Coinciding with the release today of the Women´s League of Chinland´s report , the first to document systematic use of rape as a weapon in the Chin state of Western Burma, the Norwegian Burma Committee once again addresses the Norwegian state pension fund´s 200 million Norwegian kroner investment in the south Korean company Daewoo, who openly cooperates with the Burmese junta. (27-MAR-07)
Based partly on the Women´s League of Chinland´s own press release, partly on the Norwegian Burma Committee´s accompanying press release, focussing on the Norwegian state pension fund´s investments, this article has been prepared for publication here by HRHF / Niels Jacob Harbitz. Photo of Husøy: HRHF / Niels Jacob Harbitz.
Unsafe State. State-Sanctioned Sexual Violence Against Chin Women provides further evidence of state-sanctioned rape by the military regime’s troops, and urges India, where the majority of Chin refugees seek asylum, to review their economic and military support of the regime.
Gang rape enacted as a savage act of mockery against Christian beliefs
Despite tight military controls in the isolated Chin hills, the Women League of Chinland, WLC, have managed to document 38 cases of sexual violence, committed with impunity by the Burma Army throughout Chin state, mostly during the past five years. Almost half of the cases were gang rapes, and at least a third committed by officers. The sexual violence was carried out with extreme brutality, with victims being tortured and murdered. One woman was stripped naked and tied to a cross, in a savage act of mockery against her Christian beliefs.
-How can India and the People´s Republic of China be arming these rapists?
“These horrors are being sanctioned by the state in Burma,” said WLC spokesperson Cheery Zahau. “How can the civilized world accept this junta among their ranks? And how can countries like India and the People´s Republic of China be arming these rapists?” The Burmese regime has quadrupled its military presence in Chin State in recent years, and the militarization is set to worsen if plans go ahead to export natural gas from the Burmese coast by pipeline through Chin State to India.
The WLC is launching the report on March 27, Burma’s Resistance Day, which the junta has renamed as their “Armed Forces Day.”
For further details, contact Cheery Zahau:
Tel: + 91 9818657522 or +91 9862361431
Email: womenleagueofchinland@yahoo.co.in
-You´re supporting the suppression and the severe violations of our rights
Unsafe State. State-Sanctioned Sexual Violence Against Chin Women follows in the wake of numerous other reports, some of which have been presented here at www.humanrightshouse.org, all uncovering the use of rape as a weapon and, as such, used as part of the state of Burma´s war strategy against its own minorities. WLC criticises foreign companies and contractors for contributing to the militarisation of Burma through their investments in the country. The investments are used by the junta to broker arms trade agreements. Such financial and military support goes to sustain and expand the armed forces of Burma, and is, thus, equal to supporting the military regime´s svere violations against civilians, argues WLC.
-The Pension Fund must acknowledge the consequences
The South Korean company Daewoo International cooperates with the military reime and is the main ivestor in the Shwe gas field off the west coast of Burma. In December, the Dorector of Daewoo was accused of illegal sale of military technology to Burma. The Norwegian State Pension Fund´s International 
Department has invested 200 million Norwegian kroner (approximately 33 million USD), and is, thus, contributing to the military regime´s suppression of the Burmese people, a suppression that includes organised, systematic use of rape, as documentedby the WLC. -The Pension Fund must acknowledge the consequences of its own investments and pull out of Daewoo, says Inger Lise Husøy, right, the Executive Director of the Norwegian Burma Committee.
Significant increase in military presence in the Chin province
When the development of gas pipe lines from the Shwe field begin, all previous experience from similar projects suggests that the civilians will be subjected to gross violations of human rights, including forced labour, forced evictions, rape and other abuses. A gas pipe line is planned to cut through the Chin province, where the number of army batallions have already quadrupled in the last 20 years.
To consult the WLC press release, in English, click here.
To consult the NBC press release, in Norwegian, click here.
To read the full Unsafe State-report, in English, click here.
To learn more about Women´s League of Chinland, click here.
For further information from the Norwegian Burma Committee, please contact:
Inger Lise Husøy, Executive Director, at +47 22 47 92 38 / +47 97 97 83 83
Åse Sand, Information Officer, at +47 22 47 92 37 / +47 98 45 97 16.
