Sex abuse allegations against peacekeepers

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(4 Aug 2001) • 1. Various of interiors United Nations building in Dili • 2. Exteriors courthouse • 3. Sign outside court • 4. Security outside the court • 5. Two Jordanian policemen on trial for rape, outside the court house various of guesthouse where East Timorese girl was allegedly raped press conference • 6. SOUNDBITE (English) Peter Biro, UN Spokesman: • It has been decided that a joint investigation should be launched with the prosecutor general's office and the Jordanians • 7. Exterior of building • STORYLINE: • United Nations prosecutors in East Timor are to open an investigation into allegations of sexual crimes by Jordanian peacekeepers. • As the trial opened in Dili on Friday of two Jordanian policemen accused of raping an East Timorese girl in a guesthouse last month. • According to the UN a board of inquiry established to look into the accusations has found grounds to refer the matter to the prosecutor for legal action. • A spokesman wouldn't give further details about the alleged offenses. • The UN board of inquiry investigated a case of misconduct in May in the isolated East Timorese enclave of Oecussi. • During the investigation other incidents involving Jordanian troops in Oecussi had come to light and are also being investigated. • There are currently around 800 Jordanian peacekeepers and 120 police officers serving in East Timor, mostly based in Oecussi and the eastern town of Baucau. • Jordan is the only Muslim nation to contribute a significant contingent to the 8,000-strong UN force deployed to East Timor in the wake of its devastation by the Indonesian army and its paramilitary auxiliaries. • The vast majority of East Timorese are Roman Catholics and many have expressed anxiety about the presence of the Jordanians because of their religious ties with Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation. • • Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork • Twitter: / ap_archive • Facebook: / aparchives • Instagram: / apnews • • • You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...

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