Chris Keates joins over 110 high profile women to stand with the women of Burma to end rape and sexual violence
Chris Keates, NASUWT General Secretary, is supporting Burma Campaign UK’s campaign to end rape and sexual violence in Burma.
She joins over 110 high profile women, including Dame Judi Dench, Annie Lennox, Jo Brand, Gillian Anderson, Imelda Staunton, Julie Walters and Zoë Wanamaker, who have signed the pledge to support:
- An investigation into rape and sexual violence by the Burmese military against ethnic women and girls.
- An end to impunity for rape and other forms of sexual violence in Burma.
- Support for victims.
- The inclusion of women at every political level in Burma including the peace negotiations between the Burmese government and the ethnic armed political groups.
- Burma’s Rape Law to be in line with international human rights standards to outlaw rape in marriage.
Please support the campaign to end rape and sexual violence in Burma and sign the pledge here:
https://action.burmacampaign.org.uk/stand-women-burma-end-rape-and-sexual-violence
The Burmese army has used rape and sexual violence against women for decades as part of their warfare against ethnic minority groups in the country. This has been done with impunity and denial.
Cases of women and girls being raped by soldiers from the government’s forces include the rape of a 12 year old girl in front of her mother, and of a disabled woman.
Many of the victims were gang-raped, and many killed afterwards. This is in breach of international law, and constitutes a war crime. Reports of rape have increased in recent years. UN reports have described rape and sexual violence as “widespread and systematic”.
Although winning a landslide victory in national elections in November 2015, the National League for Democracy (NLD), led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese army has retained much of its power and is not under civilian control.
Therefore, there is a possibility that army rape will continue even with the new NLD-led government in place.
Women’s groups in Burma, such as the Women’s League of Burma and its members, have long been highlighting the use of rape and sexual violence by the Burmese army against ethnic minority women.
While there now is a possibility of a domestic investigation into this under the new NLD-led government, if the Burmese army proves uncooperative and rape and sexual violence continues, the international community must consider an international investigation to address these crimes.
The international community should also offer proper support to survivors, and to support the inclusion of women in peace negotiations and at every political level in Burma.
“As a woman from Burma, I am grateful to see so many high profile women from the UK join forces with us to stop rape and sexual violence by the Burmese Army,” said Zoya Phan, Campaigns Manager at Burma Campaign UK. “The continuing use of rape and sexual violence by the Burmese Army is a crime, and the lack of action to stop it is a scandal.”
Please support the campaign to end rape and sexual violence in Burma and sign the pledge.
