Shan women burrow in Rape report fallout

Shan women burrow in
Rape report fallout

Shan activist groups, notably the Shan Women Action Network, that had suddenly gained worldwide prominence by its shocking report about sexual abuses by Burmese officers and men, have been forced to move out of the spotlight lately both by official notification and death threats, according to reports received by S.H.A.N..

A representative of SWAN and the Shan Human Rights Foundation, whose monthly reports on human rights situation in the Shan State had been the basis for the preparation of License to Rape: The Burmese military regime's use of sexual violence in the ongoing war in Shan State, was met on 9 September by a police officer who reportedly informed the representative the two offices would have to be closed. "He was very polite about it", described the representative about the meeting, "but also very direct." 

As it turned out, it was easier to bear with it than the reports which came earlier from different sources but tallied in one thing: the lives of the activists were in danger. 

One report related to S.H.A.N. by a Thai friend who operates a restaurant in Chiangmai said of a Thai businessman, who goes by the name of Pisarn (no last name was provided) and a nickname, "Teung" that was strikingly the same as that of a Maj Chalermchai Matchaklam, who incidentally was sentenced to death on 22 August for the slaying of Yasothon governor last year. "He was in Chiangmai and Chiangrai during the last week of August, asking people whether they could furnish him with information about some women rights advocates whose report had done a lot of damage to Thai Burmese relations," said the Thai friend. "Fortunately, nobody knew enough, and it they did, they were not very cooperative." 

According to an e-mailed report, dated 26 August, the Ratchaburi-based Pisarn, age around 40, who was working with a Thai company that had invested in Burma on shrimp farm projects, was commissioned by "a high ranking Burmese military official" to dispatch spies and assassins in order to keep watch on and wipe out the activists. "(A)nyone who can give a tip-off (of their) whereabouts will be rewarded (with) 1 million (baht)", wrote the informant. 

"Hitlists" reported to have been uncovered by Shan State Army and the Shan Democratic Union about the same time also included names of male dissidents. 

One Thai friend, in response to the reports, said, "If they were true, I'm afraid Rangoon rulers are in for a big mess of themselves. Because if a male activist were slain, people might be apt to downplay it and forget, but if the assassination victim happens to be a woman, the whole world is going to make the general's life a living hell." 

The generals probably realized the folly and that was likely why no further reports about attempts on the lives of the activists were forthcoming, some Thai sympathizers reasoned. "Nevertheless, it is not yet the time to let down your vigilance," one cautioned. 

License to Rape was launched on 19 June.

Names of the activists, both male and female, are suppressed here by request _ Editor.