PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - The United Nations is investigating allegations that five Uruguayan peacekeepers in Haiti sexually molested an 18-year-old man in an attack reportedly captured by a cellphone camera, a spokeswoman said yesterday.
UN spokeswoman Eliane Nabaa said the soldiers are confined to their barracks pending the outcome of the probe, which is looking for information on possible victims, witnesses, and perpetrators. The UN mission learned of the charges last week.
“If the allegations are proved, perpetrators must be brought to justice, and we welcome the firm commitment of the Uruguayan defense minister in this regard,’’ Nabaa wrote in an e-mail message.
As part of the inquiry, investigators are trying to determine the authenticity of video, Nabaa said.
A 50-second video on ABC News’s website purports to show the alleged assault.
The video shows several men laughing as they pin down a young man on a mattress. One of the men is shirtless. But the cellphone video jumps around, the alleged victim’s face is blurred out and it is not clear what is happening.
It is also not clear how ABC News obtained the video.
“We don’t know the origin or authenticity of the video,’’ Nabaa said. “It’s being investigated.’’
The UN also asked Uruguayan authorities to conduct an investigation of their own.
The UN peacekeeping mission has been in Haiti since 2004, after former President Jean-Bertrand was toppled in a violent rebellion.
Relations between the troops and many Haitians are strained, with critics accusing the force of using heavy-handed tactics.
Tensions worsened last year after a unit of peacekeepers from Nepal was blamed by many people for an outbreak of cholera in Haiti.
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