United Nations and U.S. urge accountability for victims of Sri Lankan peacekeeper abuse

From 2004 to 2007, 134 peacekeepers from Sri Lanka operated a child sex ring, luring children on the poverty-stricken island with candy and bits of cash, according to the AP.

The United Nations Security Council has extended the mandate of Stabilisation Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) for a final six months, deciding to replace it with a follow-up, smaller peacekeeping mission. Over the course of three years, he said he had sex with more than 100 Sri Lankan peacekeepers, averaging about four a day.

She said the United States and the global community are committed to Haiti's "democratic development, independence and economic growth" and will also continue to push for accountability of U.N. peacekeeping missions accused of sexual abuse.

"We will, however, continue to push for accountability of those troops in Haiti as well as all troop contributing countries involved in peacekeeping efforts", she said.

United Nations spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said that troop contributors have a responsibility to certify that none of the soldiers that are being deployed from wherever they come from have ever been implicated in any sexual abuse, and so the United Nations would expect Sri Lanka and all other troop contributors to do the same.

In this August 16, 2016 photo, a Brazilian U.N. peacekeeper opens a gate at the U.N. base in the Cite Soleil slum of Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

In an interview with the Associated Press, Haley summed up her frustration by asking the attendance: "What do we say to these kids?"

The end of the operation comes at a time when the United Nations is facing a serious financial crunch as Washington, which contributes 28 per cent of the $8 billion peacekeeping budget, has said it will be reducing its payments.

US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley urged all countries that send troops to UN peacekeeping mission to punish soldiers who commit sexual abuse and exploitation, citing the abuse by Sri Lankan soldiers.

Former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recommended that peacekeepers accused of sexual abuse and exploitation be court martialed in the countries where the alleged incidents take place and said the U.N. would withhold payments to peacekeepers facing credible allegations. In 2011 United Nations soldiers from Uruguay raped a teenage Haitian boy.

"While this is seen as a success, unfortunately it's a nightmare for many in Haiti who will never be able to forget, and live with brutal scars", Haley said about the U.N.'s presence in Haiti.

The end of Haiti's peacekeeping mission comes amid pressure by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration to review the organization's 16 missions worldwide.

"I did not even have breasts", said a girl, known as Victim Number One.