DynCorp on Friday dropped its planned appeal of an employment tribunal's ruling that the corporation unfairly dismissed a woman who blew the whistle on DynCorp-employed U.N. peacekeepers in Bosnia for frequenting nightclubs where girls under 15 danced naked and had sex with customers.  U.N. employees were also linked to Balkan prostitution rings.

The U.S. firm's dropping of the expected Bosnia appeal follows its landing last month of a $50 million U.S. State Department contract to provide police officers to Iraq.

The Bosnia whistle-blower, Kathryn Bolkovac, was awarded about $177,000 in November when the tribunal found she was wrongly fired.  DynCorp was expected to appeal the decision but dropped the bid at the last minute, paying the damages awarded to Bolkovac plus interest.  The company said it reversed its stance after being taken over by Computer Sciences.

Bolkovac said she is pleased to be vindicated but added that she remains concerned that any changes at DynCorp are only cosmetic and vulnerable people are still at risk.

Under a contract signed with the U.S. State Department last month, DynCorp will provide up to 1,000 civilian law enforcement advisers to rebuild Iraq's police force, prisons and judiciary system.  U.S. personnel recruited by the firm to work in Iraq will have to pledge not to get involved in human trafficking or prostitution (Jamie Wilson, London Guardian, May 3).