Myanmar urged to investigate Rohingya woman’s death

By Kyaw Ye Lynn

YANGON, Myanmar (AA) – An international human rights group has urged Myanmar’s government to investigate the death and alleged rape of a Rohingya woman in the troubled western state of Rakhine.

Amnesty International said Raysuana, a Rohingya woman in her mid-twenties, died Aug. 18 after being found naked near a military compound in Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine -- home to around 1.2 million Rohingya Muslims who the United Nations describes as among the world’s most persecuted minority groups.

In a statement Wednesday, Amnesty International calls on Myanmar authorities to launch an immediate investigation into the death and alleged rape, and to ensure the process is independent, impartial and effective.

“The results should be made public. All those suspected of being responsible must be brought to justice before independent, civilian courts, in proceedings which meet international standards of fairness and which do not impose the death penalty,” it said.

“Should any of the suspected perpetrators be members of the Myanmar security forces, they should be immediately suspended from duties."

Attendants at a clinic in nearby Thet Kay Pyin village, where thousands of Rohingya have been sheltered since communal violence in mid-2012, discovered Raysuana was suffering bleeding from her mouth and between her legs, and had bruises and swelling on her back, according to the statement.

Though the victim died on the evening of Aug. 18, local police reportedly refused to open an investigation saying that it would be “too complicated” given that she had been found close to a military compound.

“The alleged refusal by the police to investigate the case, and to bring those responsible to justice is a violation of their human rights obligations and sends the message that crimes against Rohingya, including unlawful deaths, rape and other crimes of sexual violence, will continue to go unpunished,” the statement underlined.

A senior police officer told Anadolu Agency on Wednesday evening that the case had been reported to police headquarters in the political capital Nay Pyi Taw.

“The report doesn’t state she was raped,” the police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak with media, said by phone.

Asked by Anadolu Agency whether the police headquarters would order that a case be opened over the woman’s death, he said, “no comment yet.”

"But I think we would need to examine the case carefully again,” he said.