Sri Lanka has begun preliminary background screening to select police and military personnel for deployment to Haiti following approval from the United Nations to send nearly 900 peacekeepers.
Vijitha Herath stated that the initial selection process was launched following discussions with the United Nations and the intervention of an inter-ministerial committee.
According to the Minister, suitable officers will be selected and arrangements will be made to deploy them before the end of this month.
He emphasized that the background screening process is aimed at ensuring that personnel selected for peacekeeping duties:
- Have no allegations of human rights violations
- Have no criminal charges or disciplinary issues against them
This marks the first opportunity in more than a decade for Sri Lanka to participate in an overseas peacekeeping mission.
Sri Lanka previously contributed personnel to the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti for nearly 11 years before ending operations in 2015.
Between 2004 and 2015:
- More than 16,000 Sri Lankan military personnel served in Haiti
- Six Sri Lankan soldiers lost their lives
- Eighteen others were injured during peacekeeping operations
The new deployment comes as international efforts continue to address severe political instability, gang violence, and humanitarian challenges in Haiti.
