No more Indian troops please, Congo tells UN chief: Letter

Kinshasa, Nov 26, 2008: The Congolese government has written to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon asking him not to send any more Indian troops to reinforce its peacekeeping mission, according to a letter sent to a news agency. India is not mentioned by name, but diplomatic sources said the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo is without doubt referring to the Indian contingent of MONUC, the UN peacekeeping mission.

"In view of the numerous abuses of power carried out by certain troops within MONUC, the (Congolese) people would not understand if soldiers from the same country would be used to boost numbers within MONUC," says the letter.

Indian peacekeepers have been accused of sexual abuse and MONUC admitted in August that some Indian troops could have been involved.

The letter could prove a major diplomatic embarrassment to the UN. Some 90 percent of the peacekeepers patrolling the troubled Nord-Kivu region are from India and New Delhi is also providing assault helicopters for the mission.

The UN Security Council voted last Thursday to send 3,000 reinforcements to the country. Which countries will supply the extra troops and when is still to be undecided.

The UN has been criticised for failing to protect the estimated 250,000 displaced people by both the rebels and government forces.

Congolese Foreign Minister Alexis Tambwe Muamba handed the letter addressed to Ban to the deputy head of the UN mission Leilaq Zeerougi on Saturday, the same diplomatic sources said.

MONUC spokesman Madnodje Mounoubai confirmed that a letter from the Congolese foreign minister had been received Saturday, but declined to give details on its contents.

The Congolese government also confirmed Muamba h ad sent a letter to Zerrougui on Saturday, but gave no further comment.

MONUC has been operating in Congo since 2001. It is one of the largest UN missions worldwide with 17,000 peacekeepers currently deployed there.