Briefing on false
allegations on sexual violence against women held
Source:
Date
It was attended by Deputy Minister for Home Affairs Brig-Gen Thura Myint Maung, Deputy
Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement U Hlaing
Win, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs U Khin Maung Win, member of Myanmar
National Committee for Women's Affairs and Head of Working Group on Prevention
of Violence Against Women and Rehabilitation Dr Daw Khin Win Shwe, member of
Myanmar National Committee for Women's Affairs and Vice-Chairperson of Myanmar
National Working Committee for Women's Affairs Dr Daw May May
Yi, senior officials from the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Home
Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Social Welfare,
Relief and Resettlement, the Supreme Court, the Office of the Attorney-General
and Myanmar Police Force, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassador of the
Lao People's Democratic Republic Mr Ly Bounkham and other heads of missions and UN agencies.
At the briefing, Deputy Minister U Khin Maung Win stated that two so-called
Shan Organizations had made false allegations that Myanmar Tatmadaw committed
sexual violence against women in
The
findings of the investigation teams showed that the allegations were fabricated
and groundless, he said.
Brig-Gen Thura Myint
Maung, Dr Daw May May Yi and Dr Daw Khin Win Shwe
related their experiences during the visit to
Allegations
of sexual violence against Shan national women as a weapon by
Yangon, 23 Aug - Shan Human Rights Foundation and Shan Women's Action
Network, so-called NGOs which have a close connection with SURA terrorist
insurgent group and are opposing the State Government, released a report under
the heading "License to Rape" concerning the allegation of committing
sexual violence against Shan national women as a weapon by Myanmar Government.
With respect to the report, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today announced
that the allegations included in the report are not true. On
Together with the military campaign, the SURA also launched an
international campaign to smear the image of
The
Moreover, systematic inspections are carried out and educational talks
given to all the units to ensure that the troops follow the military code of
conduct.
Therefore, to accuse the Myanmar Government and the Tatmadaw of
systematically using the policy of rape would be laughable if the intentions
have not been so ill-will. But this is not the first time that the Shan Human
Rights Foundation and the Shan Women Action Network have made false allegations
against the Myanmar Government. Time and again, their allegations have been
shown to be nothing more than malicious accusations. Unfortunately, the false
and fabricated report of the collaborators to the SURA was given credence by
some politicians in the
Some Thai politicians, even ones holding responsible positions, also made
irresponsible statements. Moreover, the Thai media continues to sensationalize
the matter, the latest example of which is the article "
Rape as a war weapon" by Pennapa Hongthong that appeared in the Nation newspaper today. It
is regrettable that some Thai media are acting as mouthpieces for insurgent
groups for such actions will only be detrimental to the cause of friendship
between the two nations. Myanmar Government believes that truth will eventually
prevail. The various press conferences held by the Information Committee had
already explained that these allegations were without any truth.
Moreover both the Myanmar Embassy in
He toured 13 localities in
The third investigation was undertaken by a Special Team made up of
security personnel. The team met and questioned 94 officers and men of 24
Infantry Battalions, 27 members of the judicial courts, police stations and
hospitals of the townships where the incidents were said to have occurred as
well as 6 members of 5 non-governmental organizations as well as 195 villagers.
All in all, the investigation teams met and interviewed to thousands of
inhabitants of the region as well as government officials including military
officers and members of non-governmental organizations.
The results of these three investigations show that:
- The allegations that there had been widespread rape in
- Even the names of some of the alleged victims were not mentioned in some
allegations;
- Some of the villagers where the incidents were supposed to take place were
non-existent;
- The military units mentioned were not even present in the area;
- There was no such military officer or soldier in the military unit
mentioned in the allegation;
- Even in instances where the name of the military officer and the unit he
was serving was correct, the military officer or his unit was not operating in
the area;
- Judicial, police and military records show there had only been three
rape cases and only two involving Shan women; and
- The three soldiers involved have already been given heavy prison sentences
by military courts.
Moreover, one of the assertions was that some of the raped women
received treatment at a hospital in Wiang Haeng town, Chiang Mai district,
Nevertheless, the Myanmar Government will continue with its enquiries
until all the allegations have been investigated. In this regard, it looks
forwards to working together with reputable NGOs to show to the world that
there is no truth in the allegations: that they are politically-motivated to
smear the reputation of the Myanmar Government and the Tatmadaw; that they were
aimed at sowing discord among the national races in the country; and that the
so-called Shan Human Rights Foundation and Shan Women Action Network are
nothing more than mouth pieces for narco-terrorist
organization like the SURA.