“The main issue is to take action on the perpetrator. Because he is a solider, he should not be just given punishment by order of the army. This is just unfair,” said Mi Jae Jae Nyi, secretary for Mon Youth Association of Mon Democracy Party, urging the accused be tried in a civil court.

The recent press conference in in Rangoon drew about 40 participants from a variety of women and civil society groups including several WLB members, and the Democracy and Peace Women Network and Mon Women Organization.

The alleged victim is a 43 year old mother of six from Waekali village in Thanbyuzayat Township. The Jan. 25 incident reportedly happened at the rubber plantation where the woman worked. Corp. Ye Linn Htun, second corporal for the Artillery Battalion 315 near Thanpyuzayat Township, allegedly tried to rape the woman who reportedly fought off her would be attacker for 30 minutes. The woman reported being punched in the face, head and chest at least 20 times resulting in four teeth being dislodged and other serious head injuries.

After the incident, she was rushed to Thanbyuzayat hospital. But due to the seriousness of her injuries the woman was sent for treatment in capital Moulmein for a week before being transferred to a Rangoon hospital. The injuries to her head have escalated and she is still undergoing treatment at the hospital.

Meanwhile her husband has reportedly been threatened by the commander from Artillery Battalion 315. The husband was allegedly warned if he opened a case against the accused the army wouldn’t cover their medical treatment. The uneducated husband allegedly later signed a document administed by a Wae-rat village administrator with a thumb print pledging not to take action.

The WLB have slammed this alleged harassment by the army in their statement, calling for a fair trial adequate punishment if the accused is found guilty of attempted rape and brutal assault.

Many cases of rapes of ethnic women by Tatmadaw (Burma military) have been reported since Burma received independence