UN:THE UNITED Nations has covered up allegations that its peacekeepers traded gold, ivory and arms with violent rebel groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to an 18-month investigation by the BBC.
It is the latest scandal to hit the UN's mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo, where peacekeepers and officials have been accused of repeated sexual misconduct.
Confidential sources told the BBC that Pakistani and Indian troops were implicated in arms deals. The UN insisted it investigated the accusations last year but could find no evidence that troops had supplied arms to militias.
But an 18-month investigation by the BBC's Panorama programme concluded that such deals had taken place and UN staff had been told not to pursue their investigations for fear of upsetting Pakistan - the largest contributor of peacekeepers.
At the time, Jean-Marie Guéhenno, the head of the UN's peacekeeping division, said: "The investigation has found no evidence of gun smuggling. But it has identified an individual who seemed to have facilitated gold smuggling.
"We have shared the report with the concerned troop-contributing country and I am confident they will take the required action. And this issue is closed."
The UN mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo is the largest in the world, with 17,000 troops. It has brought a measure of stability since being deployed eight years ago to a country ravaged by civil war.
But armed groups continue to rape, murder and loot their way through large parts of the east of the country, where thousands of civilians are still being uprooted.
At the same time, the UN's peacekeeping mission, known as Monuc, has been implicated in a series of sex scandals.
Sixty-six peacekeepers were repatriated and six civilian staff suspended when charges of misconduct came to light.
The latest allegations involve Pakistani peacekeepers in the eastern town of Mongbwalu, who are accused of receiving gold from the Nationalist and Integrationist Front (FNI) militia in return for providing them with weapons to guard mines.
Indian soldiers around the town of Goma are also accused of direct dealings with the Hutu militia responsible for the Rwandan genocide.
They allegedly bought gold and drugs from the militia and flew a helicopter into Virunga national park, where they swapped ammunition for ivory.
Evidence included interviews with two FNI commanders in their prison cells in Kinshasa, who confirmed the involvement of Pakistani soldiers.
However, the head of Monuc, Alan Doss, dismissed their evidence as untrustworthy. "Militia leaders are militia leaders. They always have their interests, if you will. All I can say is this investigation didn't confirm that."