CORRECTED: UN PEACEKEEPERS ACCUSED OF RAPE IN HAITI

February 23, 2005 - (Reuters) The United Nations is investigating allegations that three Pakistani policemen raped a woman in Haiti while deployed on a U.N. stabilization mission, a spokesman said on Wednesday.

The probe comes shortly after the United Nations reported widespread abuse of women by U.N. peacekeeping soldiers in Congo, which led the international body this month to ban its peacekeepers from having sex with Congolese.

The U.N. mission in Haiti, known as MINUSTAH, began ``a very urgent inquiry'' last week, spokesman Damian Onses-Cardona said.

A preliminary investigation indicated the incident involved consensual sex for pay, the mission said in a statement.

``The young lady acknowledged her consent and negotiated through a third person about the sum to pay in exchange,'' the statement said.

The 23-year-old woman, who lives near the northern city of Gonaives, told local radio journalists the peacekeepers used another woman to lure her to a banana plantation with a promise of new clothing, and took turns raping her there on Friday.

``The foreigners grabbed and pulled my pants, had me lie on the ground and then raped me,'' she told the radio stations.

Two of the accused were removed from their posts and could face legal and disciplinary measures if the rape allegations are confirmed during the investigation, which continues, the U.N. mission said. The third was present but did not participate, Onses-Cardona said.

``What I can say is that there will be zero tolerance against those at fault,'' he said. ``The MINUSTAH and the United Nations take this case very seriously.''

U.N. regulations for soldiers usually forbid sex with anyone under 18 years of age and forbid forced prostitution.

The United Nations sent peacekeepers to Haiti to help stabilize the nation after President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was ousted during a bloody rebellion a year ago. The Brazilian-led force is currently comprised of 6,000 troops from 20 nations and 1,400 civilian police from 34 nations.

From: http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/international/international-haiti-un.html?