Family demands justice in rape of 9-year-old girl in Rathedaung

By Admin 07 Oct 2023

DMG Newsroom
7 October 2023, Rathedaung

Family members of a 9-year-old rape victim from Alechay Village, part of Arakan State’s Rathedaung Township, have demanded that the United League of Arakan/Arakan Army (ULA/AA) bring justice for the victim.

Family members filed a complaint with the ULA last July about the rape of the girl by a 17-year-old boy from the same village.

According to family members of the victim and village officials, the teenager admitted to committing the rape during an investigation by ULA officials.

However, since the perpetrator was underage and released on bail by the ULA, the victim’s family members are demanding justice for the girl, who suffered both emotional and physical harm.

“I want the person who committed the crime to be punished according to the crime. The victimised girl has suffered losses. The victim’s grandmother is always crying, thinking about her granddaughter’s future,” said a family member of the victim.

A family member said the girl was raped seven times from March to the end of May.

The perpetrator was arrested and detained in accordance with police procedures at the relevant regional ULA/AA police station and is being investigated, U Khaing Thukha, a spokesman for the ULA/AA, wrote on social media.

“We are continuing to prosecute the perpetrator in accordance with court procedures,” he added.

Section 376 of the Penal Code carries a sentence of 20 years to life imprisonment for the rape of girls younger than 12 years old.

“These cases cannot be withdrawn if they have actually admitted to committing the crime. The punishment of the perpetrator should be slightly reduced. The perpetrator must be punished. This is a moral issue,” said a male lawyer in Arakan State.

Since September, there have been multiple cases of child rape in Arakan State. 

A 3-year-old girl was raped by a neighbour in Thayetchaung Village, Pauktaw Township, on October 6. A 4-year-old girl was raped on September 29 in Mrauk-U town, and a 10-year-old girl was raped in Tatyar Village, Buthidaung Township, on September 4.