Interview
Border News Agency
Mrauk-U, May 11

In areas controlled by the Arakan Army, incidents such as child rape and violent killings have occurred. Some of these acts were reportedly committed by some members of the AA, while others were perpetrated by civilians.

The Arakan Army is currently administering governance and judicial functions in its controlled territories as part of the Arakan People’s Revolutionary Government. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure public safety and the rule of law for the people of Arakan, according to local residents.

Ko Min Saw, a gender education instructor, stated that there have been reports of child rape and violent killings in areas under AA control.

“Speaking of the enforcement side, crimes such as child rape and murder are considered extremely serious offenses in most countries, with punishments ranging from life imprisonment to the death penalty under criminal law. It is believed that the criminal code set by the United League of Arakan (ULA) also prescribes similar severe penalties for such crimes.

Although this is a time of intense armed revolution, it is still essential to strengthen judicial mechanisms to effectively and fairly identify perpetrators using all available resources. The legal system must be continuously improved to become more modern, impartial, and capable of making just decisions without bias.

Interruptions in internet and phone communications have slowed down the flow of information between people, making it harder and slower to track and arrest perpetrators. This kind of situation is also seen as contributing to a rise in criminal activities.

While concerns over airstrike threats may prevent the full restoration of phone and internet networks as before, efforts should still be made to find ways to minimize the impact of these restrictions as much as possible.

Another important point is the need to provide age-appropriate sexual education to children.

Such education includes teaching children not to allow strangers to touch them, explaining which parts of their body are private, and emphasizing that they should not follow strangers when called. It also involves teaching them to say no, to shout for help, and to run away if someone tries to touch their private parts.

Another crucial point is the need to challenge toxic masculinity beliefs.

An example of toxic masculinity related to sexual violence is the belief that “a man, when he sees a lake, naturally wants to wash his feet” – implying that men cannot control their sexual urges. Another harmful notion is the idea that “men are either wooers or gay.”

To further unpack these beliefs, there’s a tendency to blame women who are sexually assaulted in isolated or quiet areas by asking, “Why was she walking alone in such a deserted place?”—shifting responsibility onto the victim instead of holding the perpetrator accountable. Meanwhile, the man who committed the act is often excused under the notion that “it’s just male nature.”

This kind of mindset reinforces the dangerous belief from childhood that “if a man gets the chance or finds himself in a secluded place, he has the right to commit rape.”

This belief has been identified by international experts as one of the primary reasons why most perpetrators of sexual violence are men.

Therefore, to eliminate these toxic masculinity beliefs, it is essential to implement various strategies, including discussions, training sessions, literature, audiovisual awareness programs, artistic expressions, and incorporating these topics as mandatory lessons in education systems. Authorities, gender activists, and women’s organizations must work together to actively promote these efforts.”