As the world celebrates International Women’s Day, rights groups today slammed the recent gang-rape of four Kachin schoolgirls by Burmese soldiers who jailed the victims after their sordid deed. The schoolgirls plight highlighted demands for justice for all the victims of women rights abuses in Burma perpetrated by the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) the name of the military government in Burma.

As the world celebrates International Women’s Day, rights groups today slammed the recent gang-rape of four Kachin schoolgirls by Burmese soldiers who jailed the victims after their sordid deed. The schoolgirls plight highlighted demands for justice for all the victims of women rights abuses in Burma perpetrated by the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) the name of the military government in Burma.

Early last month, four girls, aged 14-16, from a village south of Putao, northern Kachin State, were gang-raped by three army officers and four soldiers from a local SPDC military base. The army reportedly gave money to the girls and their parents and ordered them not to report the incident to police or other authorities. After news of the incident was reported by an independent Burmese media, the girls were arrested and jailed.

Gus Miclat, regional coordinator of the Asia Pacific Solidarity Coalition (APSOC) and convenor of Free Burma Coalition-Phils  said, “this brutal crime deserves the strongest worldwide condemnation. The ASEAN and the UN must be alarmed. This is a big slap to the UN and ASEAN efforts for a speedy democratic process in Burma. This is an outright insult to the women around the world who are today celebrating International Women Rights Day.”

Gang of sex maniacs, power trippers

“This is alarming. While the international community including the United Nations is slow to even think of how to forward democratic reforms in Burma, the junta government soldiers runs roughshod over their own women. The ASEAN and the UN should act more decisively now. We cannot just relax and watch these sex maniacs and power-trippers prey on their innocent women,” Miclat added.

“While women of the world today celebrate the gains of their struggles, the women of Burma suffer sub-human conditions in the hands of their own government. Women from around the globe began celebrating International Women’s Day since 1910 while more countries now enjoy broader democratic space for women while the status and role of women in Burma remains backward,” Miclat bewailed.

Deteriorating standard of life for women in Burma

The standard of life for women and girls in Burma, especially women with ethnic nationalities have been reportedly deteriorating inside Burma. Their health care, education and role in the society have not shown any significant improvement. Women are also forced to leave their own land due to political repressions.

Many women in Burma, are reportedly being used as sex slaves and cheap labourers in other Asian countries and are prone to abuse by their own employers.

“We believe that the celebration of International Women’s Day would remain incomplete and meaningless if there is still one country like Burma that exploits its women, “ the APSOC coordinator stressed.

APSOC and FBC-Phils also said that women in Burma are nonchalantly raped by government soldiers and forced to work as military porters. The junta according to the groups is not making any effort to curb these forms of abuses.

Rape victims often choose not to lodge a complaint because they know that no one would believe them. Worse, if they complain about a rape incident, they would be fined by the military. “This is understandable in a country where the atmosphere of impunity is very high. Besides, how could you complain to the soldiers who themselves commit rape?,” Miclat explained.

Complete irony

The junta is a signatory to the the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) but APSOC and FBC-Phils said that the junta always deny that its soldiers commit sexual violence against women as part of the government’s anti-insurgency campaign.

“The junta not just deprives the women of Burma of their economic and political rights but also of their rights to live like humans by raping them. The junta signed the CEDAW but doesn’t have the will to strictly follow the provisions under this international instrument. This is a complete irony, this is the tragedy“ Miclat concluded.

Asia Pacific Solidarity Coalition (APSOC)
Free Burma Coalition-Philippines

For inquiries: Please contact:
Mr. Gus Miclat
IID (082) 299-2574 to 75 or email gus at iidnet.org