While America was disparaged around the world for leaving behind in Vietnam the offspring of American soldiers and Vietnamese women (the Amerasians of Vietnam), the United Nations has so far been untouched by the issue of the children begat by the rapes and sexual harassment perpetrated by its "peacekeeping" forces around the world.

The Economist brings this sad story to light in an article highlighting the efforts of one man in Liberia to care for these children. Their fathers are UN employees who abandon their children after their tour of duty is over and return to their home countries and waiting wives.  Their mothers are often rape victims or were coerced into sex. They are too poor and unprepared to take care of these children.

The UNECO children's center was founded by Dr. Abraham Cole, a local teacher, and the UN extends no help to him or to the children (let alone the women victims)—except for some food provided by the World Food Program. The number of abandoned babies is expected to reach 1500 by the end of the year. While Kofi Annan is angling to secure 600 million US dollars to expand and renovate the UN buildings in New York, is it too much to expect him to cough up a few dollars to help take care of at least one of the problems the UN has (literally) left behind?

Ed Lasky   4 27 05