2008 Haiti sex charge: Lankan contingent commander sacked, Major and four soldiers discharged

The Contingent Commander of Sri Lanka Army’s peace keeping force in Haiti was sacked for bringing disrepute to the organisation whilst a Major and four soldiers were discharged for having “consensual sexual relationships” with females.

The incident, a senior Army official who spoke on grounds of anonymity said, took place in 2008 and involved the sixth Sri Lankan Peace Keeping Battalion stationed in Haiti.

The official was reacting to reports in the US media last week that Sri Lanka peacekeeping troops were involved in child abuses and related activity. He said the first step by the Commander of the Army Lt Gen Crisanthe de Silva, upon receiv- ing complaints of misconduct, was to immediately transfer the entire battalion from Haiti. This was standard procedure when allegations were levelled against a group of soldiers, he said adding that US media claims of 114 Army personnel were implicated in sexual offences were “totally wrong.”

The official said thereafter, Lt Gen Silva appointed an Army Court of Inquiry to probe the allegations. The Court, he said, recorded evidence both in Haiti and in Sri Lanka. The Court found one Major and four soldiers had “consensual sexual relationships with adult Haitian females.” They were discharged for bringing disrepute to the Army.