Burmese Government Soldiers Raped 15-year-old Girl and Ransacked Civilian Homes

KLN, May 19, 2014

A 15-year-old Kachin girl was raped by Burmese government soldiers at Nam Gut village, located on the road between Kutkai and Muse, in Kutkai Township on May 16 at 4 pm.

A KLN source says the soldiers are from Burmese army’s 568^th Light Infantry Regiment (LIR) under Theinni-based 16^th Military Operation Command. Another local source says the soldiers who raped 15-year-old student are from Kutkai-based 241^st Light Infantry Battalion (LIB).

Kutkai Township police have opened an investigation into the alleged rape of the 15-year-old student under case number 40/2014. An aid worker who is giving support to the rape victim said more pressure is needed for police to investigate the case otherwise they would cause an unreasonable delay in the investigation and eventually close the case by giving irrelevant reasons.

Local sources say soldiers from Burmese army’s 415^th LIR pillaged and plundered civilian homes in Kawn Sam village in northern Shan State on May 15 at 8 am.

The soldiers robbed a 106-year-old Kachin woman at gunpoint smashing boxes and took her valuables. Another villager Hpaujung Naw, who is a mentally challenged person, was severely beaten by government troops with gun butts as he could not answer their questions.

The government troops then ransacked each house they searched, and all the valuables were taken. The soldiers took 700 Chinese Yuan and a Kachin traditional bag from Sara Myitung La Yun’s house, 300 Chinese Yuan and two Kachin bags from Zinghtung La Gawng’s house.

Another troops from 327^th LIR allegedly killed several domestic animals belonging to the Kawn Sam villagers on May 11. At least 9 domestic pigs that belong to Man Htun, Jaiwa Zau Nan, Kawng Tu, Zau Ja and Zau Mai were killed by 327^th LIR troops.