CSOs call for crackdown on rapists as women in Ramree Twsp point to pubs as one source of problem

By DMG 30 Oct 2021

DMG Newsroom
30 October 2021, Ramree

Women’s civil society organisations have called for effective action against rapists, and dozens of female protesters in one Arakan State town took to the streets on Saturday demanding the closure of local pubs, saying excessive drinking among the men there was contributing to crimes including violence against women.

Saw San Nyein Thu, chair of the Rakhine Women’s Initiative Organization, said rape remains a problem in Arakan State due to ineffective action against rapists, an increasing number of people using drugs and alcohol, and the insecure situation of women in IDP camps.

“Punishment for rapists should be severe and made public so that rape cases will decrease,” she said.

On October 27, the attempted rape of a 12-year-old girl was reported in Kyauktaw Township’s Wartaung IDP camp, said U Maung Hla Phyu, a camp manager.

“The offender beat the girl and attempted to rape her. He was sent to the police station,” U Maung Hla Phyu said.

A female IDP said women at displacement camps are not secure, sometimes facing added risk if they go outside the camps to seek work.

“We are not safe in the IDP camp. Some people are not good among good people. So, we are concerned about who will peep at us while we are having a bath,” said Ma Khaing Than Phyu, a resident of Thein Chaung village who is sheltering at Wartaung IDP camp.

Daw Nyo Aye, chair of Rakhine Women’s Network, said women at IDP camps are facing livelihood difficulties as well as being concerned about sexual violence.

“Effective action has not been taken against rapists under successive governments. So, it is worse when the administration is in an unstable situation,” she said, adding that government departments and other relevant authorities need to take responsibility for women’s security.

Meanwhile, about 60 women in Lay Taung town, Ramree Township, took to the streets on Saturday afternoon to demand that drinking establishments in their ward be closed.

“Murder, theft and rape cases occur often in the ward as men go to the pubs and drink alcohol,” said Daw May Gyi, a protestor from San Tin Maw ward. “And, wives are also beaten by their drunken husbands very often. And family members are facing difficulties with livelihoods as husbands’ expenditure for drinking is higher than their income. So, women are protesting to shut down pubs in the ward.”

There are more than 100 households and about 10 pubs in the ward, residents said.

The women are also collecting signatures to shut down the ward’s drinking establishments, and the petition will be submitted to relevant authorities, said Ma Ei Ei Phyo, who participated in Saturday’s protest.

“We have received more than 120 signatures from the residents,” she said.

Part of the problem, according to locals, is that the ward has a significant population of men who hail from other Arakan State townships and beyond who work in the fishing industry.

“We agree on shutting down pubs in the ward because, as an owner of a fishing business, it is not easy for us to solve an issue if a worker commits an offence. If the pubs are shut down, murder, hooliganism and theft will end,” said Ko Nwe Min Kyaw, the owner of a local fishing outfit.

According to figures from the Myanmar Police Force in Arakan State, there were 38 rape cases reported in 2020, and 12 through the first nine months of this year.

The Legal Clinic Myanmar has said that, nationwide, there were 184 cases of violence against women reported in-person and 599 cases reported by phone between 2018 and 2020.