By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, January 10 -- As the UN praises its own response to the earthquake in Haiti two years ago and even the cholera epidemic the UN alleged brought after that, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Martin Nesirky on Tuesday could not say if even one of the 114 Sri Lanka soldiers repatriated for pedophilia had been disciplined.
As stated in a report prepared for the UN Human Rights Council, 111 soldiers and 3 officers from MINUSTAH’s Sri Lankan battalion were repatriated due to allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse of Haitian minors. The UN's then spokeswoman Michele Montas described the allegations as transactional sex with underage girls, and also stated that once returned to national jurisdiction, Sri Lanka would pursue the case.
On Tuesday, Inner City Press asked Montas' successor Nesirky about the Sri Lanka case, after requesting an update on previous Nesirky responses about alleged abuse by Brazilian MINUSTAH peacekeepers:
Inner City Press: it is Haiti time now, the two year anniversary, is there any additional information about the incident in which the Brazilian peacekeepers were accused of beating the water delivery men; at the time it was said it was going to be looked into, I believe, by MINUSTAH, as well as the Brazilians. Is there any finding? Full Story>>>