Given the world’s long history in warfare (The Peacekeeper’s Child, Aug 8), it’s imprudent to assume that soldiers abroad will not attempt to engage in sexual activity (which will often be paid for, since working conditions often prohibit love from flourishing). Denying these soldiers access to condoms, and discouraging further contact after their deployment all makes the governing body culpable. This is neither unique to India, nor the UN troops. It also further raises the ridiculousness of gender segregation in the army. When we assume that women lack any agency in a military setting, then we should not be surprised when soldiers treat local women as dispensable. It’s the continuum of a patriarchal thinking process, which is only more ridiculous when we consider that these troops are meant to keep the peace. No wonder rape as a tool of war was only recently recognised as such. Sex is a need. Pretending that young people in their prime are a) heterosexual, and b) abstinent, is all a farce. Outlook should be commended for raising what is a general human story that spans the globe.
Diepiriye S. Kuku-Siemons, Delhi
In the Northeast, at least, not one person will be surprised by these allegations of sexual misconduct by the glorious and ever-victorious armed forces of the great and noble nation of India.
B. Purkayastha, Shillong
Is sex with a prostitute on agreed returns a crime? Please, before raising your finger at our forces, ask yourself—how many of our so-called ‘tourists’ go abroad for just this purpose?
Vinod, Nagpur
Forgive them their sins. Our men in uniform were carrying out thankless duties in difficult conditions and so far away from home at that.
D.L. Narayan, Visakhapatnam
Military misbehaviour is often condoned under the special rights given to them in the name of patriotism. The public just refuses to accept that India’s ‘divine’ soldiers could also be criminals sometimes.
Madhu, Madurai
What is new in this article? Not a month goes by, even now, when the Indian army is not accused of this kind of conduct in Kashmir.
Chalu Singh, Amritsar
As all of Indian institutions collapse, how can the military be immune? The military is what the nation is. In the last two decades, we have become a nation of corrupt, immoral, indisciplined and intolerant people. We don’t want to accept the new reality, hence the denial by many readers.
Henry, Mumbai
Let us not be too moralistic. The only issue here is—have anyone’s rights been abused? That said, the personnel should be made accountable for the care of the children born of the alliances. We have no right to sit in judgement on anything else. The right thing to do would have been to give them a briefing on safe sex practices and provide prophylactics just like the bottle of rum in their rations.
Ashutosh Kaul, Toronto
This moral policing line is unacceptable. This is a common phenomenon at all foreign army camps across the world. The Congolese women should have contacted the police right after they were, if what they claim is true, forced to bestow sexual favours.
Alok Mishra, Patna
Glad to read such a frank piece on Indian soldiers.
Harish, Mumbai
Anabasis, according to answers.com, refers to a large-scale military advance, specifically the Greek mercenary expedition across Asia Minor in 401 BC. It was an unsuccessful one at that. To use the term to define the Indian army in the Congo is just not done. Are our jawans there for some mercenary purpose? The Indian army has always played a stellar role whilst wearing the blue berets.
Gaurab Banerjee, Calcutta
Why do a cover story on this? If you guys had the courage and moral conviction to take on the nationalists, do a cover story on the army in Manipur.
Mitra, Chicago
The African women were heard because the UN raised the issue, when will the Kashmiri woman be heard?
Aiman Zehra, Hyderabad
The army commander who allowed such indiscipline must also be punished.
David Jones, Mumbai
If you invite or are forced to have a foreign army on your soil, better accept the real likelihood of collateral damage.
Manish Banerjee, Calcutta
Regrettably, the incident not only brings a bad name to the army but also to the concerned regiment. It’s essential now to pinpoint the offenders and punish them severely so that it acts as a deterrent to others.
Ranjit Sinha, Calcutta
While serving in the Northeast as a dental officer, I knew of instances when fellow officers got involved with tribal girls. One medical officer even made a girl pregnant and the office had to pay `5,000 and give a case of liquor to the tribals as a cynical form of compensation. At the same time, there were many officers who set high standards. This is a universal problem where poverty exists, and it is not right to tar all armymen with the same brush.
Dr (Capt) Prince Herbert, Coimbatore
Why are there cover stories on sexual (mis)conduct only when men are the perpetrators? When women abuse men, it is trumpeted as liberation/emancipation. We need the other side of the story.
Suvrajit, Calcutta
Men will be men and women, after all the big talk about empowerment and equality, will be used and abused by men and cast away. Our armymen will go back to their wives and children and behave as if nothing ever happened. It’s those women and those children who face a lost future.
Sangeeta Rao, Delhi
Your article seems to hop from investigative journalism to moral policing to activism. I am in full support of punishing the troops within the UN charter, but not in this lynchmob, activist manner which you are trying to fan.
Santosh Gairola, Taiwan
