In
Haiti,
UN Sri Lankan
Peacekeeper
Charged with
Rape, Others
Qs UNanswered
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
September 17
-- UN misdeeds
in Haiti are
not
surprising,
given the
introduction
of cholera.
Nor,
troublingly,
are
allegations
of abuse by
Sri Lankan
soliders: a
large
contingent was
repatriated
in the past
for sexual
abuse.
But
when a new
allegation
came out, not
commented on
by the
MINUSTAH
mission, Inner
City Press
asked
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon's top
two
spokespeople:
"What
is
the UN's
reaction -
denial? - of
allegation of
rape by
MINUSTAH
peacekeeper
from Sri
Lanka?
http://www.sentinel.ht/news/articles/crime/5010-new-case-of-un-peacekeeper-rape-in-haiti"
And
the UN came
back with this
response:
From:
UN
Spokesperson -
Do Not Reply
[at] un.org
Date: Tue, Sep
17, 2013
at 10:56 AM
Subject: Your
question on
Haiti
To:
Matthew.Lee
[at]
innercitypress.com
In
response
to your email
question about
Haiti, we have
the following
information
from the
Department of
Peacekeeping
Operations:
We
are
aware of the
allegations
made against a
military staff
member. As you
know, the UN
has a zero
tolerance
policy sexual
exploitation
and abuse that
we at MINUSTAH
strictly
enforce. A
preliminary
investigation
has been
launched to
determine the
facts of the
case.
But
what does
"zero
tolerance"
mean if the
alleged
rapists are
simply sent
home, with any
subsequent
prosecution
never
disclosed?
Inner
City Press
also asked:
What
is
the UN's
reaction -
denial? - of
allegation
that in
Somalia an
AMISOM
contingent, on
information
and belief
from Burundi,
provides
services to
UNMAS' David
Bax?
Please
state
if the
corruption
allegations
against
Ugandan troops
in AMISOM
(selling
materiel in
the black
market)
trigger the
UN's Human
Rights
Due Diligence
Policy. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-24116606
From
Sept.
3: "As brought
up in the most
recent
briefing based
on NYT
profile,
please provide
a list of the
S-G's golfing
partners in
the
past year who
are diplomats,
and,
separately, a
summary of issues
discussed."
There
are also
questions
pending
including
about the faux
"UN
briefing" by
Syria rebel
Ahmad al
Jarba.
Watch this
site.
, 
