UN ensures Sri Lankan peacekeeping troops have no allegations of human right abuses

The United Nations says it screens the Sri Lankan troops committed to peacekeeping operations to ensure that they have no allegations or records of human right abuses before they are being used for UN operations.

Responding to a media query, Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General said at the UN media briefing on Wednesday that the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) and Department of Field Support (DFS) conduct a screening process.

“As a matter of course, there is screening done in partnership with DPKO and DFS on ensuring that none of the troops that are committed to UN peacekeeping have any human rights abuses, allegations or issues hanging over their head. So, that’s a screening process,” the spokesman said.

Mathew Lee of Inner City Press, referring to an Associated Press report about torture in Sri Lanka which said that Tamil men have given detailed accounts of being tortured under the current Government, asked the spokesman what action UN has taken to ensure Sri Lankan troops involved in UN peacekeeping operations are not involved in torture.

The Spokesman said the UN will take note of the allegations made by the report against Sri Lankan troops.