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DE RUEHPU #0617/01 1811238
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 301238Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0104
INFO RUEHZH/HAITI COLLECTIVE
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 2356
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 2075
RUEHQU/AMCONSUL QUEBEC 1445
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1899
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 000617 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CAR, IO/PSC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL HA
SUBJECT: Haiti Response to UN Efforts to Combat Sexual Exploitation 
and Abuse in Peacekeeping Missions 
 
PORT AU PR 00000617  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (U) This message is sensitive but unclassified -- please 
protect accordingly. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Summary.  This message is Embassy's assessment of sexual 
exploitation and abuse (SEA) by members of the UN Stabilization 
Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) requested by reftel.  Embassy assesses 
that sexual exploitation by UN peacekeepers in Haiti is a residual, 
diminishing problem.  The most common form is MINUSTAH personnel 
exchanging money and/or food for sexual favors.  Haitian women 
prostitutes - some of them underage - are the victims of this sexual 
exploitation.   Credible NGO sources have reported several accounts 
of sexual exploitation by MINUSTAH personnel.  However, human rights 
representatives and NGOs agree that SEA acts have decreased since 
late 2007 after the sexual misconduct by Sri Lankan peacekeepers was 
publicly revealed in November 2007, who were later repatriated.  End 
summary. 
 
MINUSTAH EFFORTS TO PREVENT SEA 
------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) MINUSTAH officials report that the Conduct and Discipline 
Office is responsible for (1) prevention of misconduct, (2) 
reception of complaints of misconduct, and (3) advising the UN 
Secretary General and the MINUSTAH Force Commander when a case of 
misconduct occurs.  MINUSTAH policy on sexual contact first reported 
reftel is still in effect:  military peacekeepers are forbidden any 
sexual contact with Haitians.  UN police and civilian personnel are 
forbidden any transactional sex with Haitians, and are ''strongly 
discouraged'' from any consensual sex with Haitians.  Officials 
state that prevention is the primary function of the office, and 
that they enforce the UN's ''zero-tolerance'' policy on sexual 
offenses by peacekeeping personnel. 
 
¶4. (SBU) All MINUSTAH off-duty staff -- including military officers, 
civilians and police -- is required to obey MINUSTAH-imposed curfew 
hours of midnight to 0500 on weekdays and 0100 to 0500 on weekends. 
UN vehicles are also required to be off the streets during these 
times if not on specific duty.  The curfew is intended to reduce the 
potential for drunkenness, fighting, and soliciting prostitutes by 
UN personnel.  MINUSTAH has designated specific neighborhoods, 
nightclubs and bars as off-limits to MINUSTAH personnel for the same 
reasons. 
 
¶5. (SBU) MINUSTAH officials report that the Unit has received a few 
reports of SEA since the Sri Lanka scandal in 2007.  The most recent 
biannual UN Security Council Report of the Secretary-General on 
MINUSTAH, released in March 2009, stated that six Formed Police Unit 
officers were repatriated for SEA between August 2008 and February 
¶2009.  MINUSTAH's Conflict and Discipline Unit trains all staff on 
strategies to prevent SEA.  The Unit provides one- to two-hour 
in-country training workshops for newly-arrived contingents prior to 
their deployment within Haiti.  MINUSTAH also provides two 
additional training sessions before expiration of their six-month 
tours.  MINUSTAH trained 2,620 staff from August 2008 to February 
2009 on SEA issues and held training workshops for Conduct and 
Discipline Unit international and local staff assigned to some 35 
MINUSTAH field offices in Haiti.  MINUSTAH launched an internal 
campaign against transactional sex including a film festival.  The 
Secretary-General's March 2009 report also stated that communication 
of the UN's policy against sexual exploitation and abuse was further 
supported through field visits and outreach using MINUSTAH's 
multimedia centers. 
 
¶6. (SBU) In the event a complaint is filed, the Conduct and 
Discipline Unit assesses the complaint's legitimacy and type (SEA, 
criminal, administrative, etc) prior to making a recommendation to 
the UNSRSG.  Based on the UNSRSG's recommendation, UN Headquarters 
makes a final decision on disciplinary action and/or next steps. 
MINUSTAH's Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) continues to 
provide the UNSRSG monthly reports on its investigation of all 
incidents.  (Note: A Conduct and Discipline focal unit exists in 
each MINUSTAH satellite office throughout Haiti and is staffed by 
both a local and expatriate staff member.  Each complaint is 
registered in an electronic database for immediate access by UN 
headquarters in New York.  End note.) 
 
GOVERNMENT OUTLOOK ON MINUSTAH PREVENTION OF SEA 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶7. (SBU) Government of Haiti representatives maintain a dim view of 
the conduct of MINUSTAH personnel toward Haitians, although they are 
able to provide little evidence of such.  Director of Protection in 
the Office of Citizen Protection Necker DeSaables (the equivalent of 
 
PORT AU PR 00000617  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
a national ombudsman) believed MINUSTAH personnel, especially 
soldiers, take advantage of women and young girls, but she was 
unable to cite specific cases, and said she finds it difficult to 
find victims willing to testify.  Director of Haitian National 
Police Child Protection Brigade (BPM) Renel Costume highlighted 
MINUSTAH's improved conduct since exposure of the Sri Lanka case 
(Note: Embassy has seen no reports of SEA by MINUSTAH personnel in 
Haitian press this year. End Note.)  He affirmed that the BPM has a 
positive working relationship with UNPOL.  Costume stated that in 
the course of 2008, his office received only one complaint of SEA 
from a teenage girl accusing a Pakistani MINUSTAH soldier.  (Note: 
BPM received numerous complaints alleging acts of SEA by Haitians 
and civilian expatriates. End note) The BPM filed a grievance with 
MINUSTAH, but Costume said he was unaware of any action taken by the 
UN to address the complaint.  The victim was referred to Haiti's 
Institute of Social Welfare (IBESR) for support and other services. 
 
 
NGO PERSPECTIVE OF MINUSTAH PREVENTION OF SEA 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) Haitian NGOs Embassy has consulted have an even more 
critical view of MINUSTAH's efforts to enforce discipline - but also 
are unable to point to specific cases.  NGOs are skeptical about 
MINUSTAH's efforts to prevent SEA.  Pan American Development 
Foundation (PADF) Director of Programs Herve Razaphimbahiny and 
National Defense Network for Human Rights (RNDDH) Executive Director 
Pierre Esperance indicate that very little is known about MINUSTAH's 
efforts to prevent SEA, or about its procedures for prosecuting SEA 
violators.  Razaphimbahiny characterized MINUSTAH acts of SEA as 
''disturbing'' and stated that one area where SEA cases are reported 
is the Port au Prince slum of Cite Soleil, where most cases involve 
MINUSTAH soldiers engaging in sexual acts with underage prostitutes. 
 He claimed that MINUSTAH personnel acts of SEA also occur in the 
Port-au-Prince neighborhoods of Champs de Mars (near the National 
Palace), Petion-Ville and near the international airport.  He also 
explained that a Ministry of Social Affairs representative within 
the past year wrote a letter to MINUSTAH explaining several cases of 
SEA that required action but was unaware whether MINUSTAH had 
responded.  He claimed that MINUSTAH's perceived lack of sanctions 
gave their personnel a sense of impunity. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Esperance echoed Razaphimbahiny's perception of deficient 
MINUSTAH communication with its personnel and the Haitian public and 
emphasized that ''victims do not know what to do [when involved in 
SEA cases].''  He thought that UN Police (UNPOL) exhibit more 
professionalism than military personnel.  He complained that 
MINUSTAH has offices that address human rights and justice, but 
argued that the human rights office should serve as the umbrella 
office to streamline the management of SEA complaints.  Esperance 
noted that there were many SEA cases involving MINUSTAH personnel 
during 2005-2007 but believed there are fewer cases since the case 
of the Sri Lanka contingent in 2007.  Victims (Esperance could not 
provide an approximate number) seek the services and support of 
RNDDH for advocacy.  RNNDH, in turn, files a complaint on behalf of 
victims with MINUSTAH's human rights section.  Esperance stated that 
RNDDH follows up up on cases but receives limited feedback from 
MINUSTAH, as the ultimate determination of disciplinary action rests 
with UN Headquarters in New York. 
 
INTERVIEW CONTACTS 
------------------ 
 
¶10. (SBU) Government of Haiti: Renel Costume, Director of Haitian 
National Police Child Protection Brigade (BPM); Necker DeSaables, 
Director of Protection, Office of Citizen Protection. 
 
¶11. (SBU) Non-Governmental Organizations: Herve Razaphimbahiny, 
Pan-American Development Foundation Programs Director; Pierre 
Esperance, Executive Director of local human rights organization 
National Defense Network of Human Rights (RNDDH). 
 
¶12. (SBU) Other: Joel Lorquet, Senior Information Assistant, US 
Embassy Port-au-Prince. 
 
TIGHE