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Maithri seeks to increase Sri Lankan peacekeepers

Sri Lanka's president Maithripala Sirisena is seeking to increase the number of Sri Lankan military personnel who serve on internatioal peacekeeping missions.

Speaking at a military ceremony on Saturday, the president said discussions with the UN in this regard are ongoing.

A UN review recently called for a ban on countries to serve as peace keepers if their troops were involved in the sexual abuse of children.

Sri Lankan troops were expelled from Haiti for sexually abusing children in 2007, with 111 soldiers and 3 officers were repatriated back to Sri Lanka after being part of UN mission in Haiti and were accused of a string of sexual assaults, including rape of children as young as 7 years old. No prosecutions have yet taken place.

UN calls for ban on peacekeeping for countries over child sex abuse (17 June 2015)

No mercy for soldiers found guilty of abuse says French president Tamil Guardian (30 April 2015)

Sri Lankan army contingent leaves for Lebanon peacekeeping mission (09 February 2015)

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