United Nations Peacekeeping Missions Rarely Use Force To Protect Civilians

U.N. peacekeepers drive their tank as they patrol past the deserted Kibati village near Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, August 7, 2013. Credit: Reuters/Thomas Mukoya

U.N. Study Finds Peacekeepers Avoid Using Force To Protect Civilians -- Reuters

(Reuters) - United Nations peacekeeping missions routinely avoid using force to protect civilians who are under attack, intervening in only 20 percent of cases despite being authorized to do so by the U.N. Security Council, an internal U.N. study found.

"There is a persistent pattern of peacekeeping operations not intervening with force when civilians are under attack," the report by the Office of Internal Oversight Services said.

"Peacekeepers are absent from many locations when civilians come under attack, and when they are present, are unable or unwilling to prevent serious physical harm from being inflicted," the 26-page report said.

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Update #1: UN Watchdog: Peacekeepers Almost Never Used Force -- AP
Update #2: UN peacekeepers 'should use force more often' -- Global Post/AFP

My Comment: The problem with these "peace keeping missions" has always been the same. Not enough boots on the ground, a lack of resources, problems in coordination among the different UN forces from different countries, the need for better training and professionalism from UN troops, etc...