Fourteen intl. rights groups urge suspension of Lanka's Haiti deployment

Fourteen international human rights and victims’ organisations have called for the immediate suspension of Sri Lanka’s planned deployment of about 900 military personnel and 140 police officers to Haiti, warning that there is no credible independent vetting mechanism to screen those selected for past human rights violations.

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In a joint statement addressed to the United Nations, the Government of Haiti and the Standing Committee of the Gang Suppression Force (GSF), the organisations said the current screening process relies primarily on self-certification by the Sri Lankan military and police, supplemented by checks conducted by the US Embassy, which they described as inadequate.

The groups also pointed to Sri Lanka’s previous peacekeeping deployment in Haiti, where UN investigations found widespread sexual exploitation and abuse of children by Sri Lankan peacekeepers between 2004 and 2007. They further expressed concern over the involvement of senior Sri Lankan officials in facilitating the latest deployment.

Full statement : Fourteen international human rights and victims’ organisations have called for the immediate suspension of deployment of approximately 900 Sri Lankan soldiers and 140 police officers to Haiti, warning that no credible independent vetting process is in place to screen personnel for past human rights violations.

The joint statement, released today, is directed at the UN, the Government of Haiti, and the Standing Committee of the Gang Suppression Force (GSF), the multinational security mission authorised by the UN Security Council to conduct counter-gang operations in Haiti.

At the heart of the concerns is the adequacy of the screening process for deploying personnel. The organisations say vetting appears to rely primarily on information supplied by the Sri Lankan army and police themselves, supplemented by a review of names by the US Embassy in Colombo.

The groups argue this does not constitute an independent human rights vetting mechanism.