Sri Lanka’s Haiti Deployment: Child Abuse Allegations Demand Transparency & Accountability

Sri Lanka is preparing to deploy 1,132 personnel from the Sri Lanka Army and the Police Special Task Force to Haiti as part of the international Gang Suppression Force (GSF), according to Amnesty International. This represents the largest single deployment of Sri Lankan forces for a UN-authorized international mission to date, prompting calls from human rights advocates for transparent vetting and accountability mechanisms.

The deployment follows a history of misconduct allegations involving Sri Lankan peacekeepers in Haiti. Between 2004 and 2007, more than 100 peacekeepers were repatriated to Sri Lanka following allegations of sexual abuse and exploitation. Amnesty International states that publicly available information does not indicate any Sri Lankan peacekeeper was criminally prosecuted or convicted in connection with the 2007 Haiti scandal.

Why is Amnesty International opposing the deployment?

Amnesty International argues that the lack of accountability for past abuses creates a risk for the current mission. Renzo Pomi, the organization’s Representative at the United Nations in New York, cited unresolved allegations of widespread sexual abuse of children by Sri Lankan personnel during previous Haiti deployments.

“There remain serious and unresolved allegations of widespread sexual abuse of children by Sri Lankan personnel during previous deployments in Haiti. Sri Lanka’s authorities, along with the GSF leadership, the states part of the Standing Group of Partners, and the UN must be absolutely transparent about how the screening process for this latest deployment has been carried out, what further safeguarding measures have been put in place, and what accountability mechanisms have been established to address any potential new allegations against Sri Lankan and all other deployed forces.”Renzo Pomi, Amnesty International’s Representative at the United Nations in New York

Pomi further stated that senior Sri Lankan military officers suspected of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other international crimes should be excluded from participating in any vetting processes.

What is the history of misconduct allegations?

The concerns regarding the GSF deployment are tied to both international missions and Sri Lanka’s internal history. A 2015 United Nations investigation, known as the OISL report, found reasonable grounds to believe that rape and sexual violence by security forces personnel were widespread against both males and females during Sri Lanka’s internal armed conflict.

A report released in 2026 by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) stated that the necessary mechanisms to ensure accountability for conflict-related sexual violence are still not in place within Sri Lanka.

How does this impact civilians in Haiti?

Human rights representatives argue that the “entrenched impunity” surrounding peacekeeping forces disproportionately affects the most vulnerable populations. Pomi described the ongoing lack of accountability for sexual abuse allegations against UN and other peacekeeping forces as “lamentable.”

“In Haiti and beyond, the ongoing lack of accountability for sexual abuse allegations against UN and other peacekeeping forces is lamentable. Civilians in the most desperate circumstances are the ones who pay the price for this entrenched impunity.”Renzo Pomi, Amnesty International’s Representative at the United Nations in New York

The GSF is tasked with suppressing gang violence in Haiti, but Amnesty International maintains that without transparent screening and accountability, the deployment could repeat previous failures in protecting the civilian population.