A women's group says Myanmar's army is using rape as a weapon of war in border regions, where troops are struggling to put down ethnic insurgencies.
The Women's League of Burma released a report Tuesday documenting more than 100 rapes in dozens of townships since President Thein Sein took the reins of the new, nominally civilian government nearly three years ago.
Nearly half were gang rapes and 28 of the women were killed or died of their injuries, said Tin Tin Nyo, the group's general secretary. She warned little will change until the government amends the 2008 Constitution, which gives the military the right to independently administer all its affairs.
Ye Htut, a government spokesman, could not be reached for comment.
Myanmar's transition to democracy following five decades of brutal military rule has won widespread international praise, but rights’ groups say little has changed in resource-rich border areas, where the army continues to grapple with stubborn ethnic insurgencies.
As in the past, the use of sexual violence against civilians is widespread and systematic, Nyo said.