Let the International Criminal Court (ICC) decide the actions of the Burma army

_{By Yawd Lao}
 
 
July 2007
A Lahu ethnic girl, Na Mi Jo, 16, was raped by ten soldiers of Mongpiang-based Light Infantry Battalion 360 led by Captain Kyi Aung in the presence of her brother.
 
She was gang raped by eleven soldiers including their captain while she was looking for bamboo shoots with her brother, Ja Si, 11, in the forest of the northern Mongpiang.
 
A Mongpiang resident said," She was raped in front of her brother and threatened not to tell anybody; otherwise their family would be killed."
 
"She was afraid to tell her family, but her brother spread the information through the family, villagers and finally to the headman, however, no one dared to lodge complaint with the officials,” he added.
 
September 2007
A Shan woman was raped by Mongpiang based Light Infantry Battalion 528 including their captain (Name unknown).
 
Nang Kham, 16, came back from shopping 11 miles away from Mongpiang and took a rest beside a stream. It was at the same time when soldiers were patrolling and found her. She was grabbed a mile far away from the stream and raped by 5 soldiers including the captain. After that, he was released and warned not to spread the case; otherwise her family would be killed. However, he told her parents, and it was spread from mouth to mouth. A resident said," No action was taken because they were afraid to prosecute the perpetrators. So, the case vanished." 

October 2007
A Shan woman was raped by Mongpiang based Infantry Battalion 43 four miles away in the northern part of Mongpiang while she was looking after her farm.
 
The case was, the battalion arrested her when they saw her two miles far from her farm. The act was led by the Captain Aung Aung with his ten followers.
 
A Mongpiang resident said," It was between ten and eleven in the morning and without compassion they did to Nang Hseng. She could not get up until one villager, Sai Inta met her in the evening. He assisted bringing her home. Even though the headman knew about it, there was nothing he could do for the justice of the victim and just let the case go without the criminal being tried"
 
November 2007
Soldiers bolted when Sai Win (not his real name) saw them raping one Shan teenager.
 
On that day, when three soldiers including their captain were collecting vegetables around the farm, Nang Kham Than (not her real name) came back from buying products to resell at home. When soldiers saw her, they grabbed her into the dry ditch beside the farm and raped her. It was in the southern outskirts of Mongpiang. During raping, Sai Win saw them and they ran away.
 
One resident said," She went shopping in the day time because she thought she would be free from soldiers' harassments, but she was wrong. This news spread throughout Mongpiang. Her parents informed the headman but nothing happened as the headman was afraid of soldiers."
 
The same month, another Shan woman was raped by the same perpetrators.
 
The case was Nang Ing, who came back from working in the farm. It was the same time when Mongpiang based Infantry Battalion 528, 20 strong was coming back from patrollig. She was detained and raped by ten soldiers in the northern outskirts of Mongpiang and said to her, "Do not let anybody know, otherwise your family will be killed."
 
One villager said," Even though her parents reported this crime to the headman, no trial had taken place as they were afraid of soldiers."
 
The above excesses were committed in just one little area in Shan State. How about the other places where people could not speak out about their trouble? There are many battalions based in Shan State and most of the rape cases happen in Shan State. However, no one could not get access to a fair trial. Therefore, whether it is just or unjust, let the world judge.

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