Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07CHIANGMAI30
2007-02-13 11:01:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Consulate Chiang Mai
Cable title:
REPORT DOCUMENTS VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN KAREN STATE
how-toVZCZCXRO5892 PP RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH DE RUEHCHI #0030 0441101 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 131101Z FEB 07 FM AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0399 INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE RUEHCHI/AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI PRIORITY 0440 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 0010 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0005 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 0001 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 0004 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 0014
UNCLAS CHIANG MAI 000030
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM BM TH
SUBJECT: REPORT DOCUMENTS VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN KAREN STATE
REF: 06 CHIANG MAI 212
UNCLAS CHIANG MAI 000030
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM BM TH
SUBJECT: REPORT DOCUMENTS VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN KAREN STATE
REF: 06 CHIANG MAI 212
1. A new report by the Thailand-based Karen Women's
Organization provides further evidence that Burma's military
government uses sexual violence against women. The KWO's report,
"State Of Terror," amplifies previous reports that have
documented cases of rape, murder, torture, and forced labor
against women in ethnic areas such as Karen and Shan states.
2. In a meeting in Chiang Mai before the report's release,
KWO activists told visiting Department of State Special Envoy
for Social Issues Amb. Grover Joseph Rees and PolOff that they
had documented more than 4,000 instances of violence over the
past several years, including 959 rape cases. Activists said
soldiers from Burma's ruling State Peace and Development Council
used rape and other means of sexual violence to intimidate
villagers from supporting armed resistance groups based largely
in ethnic areas.
3. KWO researcher Blooming Night Zan told PolOff many of the
recent cases of sexual violence occurred during the latest SPDC
military offensive in Karen State, which surprised many
observers this past year by continuing through the rainy season
and led to increased numbers of refugees entering Thailand and
internally displaced persons seeking shelter along the border
(reftel). KWO General Secretary Zipporah Sein added that the
organization hoped the timing of the Feb. 12 report's release
would prompt more countries to voice disapproval over Russia and
China's veto last month of a UNSC resolution condemning Burma's
human rights abuses.
4. This latest report compliments KWO's 2004 report
"Shattering Silences" and the Shan Women's Action Network's 2002
"License to Rape" report, both of which also documented rapes
and other violent acts against women by SPDC soldiers.
Representatives of other ethnic Burmese women's organizations -
many cooperating under the umbrella organization Women's League
of Burma and based in northern Thailand - told PolOff they are
documenting ongoing violence against women in their homelands
for use in future reports.
CAMP
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM BM TH
SUBJECT: REPORT DOCUMENTS VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN KAREN STATE
REF: 06 CHIANG MAI 212
1. A new report by the Thailand-based Karen Women's
Organization provides further evidence that Burma's military
government uses sexual violence against women. The KWO's report,
"State Of Terror," amplifies previous reports that have
documented cases of rape, murder, torture, and forced labor
against women in ethnic areas such as Karen and Shan states.
2. In a meeting in Chiang Mai before the report's release,
KWO activists told visiting Department of State Special Envoy
for Social Issues Amb. Grover Joseph Rees and PolOff that they
had documented more than 4,000 instances of violence over the
past several years, including 959 rape cases. Activists said
soldiers from Burma's ruling State Peace and Development Council
used rape and other means of sexual violence to intimidate
villagers from supporting armed resistance groups based largely
in ethnic areas.
3. KWO researcher Blooming Night Zan told PolOff many of the
recent cases of sexual violence occurred during the latest SPDC
military offensive in Karen State, which surprised many
observers this past year by continuing through the rainy season
and led to increased numbers of refugees entering Thailand and
internally displaced persons seeking shelter along the border
(reftel). KWO General Secretary Zipporah Sein added that the
organization hoped the timing of the Feb. 12 report's release
would prompt more countries to voice disapproval over Russia and
China's veto last month of a UNSC resolution condemning Burma's
human rights abuses.
4. This latest report compliments KWO's 2004 report
"Shattering Silences" and the Shan Women's Action Network's 2002
"License to Rape" report, both of which also documented rapes
and other violent acts against women by SPDC soldiers.
Representatives of other ethnic Burmese women's organizations -
many cooperating under the umbrella organization Women's League
of Burma and based in northern Thailand - told PolOff they are
documenting ongoing violence against women in their homelands
for use in future reports.
CAMP