October 21, 2022
The Arakan Army’s (AA) court-martial on Oct. 20 sentenced two members of the army to 20 years in prison with hard labour and 30 lashes for raping a Muslim woman from Kyaung Taung village tract, Buthidaung Township, Arakan State, said AA Information Officer U Khaing Thukha.
The victim – a 30-year-old married Muslim woman – reported that the two soldiers raped her at gunpoint in her home on Oct. 1.
A court-martial was then formed and the two perpetrators, the victim’s family members and some witnesses near the scene were thoroughly interrogated for about 10 days.
It was determined that the two men were found guilty of the crime and also violated specific prohibitions of military discipline, U Khaing Thukha said at a press conference today.
Moreover, the punishment was imposed in accordance with the military law in front of their family members, some village elders and some religious leaders after the two AA members confessed that they had drunk alcohol and actually committed rape that day, he added.
“First, the two men committed rape. Second, they violated the rules that must be followed when dealing with the public. Second, they have damaged the army’s reputation. To make this clear, we had to impose 20 years in prison and 30 lashes on them for violating the special ban on military discipline,” U Khaing Thukha said.
Currently, the two men have received 20 lashes, and they will have to receive the remaining 10 lashes in prison and serve their 20-year sentence, he added.
“Whoever committed this kind of crime, the United League of Arakan/Arakan Army (ULA /AA) will not tolerate it. We take care of such cases regardless of race or religion. They belong to our own army, but these people have broken the special military rules and regulations that we have established. Moreover, it is an absolutely unforgivable mistake to commit crimes against the people by using the weapons provided to protect the people,” said U Khaing Thukha.
At present, the military officials concerned have personally apologised to the victim and his family members on behalf of the AA chief and the army will firmly address the matter to prevent similar incidents in the future, he added.
“I would like to add that the families are satisfied and everything has been resolved,” U Khaing Thukha said.
It was reported that one of the two soldiers who committed the crime joined the AA in 2019 and the other in 2020.
Prior to this incident, there was a rape case committed by a AA soldier in Yaw Chaung village in Kyauktaw Township over the past 13 years. In this case, the perpetrator ran away from the army with a gun and raped a woman nearby, according to AA.
Sent by DMG.