Three months after a 15 year-old schoolgirl in Kachin State, Burma, was gang-raped, mutilated and murdered, no-one has been arrested and charged, despite eye-witnesses identifying suspects.
On 27th July 2008 near Nam Sai Village, Bamaw District, Kachin State, northern Burma, a 15 year-old schoolgirl, Nhkum Hkawn Din, was attacked and killed on her way to bring rice to her brother, who was working on a paddy field on the family farm.
After a three-day search her naked and mutilated body was found 200 meters from an army checkpoint. A local witness testified that they had seen Burmese Army soldiers follow Hkawn Din on her way to the paddy field. After her body was found other witnesses testified that they had seen soldiers leave that area after the time she had disappeared.
She had been raped, and brutally tortured and mutilated. Injuries included:
1) Her skull was crushed beyond recognition.
2) Her eyes were gouged out.
3) Her throat was cut.
4) She had a stab wound on her right rib cage.
5) All her facial features were obliterated.
6) She has been stabbed in the stomach
7) After the rape, she was further violated with knives
Local people were very angry about the failure to investigate the brutal murder. Posters demanding justice were put up in the Kachin capital Myitkyina. On August 16th witnesses identified one of the soldiers involved, Soe Thu Win, during a line-up. He later confessed under interrogation. A local commander reportedly stated that he will be sentenced to 20 years in jail, even though he has had no trial. However, it is now three months since the murder, and the Burma Campaign UK has been informed that no-one has been formally charged. Instead the family was offered around $500 plus some food staples as compensation for the murder.
Financial compensation for crimes is common in Burma, but reports received by the Burma Campaign UK indicate that the family wants justice, not money.
Locals and family members believe they know which soldiers were involved in the attack, but local authorities have refused to take action.
“The United Nations Security Council have described the systematic use of rape and sexual violence as a crime against humanity,” said Nang Seng, Campaigns Officer at Burma Campaign UK. “This case is just one of thousands, and shows that soldiers have the green light to rape ethnic women, knowing there will be no punishment. How long will Security Council members stay silent while women and children in Burma are being raped, tortured and murdered?”
Rape is systematically used as a weapon of war against ethnic minorities in Burma, more than a thousand cases have been documented. There is a culture of impunity, where no action is taken against soldiers who rape. In early 2007 four schoolgirls in Kachin state were arrested, charged with prostitution and imprisoned after being gang-raped by Burmese Army soldiers. After the case received international attention the regime said it would take action against the soldiers involved, but at least one of the rapists remains in the army and at liberty.
On June 19th The United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 1820 noting that rape and sexual violence can be described as a crime against humanity. The Women’s League of Burma has called for Burma’s generals to be taken to the International Criminal Court over the systematic use of rape by the Burmese Army.
For more information contact Nang Seng on 020 7324 4710