuses during the Democratic Republic of Congo's long civil war. The trading went on in 2005. A UN investigative team sent to gather evidence was obstructed and threatened.

The team's report was buried by the UN itself to "avoid political fallout".

Richard Ndilu, in charge of immigration at Mongbwalu airstrip, became suspicious in late 2005 when an Indian businessman arrived there and went to stay at the camp of the Pakistani peacekeepers. Alerted to this illegal trade by her officials, the District Commissioner of Ituri, Petronille Vaweka, went to Bunia airport to intercept a plane from Mongbwalu. She said her way was blocked by Congolese army officers, who refused to allow her to inspect the cargo.

"I knew they had gold because the price of gold increased when the Indians went to Mongwalu," she said. "When we wanted to verify what was inside the plane the pilot refused to allow us to enter the plane - me who was the chief, he refused! It was a big scandal."

Yet another landmark on the path of utter failure for the UN. It doesn't reflect well upon a global organization purportedly devoted to world peace, not only when its troops engage in criminal activity, but when its upper echelons attempt to cover it up.

Scandal is increasingly the trademark of the UN.