©️photo : Srilanka army
Port-au-Prince, June 30, 2026.- Several international human rights organizations are calling for the immediate suspension of the planned deployment of 1,132 Sri Lankan military and police personnel in Haiti. They invoke the serious sexual abuse committed by Sri Lankan peacekeepers during previous United Nations missions in Haiti and call for an independent verification mechanism before any new troops arrive.
A few weeks away from the announced arrival of a Sri Lankan contingent in Haiti, several international human rights organizations are sounding the alarm. In a joint note published on 25 June, they ask the United Nations (UN), the Haitian government and the international mission officials to suspend the planned deployment in August.
The announced contingent comprises 900 soldiers, 189 specialized police officers and 43 female military personnel, who must support the security forces engaged in the fight against armed groups.
However, the organizations recall that Sri Lankan soldiers deployed in Haiti between 2004 and 2007 under UN mandate were involved in serious cases of sexual exploitation and abuse of Haitian children. According to them, no legal proceedings were instituted against the alleged perpetrators.
In the face of this past, they believe that no new contingent should be dispatched without independent, transparent and credible monitoring of the military and police history.
NGOs also called for the publication of the list of contingent members prior to their deployment, the establishment of an independent mechanism to enable victims to lodge complaints in confidence, and reparations for victims of abuses committed in previous peacekeeping missions.
W.A.
