A film ‘Bringing Justice to Women of Burma’ show strong evidence that rape of ethnic women by Burmese troops is endemic, and could be a deliberate policy of the country’s military in its ongoing conflicts in the country’s border regions.
It claims that the Burmese government has ignored all UN resolutions calling for an end to violence against women. Moreover, what qualifies as a war crime is carried out with complete impunity, and continues despite the transition to a nominally civilian government in Burma, it says. One woman from northern Burma who was interviewed in the film describes in harrowing detail how she and others were raped by a soldier. “I was so scared and I screamed. Then he threatened me, if you keep screaming I will punch your baby through your stomach. I could only cry while he brutally raped me. I could only cry. Not only one person, but one after another … up to four.”
Moon Nay Li, of KWAT, said that cases of rape “are becoming more and more frequent” as the military steps up its campaign to eliminate the opposition Kachin Independence Army. The chances of any complaints being adequately dealt with by the newly-formed, government-appointed National Human Rights Commission are slim, said Nang Hseng Noung of the Shan Women’s Action Network, meaning that it would not take the rape cases to that body.