At the checkpoints of the Military Council in Inle region of Nyaungshwe township, Taunggyi district, Shan state, soldiers conduct physical searches of women, Shan Herald has learned.
After some skirmishes broke out between the Local Defense Forces and the Military Council between Phaya Ni and Than Taung villages in the western part of the Inle area, the checkpoints started to conduct more strict questioning and the soldiers began physically searching the women, locals said.
"In the past, the soldiers only verbally investigated people where they would go or where they came from. Now they are conducting physical searches all over the bodies of the travelers. This is not a problem for men, but touching women's shoulders and waists is inappropriate. But no one dared to complain to them for fear of being pounded with a gun's buttstock”, An Inle resident who did not want to be named told Shan Herald.
These days, the Military Council troops are strictly checking the entry and exit of the Inle region. At Pine Paung, Hmawbi, and Inn Tain checkpoints, they conduct physical searches on women that can be considered as sexual harassment.
In addition, the soldiers at the checkpoints are often drunk, which makes it more unsafe for women.
“When they are drunk, they often find trouble with those who pass through the checkpoints. Sometimes they demand money. As for the women, the soldiers held their hands on their (the women’s) shoulders and talked for a long time. These conditions are very dangerous for women. Not only Bamar soldiers but also members of PNO/PNA (Pa-O National Organization/Pa-O National Army) are there”, the unnamed source added.
Due to the tightening of these checks, Inle residents are afraid to travel and suffer from inconvenience and insecurity, locals said.
Similarly on January 2nd, at a Military Council checkpoint between the towns of Pindaya and Ywangan, soldiers physically harassed the female travelers. (https://tinyurl.com/3de2rc39)
Since February 2021, when the Military Council forcibly seized power until now, people across the country have been very worried about travel and security, due to the violent behavior and actions of Junta troops.
Physically harassing women is a crime that the police have the right to prosecute, and the punishment is up to 2 years in prison, or fine, or both can be imposed together. However, it is unheard for the police to ever bring a case against any member of the military since the coup, and even rare before the coup unless it has been authorized by the generals.
