Haiti is the world’s poorest nation is the Carribean island of Hispaniola
The United Nations peacekeeping forces have had a history of overlooking the real purposes they are to serve. Deployed for maintaining peace in different locations in the world, these security forces have been associated with banners like ‘human right excesses’, ‘exploiting poor people’, ‘harassing women’ and ‘gang rapes’. The latest, in such arrogance displayed by them is the excesses committed by Sri Lankan contingent of the UN mission at Haiti. MINUSTAH, the acronym for the United Nations Stabilization mission at Haiti, is an international force comprising teams from over 30 nations of which Sri Lanka too is a party.
Girls as young as thirteen are having sex with peacekeepers for as little as $1. - LA Times
80% of the population in Haiti lives at less than a dollar a day
Poverty, unemployment and hunger in Haiti have made women desperate to the extent that they have offered their bodies to the homesick peacekeepers. There are literally no jobs at all and the only option that women see is to engage in sex-for-money and food scheme offered by the Sri Lanka peacekeepers. Charges for one experience are as low as $1, while abuses are hard, deliberate and without mercy. Girls who enter this business are often dragged into polygamous households and are traded like commodities in the public domain. Over a 110 ‘rogue’ Lankan peacekeepers have been expelled from their mission in the Caribbean on suspected charges of sexually exploiting Haiti’s women. It is widely believed that these soldiers have been treating women as ’sex objects and as eatable meat’. When these charges were brought to UN attention in August this year, an investigative team was formed with the task of weeding out such criminals, if any. Though its report remains confidential, at least 111 soldiers and three officers have been repatriated.
A soldier doing this to a woman he is supposed to protect, is similar to what a professor does to his student or a father to his daughter
Haiti is the poorest nation in the world. It lists at the bottom in the Human Development Index and at the top for corruption. Human rights violations and civil rebellions are very frequent. Political stability, economic growth and modern education are all phrases alien here. Mere survival and subsistence make up the Haiti theme. More than 80% of people live at less than a dollar a day. There are also reports of friends and even parents of girls pushing them to engage in sex-for-cash and food. Unfortunately, even the UN peacekeepers have exploited the people there.
A lost childhood, waiting for happier days...
This rascal elimination drive by the United Nations investigation team has inspired many feminist organizations in Haiti. It is now the responsibility of the Sri Lankan government to take effective action against its soldiers. The international community and various women organizations will be closely watching. It is very important that this elimination in itself is not necessarily the end of the trial for expelled soldiers.
News Source:LAtimes
