Young Haitian Man Raped by Minustah

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Haiti anger over alleged Uruguay UN rape

Haitian President Michel Martelly has condemned the alleged abuse of an 18-year-old man by Uruguayan peacekeepers, and demanded a full investigation. Mr Martelly said the Haitian man had been subjected to a "collective rape". Five Uruguayan marines were detained after a video clip of the alleged abuse appeared on the internet, and their commanding officer was sacked.The Uruguayan government has said it will open a criminal case against the marines in a Uruguayan court. The UN mission in Haiti (Minustah) and the Haitian authorities are also investigating. Revulsion The case has provoked widespread public anger in Haiti, and there have been protests outside the UN base. "The presidency vigorously condemns this act, which revolts the conscience of the nation, and awaits a detailed report establishing the facts," Mr Martelly's office said in a statement. The alleged victim and his mother have told Haitian radio stations that he was raped by the Uruguayan marines in the UN base at Port Salut. They have also given evidence to Haitian police and a local judge. The UN mission in Haiti said it was taking the allegations "very seriously". "For now, we cannot say whether it was a case of rape or not," Minustah spokesperson Eliane Nabaa told Reuters news agency. "Only the investigation will determine that and the investigation is still underway," she said. In Uruguay, presidential spokesman Alberto Breccia said a criminal case would be brought by a Uruguayan court. "All cases of apparent crime by Uruguayan troops must be judged by national courts," he said. Uruguayan Defence Minister Eleuterio Fernandez Huidobro was due to brief parliament on the case on Tuesday. The video clip of the alleged incident, shot on a mobile phone, has been widely shown on Uruguayan television. Controversy Uruguay is one of the main contributors to the 12,000-strong UN force, which first arrived in Haiti in 2004. The peacekeepers were brought in to restore order following the overthrow of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, and its mandate was extended after the devastating earthquake in January 2010. But Minustah has also drawn controversy, including allegations of excessive use of force. Last year there were widespread protests after Nepalese peacekeepers were accused of being the source of a cholera epidemic which has killed more than 6,000 Haitians. President Martelly has acknowledged that Haiti still needs the peacekeepers, but wants their security role reduced and eventually replaced by a Haitian force. He is still struggling to form a government, five months after winning power in a UN-backed election.

UNEDITED RAPE VIDEO [Warning: graphic content] hn.

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The images have generated outrage on the internet. This is not the first MINUSTAH scandal; 6,000 died from a cholera epidemic brought to Haiti by Nepalese peace keepers from the UN force. Réseau National de Défense des Droits Humains (RNDDH), a local human rights organisation, has published a report on the alleged rape case, recommending the UN provide reparations for this and other mishaps in Haiti. It also demands further investigation into yet another controversy for the United Nations force: minors in Port-Salut allegedly pregnant by peacekeeping staff at the base. Journalists and bloggers such as Etant Dupain (@gaetantguevara) and Ansel Herz and Uruguyan televison [es] have since dug up details on children born to underage Haitian women and Uruguyan men. Journalist Ansel Herz, who blogs at mediahacker, has published an interview with the two local youths who leaked the video to the Haitian press. One of them stumbled upon it on a peacekeeper’s phone while trying to transfer a song and captured the video via Bluetooth after recognising that the victim was his cousin. He has now received what he believes to be threats by night visitors to his home, according to [fr] Haiti Press Network. Haitian President Michel Martelly has condemned [fr] the case, saying the reprehensible act “shocks the national conscience”. Uruguay’s president has offered an official apology [fr,es] to the Haitian people, citing Haiti’s historic contribution to the independence struggles of many Latin American countries. The President and the Minister of Defence of Uruguay say they are speaking on behalf of their noble, hospitable and supportive people which recognises in Haiti a sister nation who expressed its solidarity during the struggle for independence of Latin American countries. The chief of the Uruguayan UN contingent and the four suspects have been repatriated and are due to be tried in the Uruguayan courts.

UN Peacekeeper Commander Letter to Haitian People Regretting Rape

MAJOR GENERAL LUIS RAMOS PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (defend.ht) - The Commander of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), Major General Luiz Ramos, has written a letter to the Haitian people regarding the incidents of rape in Port-Salut. As commander of the military forces of the United Nations Mission for Stabilization in Haiti, I want to express my sincere regret for the unfortunate events caused by a small number of soldiers of MINUSTAH in Port-Salut. Also I want to assure you that if the allegations against those involved are justified, they will be treated most severely. You have my assurance that we will continue to investigate allegations of misconduct, and we will take immediate action when necessary, and that any wrongdoing will be punished. As Commander of the military component of MINUSTAH, I expect all soldiers under my command to comply strictly with the ethical principles of the UN, our Code of Conduct, and that these principles be their moral guide. It is very unfortunate that the bad actions of a few tarnish the many good works of many others. Every day, the vast majority of staff of the MINUSTAH is working to display a high level of professionalism and discipline, and build good relations with the Haitian people. We are guests in your country. You have my word as Force Commander, which I will spare no effort to continue to demand full respect and consideration, by his words and his actions on the part of our military personnel to the people Haiti. Related Story Five Uruguay peacekeepers charged over Haiti assault

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