• HR vetting of SL’s personnel almost complete
• Over 900 soldiers, 189 policemen trained for deployment
• India supports deployment with $ 5 m worth of kit
• Plans underway to deploy IFVs, locally produced protected vehicles, surveillance drones

The Government is poised to deploy over 900 armed forces personnel and nearly 200 policemen to the crime-ridden Caribbean nation of Haiti, according to the Ministry of Defense.It is learnt that the mission, once commenced, will see the first deployment of a platoon of Army women combat engineers, who will be tasked with disarming Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). This is a historic first for women sappers of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA).  The mission, though not a traditional ‘peacekeeping’ mission, is to aid the United Nations (UN)-backed US-led Gang Suppression Force (GSF) to combat gang violence in the troubled nation in line with UN Resolution 2793.Ministry of Defense Secretary Air Vice Marshal (Retd) Sampath Thuyacontha told The Sunday Morning that the human rights vetting of the contributing contingent was almost complete and that the force was awaiting a formation and equipment inspection, which would be carried out in the coming weeks.“There will be a contingent equipment inspection by a UN team soon. This is to check if our unit is fit and equipped for the task.

“Most of the HR vetting is complete. I met the Prime Minister of Haiti during a visit to New York and discussed our contribution to the mission. This is the first time we are undertaking this type of mission, which is to be part of a Gang Suppression Force to help keep law and order in Haiti and bring stability to the nation,” Thuyacontha said, adding that preparation to deploy the contingent was moving at a fast pace.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 UN-backed, US-led 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). It is reported that Haiti is planning to hold elections in August/September of this year and needs the lawlessness in the country to be addressed to conduct them.According to the Ministry of Defense, the Government of Sri Lanka had accepted an invitation received by Colombo from the Government of Haiti, supported by the US and Canada, seeking troops from Colombo to partake in the GSF mission. According to the ministry, the over 900-strong SLA contingent is supported by a 189-strong contingent from the Police Special Task Force, backed by Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs) and locally produced mine-protected Unbuffed personnel carriers. It is learnt that two armored vehicles, which were previously used at the Presidential Secretariat, have also been seconded to the contingent for the use of the Sri Lankan Blue Helmets.

The ministry told The Sunday Morning that while training of the specially selected contingent was being carried out at the Institute of Peace Support Operations Training Sri Lanka (IPSOTSL) in Kukuleganga, the training program had received support and assistance from several foreign nations.

The ministry also acknowledged support from India and Pakistan in the form of military stores, ammunition, and equipment needed to complete the Sri Lankan contingent’s kit for the GSF mission.

Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha last week handed over a consignment of stores worth $ 5 million to the SLA in support of the mission. The Sri Lankan contingent is expected to be ready for deployment by end-July.