THAILAND: Raped by soldier, no investigation – widespread and vicious human rights violations in border area

Two Karenni refugee women raped by Thai soldiers

THAILAND: Raped by soldier, no investigation – widespread and vicious human rights violations in border area

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The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that two refugee women from the Karenni minority ethnic group in Burma (Myanmar) were raped by Thai soldiers near their refugee camp on March 17, 2002. The Thai authorities, however, still have not taken any action to investigate this human rights violation. We know that many refugees and illegal migrants from Burma who are living in the border areas or refugee camps have been the victims of various types of human rights violations – assault, murder and rape – but most of these abuses have been neglected by the Thai authorities due to the status of the people from Burma.

We are sending you this appeal to draw your attention to the violence perpetrated against these women and to put pressure on the Thai authorities to take action. We hope that our collective actions will build momentum to stop the widespread and vicious circle of human rights abuses in the Thai-Burma border areas.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INCIDENT

On Sunday March 17, 2002, three women from Karenni refugee Camp 2 went into the nearby fields to get food. The three women, together with a fourth friend who they met on the way, decided to go to the stream to look for vegetables. When they turned back toward the camp at around noon, they encountered five Thai soldiers. The soldiers spoke to the women in Thai, but they could not understand. Two of the soldiers left, but the other three pounced on the women. The women scattered, and two managed to escape into the forest. However, one of the soldiers grabbed Girl A, aged 20. A second soldier grabbed Girl B, a schoolgirl aged 15.

The first soldier took Girl A’s vegetables, pulled out a knife from her basket and threatened to cut her throat. Then he mimed putting the knife in her mouth so she understood this to be a threat in case she cried out. The soldier pushed Girl A to the ground and raped her, tearing her clothes and biting her. When she resisted his demand to put his penis in her mouth, he seized her by the hair and threatened to hit her. Then he raped her a second time. Afterwards Girl A fled into the trees, followed by the soldier. Finally Girl A found two older friends – one of them had witnessed the attack – and collapsed. The two women and Girl A ran together to the nearby Thai village of Huay Ka to call for help. They returned to Camp2 without finding Girl B.

Meanwhile, the second soldier had seized girl B. While the third soldier stood guard, he tore at girl B’s clothes and raped her. When she struggled and cried, he pinned her arms to the ground. When he had finished she tried to escape. The third soldier stopped her, and he also raped her. The two soldiers then left, and Girl B went back to Camp 2 alone.

After these attacks, the two victims were too scared and ashamed to tell anyone of their ordeal. However, one of their friends spoke out so the camp leader heard about the rapes.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Karenni State is in the east of Burma. Since the Burmese military regime occupied Karenni State in 1948, the Karenni people have been fighting to regain their lost independence. As a result of the brutal policies of the Burmese regime, about 20,000 Karenni people have fled to neighboring Thailand where they live as refugees in three Karenni refugee camps, including Camp 2 mentioned in this incident. Refugees and illegal migrants from Burma have been the victims of abuse in Thailand, including rape, but there is often no redress for these crimes.
ACTION REQUESTED

Please send a letter by fax or e-mail to urge Thailand’s prime minister and interior minister as well as Prof. Saneh Chamrik, the chairman of the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand, to launch an immediate and impartial investigation into the rape of these women and to bring the perpetrators of this case to trial.
 

 

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