Interview with Ma Tin Tin Nyo , Advisor the Burma Women’s Union (BWU)
6 July 2021
Since the military coup, there have been reports of sexual harassment against women and the violations of women rights not only in the ethnic areas but also in the urban areas, said the activists working for women rights. The NMG interviewed the BWN’s advisor Ma Tin Tin Nyo about the current situations in Myanmar.
Q: Are there reports of sexual violence against women by the military council’s troops? What is the difference between the past and the current situation? What have the activists working for women rights found out?
A: According to the news and reports by some organizations working for women rights and gender equality, there are sexual violence against women. For instance, some women face molesting. Some women may get raped for trauma and face threats and tortures. As a result of the coup, the entire law mechanism is under the control of the military dictatorship and then the military council. Those who are committing tortures at the interrogation camps as well as in jails are the ones working under the terrorist military council. It creates a situation for them to commit crimes and violence at their will, without any action taken against them. This is the situation which is happening after the military coup.
Q: What is the action against such violence in the time of the military council? Even lawyers representing the victims have get arrested. The persons who are carrying out such human right violations are soldiers.
A: In the past, there were the places to which the people could lodge a complaint if there was violence case. There were many lawyers and organizations which helped the victims. There were platforms and mechanisms which can help the victims through cooperation among them. They could do it until the victims got justice. There were many steps although the victims had a chance to win the case or not. There were the judicial systems formed under the government. Now the entire judicial system is under the terrorist military council. The terrorist military council itself commits these cases and so do its followers. That’s why, it is a very worrying situation for the women who face such violence now. Extending a helping hand to and giving protection to them is very difficult. The persons who help them themselves are in danger. At present, the operation of almost all organizations in the country have stopped as their organizing and functioning forms are in the country. Women are like a fish out of water. Women are losing their women rights and human rights.
Q: What about the international?
A: The international community has no enough demands and pressures. So, this moment is said to be the worst situation.
Q: What is the violation of women rights before and after the military coup? Is the number of cases higher?
A: The number of cases is said to be higher. Because the number of political dissidents who got arrested was not higher in the past. They could face court trials in the legal bound. But now the people get arrested based on the practice of human rights by individuals after the political activities like the protests against the terrorist military council and the military coup. The people may get arrested at any time. Anybody may get arrested for suspicious case. Many women have got arrested under such charge. This is just female detainees. The total number of detainees in Myanmar has exceeded 6,000. There are the tortures and oppressions of detainees. The number of female detainees is very high. That’s why, the current situation is totally different from the situation before the coup.
Q: Are the violations of women rights happening in the ethnic areas or across the country?
A: It is happening in the whole country. In urban areas, females get arrested and tortured when they are involved in the political activities. In other regions and states and rural areas, females are arrested for the protests against the military dictatorship. In the civil-war like situation, many people have gone into hiding due to the airstrikes and artillery shelling by the military council’s troops. Among the IDPs are females. There are many violations of individual rights. The government’s entire mechanism is said to has collapsed. The democratic structure has totally collapsed. It is sure that the stooges of the military dictatorship give the orders with the permission of the military dictator as the country has no human rights. As a result, violence and human rights violations become rampant across the country. It is said to be a very worrying situation.
Sent by NMG
