April 25.
Two Arakan Army (AA) soldiers who attempted to rape and drown a local Chin woman from Sein Sin Village, Paletwa Township, Chin State on April 5 have been detained and are being investigated, AA spokesman U Khaing Thu Kha told Rakhine media outlet Narinjara News on April 24.
“The rape is true. The incident took place in Sein Sin Wa Village, Paletwa Township. We have arrested the two comrades who committed the crime since the day it happened. We are currently investigating them. We will take strict action to ensure justice in this case,” U Khaing Thu Kha said. Paletwa-based Chin civil society organizations have called for a transparent justice system and action to be taken against the perpetrators of the rape, which took place in an area controlled by the Arakan Army (AA), as well as by AA soldiers themselves.
A Khumi Chin woman, a women’s rights activist from Paletwa Township, said, “The AA must take full responsibility for the emotional and physical harm suffered by the mother and child. In taking such responsibility, it is necessary to be fair and transparent in accordance with the policy set by the AA.
Strict punishment must be given to prevent such crimes of sexual assault and physical abuse from happening again. Otherwise, it will be considered an abuse of the trust of the majority of the Rakhine people and the public in the AA.”
Paletwa Township, On April 5, two AA soldiers from the Arakan Army (AA) raped and tried to drown a local mother from Sein Sin village. The victim narrowly escaped death after her mother-in-law screamed for help.
