Al Jazeera: As the U.N. leaves Haiti, its victims still wait for justice
Sandra Wisner, lawyer and Bertha Justice Fellow with the Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti (IJDH)

“[Tuesday], the U.N. [ended] its 15-year long peacekeeping presence in Haiti. Ostensibly sent to reinforce security, build rule of law, and promote human rights, U.N. peacekeepers leave a more problematic legacy, marred by human rights violations. Notably, this week’s drawdown comes nine years after peacekeepers sparked one of the deadliest cholera epidemics of modern times in the country. The organization’s ongoing failure to remedy these harms — not only from cholera, but also peacekeeper sexual abuse and other violence towards civilians — has deeply undermined its legitimacy in Haiti. … The new U.N. mission will open this week amid a political stalemate that is paralyzing Haiti and presents a crossroads for the country’s future. … To meet its goals, the only future for the U.N. in Haiti must start with being accountable for its past” (10/15).