Haiti 'Rape Victim' Testifies in Uruguay

     A 19-year-old Haitian man who accused Uruguayan troops of sexually assaulting him in September 2011 has testified in Montevideo before judge Alejandro Guido. The troops were in Haiti serving as United Nations peacekeepers, an occupation which has raised numerous concerns among both locals and international audiences. A video showing the attack, captured by one of the soldiers cellphones, was heavily circulated  in the southern Haitian town of Port-Salut and caused the already tense situation in Haiti to further devolve as this assault joins the growing list of failures by the UN since they came to the country more than eight years ago.

     Johnny Jean, then 18-years-old, was leaving a football game when he was attacked by four soldiers. The men proceeded to beat him, striking him several times while laughing, details that were recorded on video. Jean has gone on record to state that two of the men held him down while two more raped him. The trial against his attackers has been a long process for Jean and his family as numerous delays and rumours of a mistrial have plagued the proceedings. The latest development in the trial occurred Thursday when Jean gave his deposition to judge Guido. Full details of the story can be found here. For the story that came out only days after the attack click here.

United Nations base where Uruguayan peacekeepers allegedly sexually abused an 18-year-old man in Port Salut, Haiti. (AP - Photo)

     These events have shed light on the mission of MINUSTAH, the UN peacekeeping mission in Haiti which has been in operation since 2004. MINUSTAH has failed to serve the people of Haiti in a number of ways since coming to the country and have caused more deaths and disasters than they have prevented. One of the more recognized failures of the UN group occurred in 2010 when a cholera outbreak claimed the lives of more than 6,000 people. The cause of the disaster stemmed from poor sanitation practices by MINUSTAH, which was distributing sewage into a nearby river. The UN group then failed to quickly investigate, monitor, and address the situation even after evidence linked the outbreak to the centre.

The Haiti cholera outbreak of 2010/2011 which cause over 6,000 deaths.

     MINUSTAH has also been tied to several incidents of violating human rights laws through abuses such as sexual violence and assault, threats of death and violence, sexual coercion of minors. Further compounding the controversy is the fact that the organization and other officials have been slow to investigate and pursue the allegations laid against them. The reason for this seems to be because under the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) between the UN and the Haitian government, MINUSTAH forces receive immunity for crimes committed in Haiti. A fact that the peacekeepers seem to be taking advantage of as they continue to act irresponsibly and violently. For more details about MINUSTAH read this story.

     It's difficult to address all of the ways that the UN has failed Haiti through the MINUSTAH. They have assaulted, raped, threatened and killed the Haitian people. Their negligence has caused thousands of deaths through the 2010-2011 cholera outbreak. They have also been accused of being a political tool of the United States, Canada and France to secure a more pro-Western government. The alleged rape of Jean further demonstrates the destructive power of immunity and irresponsibility and shines a spotlight on the disdain that the UN feels for countries like Haiti. Below is a video which documents Haitian cholera victims who demonstrated in front of the MINUSTAH base for the 2011 Human Rights Day.