An interview with Ma Mee Nge, Spokesperson for the Women’s League of Burma (WLB), about the organization’s statement on expediting truth and justice for sexual harassment and exploitation
The Women’s League of Burma (WLB) issued a statement on 23 June regarding the repeated sexual harassment and exploitation of a female secretary by Salai Isaac Khen, the representative of the National Unity Government (NUG) Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Myanmar Representative Office in India.
The WLB statement strongly urges the NUG to effectively punish and take action against the similar perpetrators of (sexual) violence, including the harassment committed by Salai Isaac Khen, and to swiftly deliver truth and justice for the women and girls affected.
The Network Media Group (NMG) conducted this interview with WLB spokesperson Ma Mee Nge about Salai Isaac Khen’s denial of the incident and allegations of sexual abuse against the female secretary, the potential impact on women in resistance areas, and next steps in response to the NUG’s response.
Q: When did this case take place? Can you tell us about it?
A: We met with the victim. We had a meeting with her. She started working in April. This sexual harassment began about a week after she started work. But this woman said it was uncomfortable for her. She had a strong response. It was completely unacceptable for her. She said she spoke up that she didn’t like this kind of behavior.
After working for two months, she was preparing to leave the job. She told her superior, Salai Isaac Khen, that she wanted to resign. But he didn’t accept her request. She tried to resign three times. Then other staff members also submitted (resignations) together. She was the victim, and two other staff members were assigned tasks unrelated to their positions. This man, Salai Isaac Khen, assigned tasks unrelated to their positions, his personal matters. For example, asking them to do things unrelated to their office work like doing laundry and ironing clothes.
They were also dissatisfied with being asked to do such things. They had feelings about it. (He) also did disrespectful things to the staff members. So, another staff member and the woman who experienced sexual harassment, these women filed verbal complaints. After complaining, they reached out to the NUG ministry to arrange a meeting.
Q: In an interview with Mizzima on 24 June, Salai Isaac Khen denied these allegations. What would you like to say about this?
A: Throughout history, when a person who is publicly stable and respectable commits an offense, if we look back, none of them have ever admitted to their wrongdoings. So, he won’t admit it just like that either. But if investigations come, he will have to admit that he was wrong.
Then, when they complained to the foreign affairs ministry, they issued a verbal warning to prevent such sexual harassment from happening again. The ministry wouldn’t issue such a statement in writing if nothing had happened. But the ministry itself did issue it in writing. This was done internally. But, in his public interview, he completely denied it and said he didn’t do it. But in reality, the ministry issued the warning for him because he did it.
Q: We’ve also seen that the NUG has announced they will take action. How do you view this?
A: We welcome this. It’s the right thing to do, and it must be done. We are in a time of revolution because we don’t like the military and their system. So, following in the military’s footsteps is absolutely unacceptable.
So, we welcome what the NUG ministries have done. But, in their statement, we see that it’s only a temporary suspension. It shouldn’t be temporary. This requires proper judicial process, transparent and correct, only after thorough investigation and when the truth is found.
Q: How can your organization help ensure that justice is done in cases like this?
A: The victim is a woman. As a woman, she faces personal attacks and private negotiations. During these negotiations, there’s a lot of dishonesty. Her voice was recorded without her permission or knowledge. Such voice recordings require consent. But if the woman had admitted to it, he would have used it publicly. We’ve heard about many instances of dishonesty.
From our side, we provide counseling to help her stay strong. We offer emotional support and consolation. Currently, it’s not just women’s organizations, but also male leaders who are opposing and condemning this kind of behavior. This issue doesn’t just concern individual women or women’s organizations; it’s a national issue.
Because if women don’t feel safe in their environment, it affects national security. So, we and our partner organizations are working on many initiatives. This isn’t just about one case; there are other cases where women are facing sexual violence.
We are working towards justice in these matters. At the moment, there are many things we can’t discuss in detail. We currently have connections and are striving to bring about justice related to this issue.
Q: I’d like to ask if this is the first time such an incident has occurred within the NUG ministries, staff, and organizations, or if there have been similar cases of misconduct in the past?
A: You’ll see in our statement that there was a case where U Aung Min, an NLD party township executive secretary, committed sexual assault (child rape) against the 5-year-old daughter of a CDM teacher. This case wasn’t properly addressed either. They asked questions, held meetings, and conducted investigations, but justice wasn’t served.
To this day, the perpetrator remains unpunished, free to commit such acts again. This happened over a year ago. These are the cases we know about. There are likely many more minor cases. As a revolutionary government, it’s NUG’s responsibility to ensure justice is served.
Q: What suggestions do you have for the NUG to ensure justice for such incidents and prevent them from happening again in the future?
A: NUG has its policies. These need to be truly followed. It’s not enough for them to just exist on paper or in books. They need to be actually followed. Then, there needs to be monitoring to ensure they’re being followed. Otherwise, these policies are just for show and not very effective. The existing policies need to be followed and practiced.
If not, it will lessen trust between us. It causes more discord and division among us. To prevent this, we need to properly practice our policies. Moreover, we need to build more trust.
Q: Given this incident, what are the concerns for women in resistance areas or in NUG-controlled areas?
A: This is a very significant incident. We are aware that there have been cases of misconduct by PDFs that are kept quiet. We hear that some want to address these issues only after the revolution, fearing it might jeopardize the revolutionary effort. However, we need to prevent and take action on these issues regardless of the period we’re in. We need to take preventive measures. This incident involved a high-ranking representative, which greatly impacts the revolution.
It makes women feel more insecure. We’re fighting this revolution for everyone, not just for the NUG. The whole of Myanmar is involved in this revolution. So we need to follow codes of conduct in our resistance areas and adhere to their policies. If there aren’t protective measures in place, we need to arrange them.
Q: How concerned are you about this incident?
A: When something like this happens, it’s very disheartening and shocking. It’s completely unexpected. It really highlights the need for more protection for women working on the front lines.
We need to continue discussing among ourselves how to ensure women can work safely on the front lines.
Q: Is there anything else you would like to add?
A: Yes, thank you. As for this case, I particularly want to urge those in power not to abuse their authority and exploit the vulnerable, especially in terms of sexual exploitation. We need to be brave in speaking up for the truth. The media and ministries need to stand firmly for what’s right. Otherwise, this could greatly harm our revolution. We must have the courage to stand up for what is right, regardless of whether the person involved is from NLD or is a leader.
I would like to encourage all again to stand courageously on the side of truth. We already have policies in place. There are many very good policies. And they also have many other codes of conduct to follow. If we follow these things, we will reach the goal we want. That’s what I want to say in conclusion.
Sent by NMG.
