UN Peace Operations and Conflicting Legitimacies

ABSTRACT

Analyses of United Nations (UN) peacekeeping increasingly consider legitimacy a key factor for success, conceiving of it as a resource that operations should seek and use in the pursuit of their goals. However, these analyses rarely break down legitimacy by source. Because the UN is an organization with multiple identities and duties however, different legitimacy sources – in particular output and procedural legitimacy – and the UN’s corresponding legitimation practices come into conflict in the context of peacekeeping. Drawing on a range of examples and the specific case of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), this article argues that looking at different legitimacy sources and linking them to the institutional identity of the UN is thus critical, and it shows how the UN’s contradictory legitimation practices can reduce overall legitimacy perceptions.     

Population genetics of nine short tandem repeat loci: allele frequency distribution in a Brazilian population sample

Gene and genotype frequencies in relation to the D3S1358, vWA, FGA, TH01, TPOX, CSF1PO, D5S818, D13S317, and D7S820 loci were determined in a sample of 290 unrelated individuals (204 Caucasians and 86 mulattoes) living in the city of S?o Paulo, Brazil. The sex test Amelogenin was also performed in all subjects from our sample, revealing the expected sex in all instances. Allele frequency data obtained from the analysis of these samples were in the usual range of other population groups with similar racial background. In the sample of Caucasian individuals, panmictic proportions were ruled out in relation to TPOX and CSF1PO loci, but only in the latter was the overall frequency of heterozygotes significantly less than expected. In the sample of mulattoes, Hardy-Weinberg proportions were rejected in relation to FGA and CSF1PO loci, but in no instance were the overall numbers of heterozygotes different from the corresponding expected ones under panmixia. Taking into account all this and also the number of tests performed, the degree of genetic heterogeneity of Brazilian populations, and the critical level reached by the significant results (1% < alpha<5%), the departures from panmixia here observed can be considered to be negligible in altering significantly biologic relationship odds calculated under the assumption of random matings.     

Y-STRs in forensic medicine: DNA analysis in semen samples of azoospermic individuals

ABSTRACT: The incidence of rape has increased, especially in metropolitan areas, such as the city of São Paulo. In Brazil, studies about it have shown that the majority of this type of crime is committed by the relatives and persons close to the victim. This has made the crime more difficult to be denounced, as only 10% of the cases are reported to competent police authorities. Usually, cytological exams are carried out in sex crime investigations. The difficulty in showing the presence of spermatozoa is frequent, but it does not exclude the presence of male DNA. The absence of spermatozoa in material collected from rape victims can be due to several factors, including the fact that the agressor suffers from azoospermia. This condition can be the result of a successful vasectomy. As the majority of DNA in the ejaculation sample is from spermatozoa, there is much less DNA to be analyzed. This study presents the application of Y‐STRs (DYS19, DYS389I, DYS389II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, and DYS393) in DNA analysis of sperm samples from 105 vasectomized men. The study demonstrated a great variation in DNA concentration. DNA extraction and amplification was possible in all sperm samples even in the absence of spermatozoa. The same profile was observed, for each individual, from DNA extracted from blood, pre‐ and postvasectomy semen samples. The use of markers specific for Y chromosome in sex crime cases, especially in the absence of spermatozoa, is very important, mainly because in most situations there is a small quantity of the agressor's DNA in the medium and a large quantity of the victim's DNA.     

Analysis of DNA in minute volumes of blood from stains and crusts

As the first step, the locus D1S80 was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction technique from genomic DNA extracted from artificial bloodstains and crusts with different amount of blood (32 microl, 16 microl, 8 microl, 4 microl, 2 microl, and 1 microl). In all samples of bloodstains and crusts, identification by DNA analysis was possible. As the second step, the locus HLA-DQA1 was amplified from genomic DNA extracted from diluted blood samples (640, 320, 160, 80, 40, 20, 10, and 5 leukocytes). DNA amplification was possible in diluted blood samples with at least 10 leukocytes. Considering the conditions in which the present study was carried out, it was possible to conclude that 1 microl of bloodstains or crusts was enough for identification. It was also concluded that five leukocytes are not enough material to render consistent DNA identification.     

Legitimacy in Conflict: Concepts,Practices, Challenges

ABSTRACT

The study of legitimacy in situations of conflict and peacebuilding has increased in recent years. However, current work on the topic adopts many assumptions, definitions, and understandings from classical legitimacy theory, which centers on the relationship between the nation-state and its citizens. In this introduction, we provide a detailed critical overview of current theories of legitimacy and legitimation and demonstrate why they have only limited applicability in conflict and post-conflict contexts, focusing on the three main areas that the articles included in this special issue examine: audiences for legitimacy, sources of legitimacy, and legitimation. In particular, we show how conflict and post-conflict contexts are marked by the fragmentation and personalization of power; the proliferation and fragmentation of legitimacy audiences; and ambiguity surrounding legitimation strategies.     

Allele and genotype frequencies for D1S80 locus in a Brazilian population sample

Gene and genotype frequencies in relation to the D1S80 locus were determined in a sample of 197 unrelated individuals (144 Caucasians and 53 Mulattoes), living in the city of S?o Paulo, Brazil. The Mulatto group was composed by mixed individuals who presented at least one negroid physical characteristic or declared themselves to be of mixed (Black-White) ancestry. Nineteen different alleles were detected in the Caucasian sample and 15 among Mulattoes. Alleles 18 and 24 were found to be the most common ones in the Caucasian population with frequencies of 0.173 and 0.357 respectively; the sample heterozygote frequency was estimated in 0.824. Alleles 18, 24, and 28 were found to be the most common alleles among Mulattoes with respective frequencies of 0.150, 0.349, and 0.113; the sample heterozygote frequency was 0.759. Fifty-five different genotypes were detected among Brazilian Caucasians whereas the respective figure among Mulattoes was 31. No significant deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium were found in both population samples.     

Parentage testing on blood crusts from firearms projectiles by DNA typing settles and insurance fraud case

We describe a case of a fraudulent insurance claim. The family of an adult white male (DLF) notified the police of their son's disappearance. After a few weeks, a corpse that presented characteristics similar to those of the DLF was found in advanced stages of decay and was identified by the family as being DLF. The family then filed a claim for the life insurance that DLF had taken out just before he disappeared. Suspicions were raised about the identification of the corpse, because it had been done only visually, and because the insurance policy had been taken out just prior to DLF's disappearance. The insurance company requested a postmortem examination for identification. As the corpse had been cremated immediately after identification by the family, the biological material that was encrusted on the two projectiles removed from the body was used for analysis. The blood crusts provided enough genomic DNA for us to carry out PCR base typing of HLA-DQA1, D1S80, HUMCSF1PO, HUMTPOX, HUMTH01, D3S1744, D12S1090, D18S849, and amelogenin. Results from all loci typing from the corpse presumed to be that of DLF were then compared with that of his alleged biological parents, revealing genetic incompatibility.