The Associated Press is reporting that five UN peacekeepers are being investigated for an alleged sexual assault on an 18-year-old man in southern Haiti.
AP said that Haitian President Michel Martelly “vigorously condemned” late yesterday the actions of the United Nations after allegations surfaced that its troops had sexually assaulted the man.
According to AP, the U.N. is investigating allegations that five Uruguayan naval troops at a U.N. base sexually molested the man and that the attack was reportedly captured by a cell phone camera. The soldiers were confined to their barracks pending the outcome of the probe.
The U.N. mission learned of the charges last week and the scandal prompted Uruguay to sack its naval chief in Haiti, the report said.
The U.N. peacekeeping mission arrived in Haiti in 2004 after former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was toppled in a violent rebellion.
