An Open Letter
URGENT PLEA TO THE GLOBAL HUMANITARIAN COMMUNITY
JUSTICE FOR THE VICTIMS OF PEACEKEEPING ABUSES
To the Esteemed Leaders of the Humanitarian World,
The world has watched in silence for too long. We have documented the horrors, recorded the testimonies, and reported the unthinkable crimes. Yet, the impunity of those entrusted to protect, stabilize, and bring peace continues unchecked. Today, I write to you not just as a journalist, but as a witness to the profound betrayal suffered by the very people these forces were sworn to protect.
The atrocities committed by United Nations peacekeeping forces across multiple regions—Haiti, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and beyond—have long been the subject of damning reports. The abuses are well-documented: sexual exploitation, violence against civilians, and the reckless loss of life. Similarly, the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), now transitioning into the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), has left a legacy marred by unconscionable war crimes.
Nowhere is this more apparent than in Somalia, where AMISOM troops, including those from Uganda, have been implicated in grave human rights violations. The recent revelations of mass executions—where civilians were reportedly murdered and their bodies deliberately exploded en masse—represent a new depth of cruelty that demands an immediate international response. These crimes go beyond the battlefield; they strike at the heart of our shared human conscience.
We cannot allow peacekeeping forces to operate as occupying armies above the law. We cannot allow governments funding these missions—including Uganda’s military leadership and other contributing nations—to escape scrutiny under the veil of diplomatic immunity. This is not peacekeeping; this is terror in uniform.
Where are the courts? Where is the justice for the victims? Where is the international community’s demand for accountability? If peacekeeping forces are to maintain legitimacy, they must be held to the highest standard, not the lowest. It is time for world governments, humanitarian organizations, and civil society to take definitive action:
- Immediate Independent Investigations – A neutral, international body must be granted full access to investigate the crimes reported in Somalia and beyond. Governments contributing troops to AU peacekeeping forces must open their records and cooperate fully with inquiries.
- Criminal Prosecution of Perpetrators – The chain of command responsible for these war crimes, from foot soldiers to commanding officers, must face prosecution in international courts. No amnesty, no diplomatic cover-ups.
- Sanctions Against Complicit Governments – Nations that continue to provide troops and resources to peacekeeping operations without enforcing discipline must face tangible consequences. Financial and diplomatic sanctions must be imposed on regimes that shield war criminals.
- Victim Reparations and Acknowledgment – Those who have suffered must be recognized, compensated, and given justice. Families of the slain deserve more than silence; they deserve accountability and restitution.
This letter is a plea to the world’s conscience. If those charged with upholding peace are the very perpetrators of horror, then the global humanitarian community must be the voice that demands their reckoning. The integrity of international peacekeeping is at stake. The dignity of innocent civilians in conflict zones is at stake. Our very humanity is at stake.
To all organizations and individuals dedicated to justice, now is the time to act. Now is the time to demand accountability. Now is the time to ensure that peacekeeping does not become a mask for impunity.
Justice must not wait. The world must not turn away.
