Seeking justice beyond borders for victims and survivors of sexual violence in Myanmar
Despite worsening threats to life and safety imposed by the terrorist military, women in Myanmar remain resolute and determined in their pursuit of justice. Women’s organizations have been fighting to ensure women’s voices are heard and they are afforded justice and accountability for the military junta’s systematic and widespread violations of women’s rights and to end the military’s decades-long use of rape as a weapon of war.
On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, women in Myanmar asserted the need for justice and accountability regarding sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in conflict situations that have thus far remained elusive. Women’s rights groups marked the decades-long SGBV inflicted upon women from ethnic communities as well as for all the victims and survivors terrorized by the junta after the attempted coup, issuing statements and hosting discussions.
SGBV in conflict did not begin in Myanmar over the past two years since the military’s failed coup, and it will not cease even if the revolution is triumphant. Women’s groups called on the international community, including national government institutions and international justice mechanisms, to exert pressure and actively advance justice and accountability, work towards holding the Myanmar military — the perpetrators of sexual and gender-based crimes — to account, and provide remedies and reparation for victims and survivors.
As part of its nefarious plan to seize power, the junta has inflicted immense pain and suffering on women and girls and employed SGBV as a means to dehumanize and diminish the identity and the struggle of ethnic communities. The Burmese Women’s Union has reported 59 cases of sexual violence documented since the attempted coup in five areas: Karenni State, and Sagaing, Magwe, Bago, and Ayeyarwaddy Regions. Meanwhile, the National Unity Government’s Ministry of Women, Youth and Children Affairs (MoWYC) released a report detailing 117 sexual violence cases that have occurred across the country since the attempted coup. In the recent junta’s attack in Moebye Township, Shan State, two women were raped and killed among 33 slain civilian. Such heinous crimes have long been committed by the Myanmar military against ethnic minority communities and the number of cases is likely higher, unreported due to difficulties in documenting in conflict areas. The same pattern of crimes has been repeatedly committed against ethnic minorities by the same military with total impunity, yet has further been escalated against all civilians throughout the country since the attempted coup.
Despite worsening threats to life and safety imposed by the terrorist military, women in Myanmar remain resolute and determined in their pursuit of justice. Women’s organizations have been fighting to ensure women’s voices are heard and they are afforded justice and accountability for the military junta’s systematic and widespread violations of women’s rights and to end the military’s decades-long use of rape as a weapon of war. Throughout this time, the security and safety of survivors of SGBV are at significant risk of retaliation, including arbitrary detention and abuse as a result of their efforts to speak out and seek justice. Furthermore, destruction of evidence of SGBV, such as killing and burning of bodies, has been a horrifically disturbing tactic employed by the Myanmar military to conceal its grave human rights violations against women.
Women activists, women human rights defenders and CDMers who have been arbitrarily arrested, detained and sentenced throughout the military’s attempted coup lack legal protection and civic space, and face a toothless judiciary under the control of the junta. Meanwhile, women in areas of military’s scorched-earth campaign face targeted attacks including rape, torture and murder. The junta has imposed numerous restrictions on legal proceedings and denied victims their rights to due process and a fair trial. Human Rights Watch reported that criminal defense lawyers are often targeted, and some have been subjected to ill-treatment and torture, further depriving women of access to justice. For example, a well-known rights defender lawyer, Ywet Nu Aung, who has been representing victims of political persecution, was sentenced to 15 years in prison with hard labor at Obo Prison in April 2022. There is no chance to obtain protection by law or pursue justice for the victims and survivors of sexual violence or other forms of violations perpetrated by the military while the junta is attacking lawyers with intimidation, arrest and imprisonment.
Sexual violence is not a by-product of conflict; rather, it is a result of the culture of impunity that the Myanmar military has enjoyed for decades while carrying out its campaigns of ethnic cleansing and hostilities entrenched in different layers of society. The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar’s report in 2019 verified that rape and other forms of sexual violence have been an egregious and recurrent feature of the Myanmar military’s targeting of civilian population in Kachin, Rakhine and Shan States since 2011.
In the fight to end impunity, women have been at the forefront of the struggle for justice and freedom with their decisive leadership and determined participation, striving against male-dominated, chauvinistic society and institutions further entrenched by the military impunity. However, the international community has been failing to protect women in conflict situations. Despite UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security, pledging to protect women from violence and strengthen their rights, and UNSC Resolution 2669 on Myanmar that calls for an end to violence, the international community’s political will to actually fulfill their obligations and implement these resolutions is severely lacking. All possible routes to legal accountability for all the victims of SGBV and the junta’s atrocity crimes must be pursued. This includes working together with women’s and civil society organizations in order to prosecute and punish the perpetrators. Without achieving justice and holding perpetrators to account, there will be no guarantee for protection, no program for comprehensive reparation and rehabilitation for the survivors, and thus no end to the military’s impunity. The international community must support ongoing efforts by Myanmar’s civil society and women organizations as they continue to strive to end the military’s tyranny and impunity and establish a federal democratic union that ensures the rule of law and access to justice for all by all.
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[1] One year following the 1988 pro-democracy uprising, the former military junta changed the country’s name from Burma to Myanmar overnight. Progressive Voice uses the term ‘Myanmar’ in acknowledgement that most people of the country use this term. However, the deception of inclusiveness and the historical process of coercion by the former State Peace and Development Council military regime into usage of ‘Myanmar’ rather than ‘Burma’ without the consent of the people is recognized and not forgotten. Thus, under certain circumstances, ‘Burma’ is used.
Resources from the past week
Statements and Press Releases
By Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK, Chin Human Rights Organization, Human Rights Foundation of Monland, Kachin Women’s Association Thailand, Karen Human Rights Group, Karen Peace Support Network, Karen Women’s Organization, Karenni Civil Society Network, Karenni National Women Organization, Progressive Voice, RW Welfare Society
Myanmar: Thailand’s one-sided approach to the Myanmar crisis must end
By FORUM-ASIA, Commission for Disappeared Persons and Victims of Violence – KontraS
Sweden must act to stop Indian arms sales to Myanmar military
By Justice For Myanmar
JFM welcomes US sanctions on junta banks and defence ministry
By Justice For Myanmar
By Justice For Myanmar
By Justice For Myanmar
Statement of World Refugee Day 2023
By Karen Human Rights Group
Open Letter To: Mr. Pita Limjaroenrat, leader of Move Forward Party and Prime Minister-designate
By Karen Peace Support Network
Survivors of sexual and gender based violence in Myanmar need protection and accountability
By Legal Action Worldwide
By Milk Tea Alliance Friends of Myanmar
Australia Urged To Follow Suit As US Increases Pressure On Myanmar Regime
By Myanmar Campaign Network
By National Unity Government (Ministry of Human Rights)
By National Unity Government (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
Statement of National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC) on China’s Approach related to Myanmar Issue
By National Unity Consultative Council
Concern for President U Win Myint’s Well-being
By National Unity Government (Ministry of International Cooperation Myanmar)
UN expert urges coordinated action by Indonesia and other nations to address Myanmar crisis
By Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Durable solutions to the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar
By Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
By Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Treasury Sanctions Burma’s Ministry of Defense and Regime-Controlled Financial Institutions
By United States Department of the Treasury
By United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar
By United States Department of State
Statement on the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict
By Women’s Peace Network
International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict
By Women Advocacy Coalition Myanmar
By Women’s League Of Burma
Reports
Sexual Violence Against Women under the Political Instability
By Burmese Women’s Union
Camp Closures: Current Status (April 2023)
By Center for Operational Analysis and Research
Brief for EU politicians on the MADE in Myanmar Programme
By IndustriALL Global Union
Summary of SAC human rights violations in Karenni State and Pekhon Township (Jun 5 – 18, 2023)
By Karenni Civil Society Network
Flower Strike Movement Which Alarms The Junta – Issue 109
By Myanmar Peace Monitor
Ministry of Human Rights – HRC53: Briefing paper on the human rights situation of the Rohingya
By National Unity Government (Ministry of Human Rights)
Burma: Violence-Driven Displacement Increases Since 2021 Military Coup
By US Department of State Humanitarian Information Unit
Myanmar: Cyclone Mocha Situation Report No.5 (As of 16:00 15 June 2023)
By United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Progressive Voice is a participatory, rights-based policy research and advocacy organization that was born out of Burma Partnership. Burma Partnership officially ended its work on October 10, 2016 transitioning to a rights-based policy research and advocacy organization called Progressive Voice. For further information, please see our press release “Burma Partnership Celebrates Continuing Regional Solidarity for Burma and Embraces the Work Ahead for Progressive Voice.”
