UN to have enhanced screening process for Lankan peacekeepers

The United Nations has said Sri Lanka will now be required to undertake an "enhanced screening" of its peacekeepers to ensure the troops do not have any record of human rights violations since 2005, the final years of the country's decades-long civil war.
UN Secretary General's deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters here yesterday that the world body is trying to work with the Sri Lankan government in terms of having an enhanced screening process for its peacekeepers for any future deployment.
Haq was responding to a question on a media report that said no Sri Lankan peacekeeper has ever been jailed for sexual assault or sexual misconduct despite a child sex ring in Haiti involving at least 134 soldiers that was discovered in 2007.

The media report also claimed that in 2013, Sri Lanka sent a top military general to investigate the alleged rape of a Haitian teenager.
The general, who has been dogged by war crimes allegations himself, never talked to the alleged victim and cleared the soldier.
"From our standpoint, we need to have an enhanced screening process. That's different from other screening processes that we have. So, for any future deployment, the Government of Sri Lanka will have to share with the Secretariat the personal history information and military service records since2005 for all personnel Sri Lanka intends to deploy in order for screening measures to be conducted by the UN under the Policy on Human Rights Screening of UN Personnel," Haq said.

He added that the Sri Lankan government will need to "certify in writing" that it's not aware of any allegations against any unit member having been involved by "act or omission in the commission of any acts that amount to violations of international human rights law or international humanitarian law."

The government will also be required to establish an inclusive domestic screening process in line with international best practices and standards for the personnel it nominates to serve.
"Beyond that, Sri Lanka would need to ensure that it provides pre-deployment training on UN standards and specifications, including conduct and discipline, on human rights and on sexual exploitation and abuse, and needs to ensure that their troops are equipped with appropriate monitoring and inspection capacity through the deployment of national investigative officers to prevent and promptly and effectively deal with any misconduct or violation committed by any of its members," Haq said.

He noted that it would be a mater of concern if investigations into alleged rape cases are not conducted in a credible manner.
Haq added that the UN has the policy with regards to Lanka because of the "exceptional needs in terms of how we deal with peacekeeping contributions" from the island nation.
"Obviously, there's a self-certification process that's standard for troops and police contributions by Member States. And in that, the Department of Peacekeeping Operations works closely with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to tailor their approach and put in place mitigating measures as needed.