- Multinational GSF to be made up of 5,500 personnel
The Government is currently evaluating prospects of contributing to an United Nations (UN)-backed multinational mission in the Caribbean island nation of Haiti, according to the Ministry of Defence.
Responding to a question by The Sunday Morning, Deputy Minister of Defence Maj. Gen. (Retd) Aruna Jayasekara said that Sri Lanka was currently in discussions regarding the possibility of dispatching a contingent of Sri Lankan blue helmets to join the ongoing UN-backed Gang Suppression Force (GSF) to combat gang violence in the troubled nation in line with UN Resolution 2793.
“We are considering a prospective mission in Haiti and there is a discussion regarding the matter, which is ongoing. We have sought advice and clarification regarding the proposed mission parameters,” Jayasekara said.
While no decision has been made regarding the GSF mission yet, Sri Lanka has been advocating for expanding its contribution to Peacekeeping missions over the last decade.
Jayasekara noted that contributing to Peacekeeping missions would benefit the armed forces and help develop Sri Lanka’s standing in the international arena.
UN Security Council Resolution 2793 calls for the multinational GSF mission to work in close cooperation with the Haitian Government, in compliance with international law, including international human rights law, as applicable, and the UN’s Human Rights Policy.
The mission aims to help the Haitian authorities regain control of the nation, which is in a state of lawlessness and has not held elections for some time. Troops from Chad are reportedly already in Haiti to join the GSF, which is taking over from the previous mission, Multinational Security Support (MSS).
According to Resolution 2793, the GSF will be larger than its predecessor with a force structure of nearly 5,500 uniformed personnel – comprising military, police, and civilian personnel – envisaged to make up the structure.
MSS forces, a Kenyan-led and US-backed UN mission to Haiti, drew criticism about human rights violations, which have been contested by Kenyan officials. Historically, multiple UN missions to Haiti have drawn such allegations, including one from Sri Lanka in the early 2000s.