Revealed: British soldiers involved in sexual misconduct, ethical breaches

Residents from villages in Laikipia county during a demonstration where they protested against the British Army Training Unit in Kenya (BATUK) [Amos Kiarie, Standard] Parliament has now directed that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to probe the conduct of British soldiers operating in Kenya. This follows an inquiry by the National Assembly's Defense, Intelligence and Foreign relations Committee, which laid bare allegations of ethical breaches, gross misconduct, environmental negligence and a disregard for Kenya laws by the British soldiers training in Kenya. The report tabled before the House by majority leader Kimani Ichung'wah on Tuesday detailed how the disturbing sexual misconduct by British Army Training Unit, Kenya (Batuk) soldiers. "Community witnesses reported multiple incidents of rape and sexual assault perpetrated by Batuk soldiers, many involving young local women. In some cases, victims attempted to seek justice, initial police reports were made, but these cases were later mysteriously dropped or 'settled' without the victims' involvement, leaving survivors without redress," reads the report. The report notes that the unit conducted an inquiry into a series of rape allegations in 2003 and 2004 but dismissed all but a handful of cases as "false". "This culture of silence and impunity has allowed sexual violence to persist," says the report. It also accused the soldiers of engaging in sexual exploitation and neglect. The House team noted that the mothers were left struggling with stigma and financial hardship after the soldiers returned to Britain. British Army Training Unit in Kenya (Batuk) soldiers during a thanksgiving service for Queen Elizabeth Windsor II conducted by Reverend Anthony Thompson in Nanyuki, September 19, 2022. [File, Standard] "Local officials and NGOs such as Fida-Kenya highlighted that these children and their mothers suffer in silence, invisible victims of BatuK's presence, and called for formal mechanisms to compel support and offer remedies." The team decried the lack of legal mechanisms either under the Kenyan or British military systems to hold the soldiers accountable. "The limited jurisdiction of Kenyan authorities over foreign troops, combined with the absence of an independent reporting channel for abuses, has created a culture of impunity..." And to highlight the human rights violations meted on Kenyans, the report noted that Batuk's training activities have resulted in multiple preventable deaths and serious injuries. One such case was that of Robert Swara Seurei, who unknowingly carried home an explosive from a Batuk range. Witnesses also cited the maiming of Lisoka Lesasuyan, a child who lost both arms and an eye. The committee also noted that it received evidence of the killing of Tilam Leresh, a herder allegedly shot by Sgt Lee Maddison in 2012. Further, the team cited unethical and opaque compensation practices. For instance, it was alleged that the unit offered an ex-gratia payment for Lisoka Lesasuyan's injuries based on claim that the British ordnance was only 50 per cent responsible. The assessment lacked independent verification, and the boy's father was not fully informed of this during settlement negotiations. "Many submissions revealed that Batuk has, on diverse occasions, failed to comply with court orders on compensation arising from accidents and environmental degradation linked to its activities. For instance, Mr Longoro Mutunge, who suffered severe injuries due to an explosive left behind by Batuk, submitted that he was awarded Sh7 million but has only received Sh100,000," the committee reported. "It was submitted that Batuk compensation arrangements appear biased in favour of private landholders, who receive substantial lease fees for hosting Batuk training activities." The team has now recommended the establishment of a task force by the National Police Service and the DCI in three months to expedite investigations and table reports before Parliament in six months. It has further directed that the Ministry of Defence submit to the National Assembly a comprehensive report on the status of the Kenya-UK Defence Cooperation agreement in a month.

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