Editorial Comment

Five Uruguayan MINUSTAH marines are under investigation for assaulting a Haitian boy in Port-Salut. They and some of their close associates in MINUSTAH were questioned on Monday, October 17, 2011, in Montevideo by the Criminal Justice Department. The court reported that the case could be filed away because the Haitian boy was unavailable for questioning and did not file charges in Uruguay.

If the case goes forward, the defense hopes to argue that the incident was a prank because the boy continued to visit the United Nations base after the alleged attack. Keep in mind that this boy comes from Haiti’s lowest socioeconomic rung. He was doing cambiar (exchanging small services for food) with U.N. troops when he was assaulted. A video of his humiliation has been broadcast the world over and his full name published in the Haitian press.

Nevertheless, on Jan 11, 2012, Al Jazeera showed that the boy was available for questioning although Uruguay released the soldiers accused of the rape on the pretext that the court could not find their accuser. This behavior of the Uruguayan MINUSTAH soldiers is typical of an occupation force. It is not MINUSTAH’s first or last gang rape.

Dady Chery, Editor
Haiti Chery

Uruguay: Haitian Youth Has Not Appeared and Investigation Is Pending

By Sebastián Amaya

El Observador

The Criminal Justice Department has taken new testimony in the case of alleged abuse by Uruguayan military personnel, members of the United Nations blue helmets (MINUSTAH), against a minor in Haiti. On Monday October 17th, new questioning was carried out of associates of the five military personnel being investigated.

Prosecutor Eduardo Fernández Dovat told El Observador that he and Judge Alejandro Guido took a statement via Skype from a marine in Haiti who is close to the military men under investigation. Three other associates on leave in Uruguay were also questioned.

The contents of their statements cannot be divulged because they are part of the reserva presumario, said the prosecutor, who indicated that the questioning of the four marines on Monday has ended.

The lawyer for the five marines, Gustavo Bordes, told Últimas Noticias that what is being sought with these statements is to show that after what occurred the Haitian youth maintained friendly relations with the uniformed personnel and that he would go to the compound gate for conversations. The lawyer holds that sufficient evidence thus exists to show that it was a matter of a prank.

Fernández Dovat stressed that

“There have been no new developments concerning the location of the Haitian youth, whose statement is necessary in order to continue moving forward. We cannot move forward without locating him and this remains pending until the day he appears.”

The youth has not filed any charge in Uruguay, Fernández Dovat stated.

“There is no indication in this country of the youth’s desire to move forward. We are waiting for his appearance, if he does appear,” he added.

If the youth does not appear, the case could be archived.

“In order to indict in the crime of rape, it is six months from the time of the act; if during that time there is no indictment it would be archived,” the prosecutor explained.

VIDEO: Al Jazeera reports on the case.
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VIDEO: Interview with rape victim.

Sources: El Observador (Spanish) via Lo de alla (English) | Al Jazeera videos | Haiti Chery

Por Sebastián Amaya

El Observador

La Justicia Penal tomó nuevos testimonios sobre el presunto caso de abuso de militares uruguayos, miembros de los cascos azules de las Naciones Unidas (ONU), a un menor en Haití. Este lunes se llevaron a cabo nuevos interrogatorios a allegados de los cinco militares que son investigados.

El fiscal Eduardo Fernández Dovat señaló a El Observador que, junto al juez Alejandro Guido, se le tomó declaración vía Skype a un marino compañero de los militares bajo investigación que se encuentra en Haití. Además, de forma presencial, se interrogó a otros tres compañeros que estaban de licencia en Uruguay.

El contenido de las declaraciones no puede ser divulgado porque forman parte de la reserva del presumario, indicó el fiscal, quien señaló que las averiguaciones a los cuatro marinos de este lunes ya terminaron.

El abogado de los cinco marinos, Gustavo Bordes, expresó a Últimas Noticias que con estas declaraciones se busca comprobar que luego de lo ocurrido el joven haitiano mantuvo una relación amistosa con los uniformados y que concurría a la puerta del contingente para conversar. De esa forma, el abogado entiende que es una prueba suficiente para confirmar que se trató de una broma.

Suspenso

Fernández Dovat destacó que

“no se ha tenido ninguna novedad en cuanto a la ubicación del joven haitiano, de quien es imprescindible su declaración para poder seguir avanzando. Sin su ubicación no se puede avanzar y esto queda en suspenso hasta el día en que aparezca”.

En Uruguay no consta ninguna denuncia que haya presentado el menor, expresó Fernández Dovat.

“En el país no hay ninguna manifestación de voluntad del joven de seguir adelante. Estamos a la espera de que aparezca, si es que aparece”, agregó.

Si el menor sigue sin aparecer, el caso puede ser archivado.

“Para formar instancia en un delito de violación son seis meses a partir del hecho, si en ese tiempo no hay instancia se archivaría”, explicó el fiscal.

Fuente:  El Observador