‘We are in a strong position and making significant progress’—Ei Thinzar Maung

Since the military overthrew Myanmar’s elected government more than three years ago, the country’s people have endured countless hardships. The junta’s desperate bid to cling to power has fuelled a conflict that has displaced millions and killed thousands. Women, children, and the elderly have borne the brunt of the violence. The regime has not only engaged in indiscriminate attacks on civilians in resistance-held areas; its forces have actively targeted women for rape and committed numerous other atrocities. There have also been reports of anti-junta fighters violating the rights of civilians, especially those suspected of siding with the regime. To learn more about the efforts of the publicly mandated National Unity Government (NUG) to address these issues, Myanmar Now spoke to Ei Thinzar Maung, the NUG’s 30-year-old Deputy Minister of Women, Youth, and Children Affairs, who also shared her views on the current state of the Spring Revolution, and the role of women in it. Myanmar Now: How many women and children have lost their lives due to airstrikes, artillery fire, and armed clashes since the coup? How severe has their suffering been? Ein Thinzar Maung: The country is currently under a state of emergency, and with the ongoing armed revolution, civilians— especially vulnerable groups like women, children, and the elderly—have suffered the most from the ongoing conflicts. Additionally, if we look at urban areas today, vulnerable groups are facing numerous challenges due to the current difficulties in administration, legislation, and security. The numbers are quite high, and the situation changes from day to day, so I won’t provide exact figures. However, updated details are always available on the ministry’s website. MN: What measures has the ministry implemented to alleviate the hardships and suffering of those affected? ETM: Our ministry primarily focuses on providing humanitarian aid. In response to recent incidents, such as airstrikes, our township officers are on the ground to offer immediate support. We coordinate with these officers and local representatives to address the needs promptly. MN: Have there been instances where you have worked with international organisations, such as United Nations agencies? ETM: We have numerous instances of coordination with international bodies, particularly through [Myanmar’s Permanent Representative to the UN] Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun. We regularly share reports on violations of women’s rights with him, which we also submit to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. MN: Many women have taken up arms in the Spring Revolution, while others have contributed in various other roles. What is your perspective on their participation?ETM: Our country has ratified several international agreements, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the United Nations Security Council’s Resolution 1325. By signing these agreements, we commit to upholding their principles. Therefore, we must actively encourage and increase women’s participation in political matters and decision-making processes. Women and children displaced by junta airstrikes on their village in Sagaing Region’s Homalin Township in April (Supplied) MN: As the junta continues to forcibly conscript young people into military service, there are reports that it also plans to increase the number of female recruits. How should women respond to this? ETM: We are providing public services with two main goals. First, we offer guidance for those seeking to avoid conscription. Second, we support individuals who wish to become “watermelons” [undercover informants] and provide necessary legal and mental health services. Since the regime began enforcing its conscription law, we have received numerous inquiries for assistance, and we are addressing them through our established channels. Additionally, the public needs to connect with the relevant resistance forces, who are providing significant guidance during this challenging time. They offer instructions on how to escape various situations and leave areas safely. The NUG is also providing similar guidance. I encourage people to familiarise themselves with these instructions to make navigating the situation easier. MN: Would you say that the junta has achieved its goal of recruiting young men into the army? Or has conscription led to more people joining the resistance? ETM: To answer this question, I’ll provide an example from an area I visited. During my trip to Karenni State, I observed that many young men joined the resistance after the conscription law was enacted. The main reason for this shift was their unwillingness to fight for the junta. Instead, they chose to support the resistance. Additionally, they were motivated by a clear goal of working towards democracy and the establishment of a federal state. Another key point is that the resistance forces have established strict rules of conduct that soldiers must follow. Since our forces are built on clear guidelines, this gives the resistance a significant moral advantage when people are deciding whether to join us or the junta’s terrorist forces. On the other hand, the junta has recruited not only young men but also many others outside of the usual age limits for recruits. These individuals have been used as human shields. As a result, we have declared the military council to be an enemy of the people. MN: Videos circulating on pro-junta Telegram channels show junta troops talking about raping women as they advance in Magway Region’s Gangaw Township. How widespread are these incidents of rape and assault? ETM: In the current state of emergency and ongoing armed revolution, there has been a surge in incidents where soldiers target civilians. Attacks by junta troops on vulnerable groups, including women, children, LGBT individuals, and others with diverse sexual orientations, have significantly increased. We are actively recording these incidents, collecting evidence, and reporting them to the international community. However, the response has been limited and not as effective as hoped due to existing policies. Victims of a junta attack on a camp for displaced civilians are laid to rest near Laiza in Kachin State in October 2023 (DEX) MN: There have been reports of assaults on women allegedly committed by resistance forces. How many of these reports have you received so far? ETM: We have classified the crimes during this period into three categories: those committed by junta members, those involving civilians against civilians, and those by armed groups. The armed groups include the Ethnic Revolutionary Organisations, Local Defence Forces, People’s Defence Forces, People’s Defence Teams, and People’s Security Teams. We process these cases through the relevant ministries, such as our own, the Ministry of Defence, or the Ministry of Home Affairs, depending on where the complaints are submitted. When complaints are received by our ministry, we collaborate with relevant ministries like the Ministry of Home Affairs, which is responsible for arrests, and the Ministry of Justice, which handles legal proceedings. We coordinate with these ministries through the Central Complaint Committee, which directs complaints to the appropriate departments for further action. For instance, if a criminal case falls within the purview of the police, we direct it to the Ministry of Home Affairs to address charges like rape or murder. The case will only proceed after it is filed as a lawsuit by the relevant law enforcement agencies, and the Ministry of Justice will oversee the legal proceedings and final verdict. There is a committee dedicated to separating cases involving military personnel from those involving civilians. Our ministry is part of this committee. Cases involving military members are addressed through a military tribunal, whereas cases of sexual assault on women are managed by our committee, following our specific policies and procedures. MN: The NUG is investigating the case of Aung Min, a member of the National League for Democracy (NLD) who is accused of raping a child in the Thai town of Mae Sot last year. Can you provide the latest updates on this case? ETM: We refer to this as the “Alice” case. The complaint letter was received in May of last year, and we acted promptly. A lawsuit was filed under Section 377 at the police station in southern Kalay Township, with Inspector Yamin as the complainant. We informed the victim about this lawsuit at that time. Generally, we refrain from disclosing details to protect the victims’ security and maintain confidentiality during legal proceedings. However, we did release an initial statement about the case last year. We have kept in regular contact with the victim, providing updates throughout the process. Witnesses, including the victim and their mother, were called to the police station in June last year to give their statements. Despite the case being highly discussed on social media, we have only a few witnesses willing to testify on behalf of the victim. Still, there is a key eyewitness in this case. A ceremony is held for victims of a junta attack on a camp for displaced civilians near Laiza, Kachin State, in October 2023 (CJ) During the case review, we learned that the child’s mother consulted a CDM teacher close to her immediately after the incident. Although this teacher is a key witness, she declined to testify for various reasons. To strengthen our case, another teacher from our ministry, who has been involved in the case, will testify on our behalf. Additionally, testimonies will be provided by the police chief from the Ministry of Home Affairs, another police officer, and two other witnesses, making a total of five witnesses. These individuals were summoned last year by the police station to give their statements. While the plaintiff teacher was aware of this, we have not publicly disclosed these details to protect confidentiality. Another challenge we faced was obtaining the medical report for this case. While discussing court proceedings may seem straightforward, executing them in practice has proven to be quite difficult. Additionally, we are managing multiple cases, some of which are even more sensitive and complex than this one. For instance, cases involving perpetrators from armed groups present significant challenges. In this particular case, one major difficulty was that the court did not accept the medical report, and there are numerous procedural requirements that we cannot bypass. Consequently, we had to submit a request for an exemption from providing the medical certificate. That’s why the case took longer to process. Now that it is in court, further proceedings will be at the court’s discretion. MN: What kinds of support has the ministry provided to the victims? ETM: I will answer this question in general terms rather than focusing on this specific case. When a case is brought to us, we provide an initial financial aid of 500,000 kyat. We also conduct follow-ups and take necessary actions as required. Victim safety is a priority, so we arrange for them to be relocated to secure locations. We offer mental health counselling through our counselling program called Taing Pin Phaw. For legal assistance, we have established a legal counselling group named Mya Thet Guide. These are the measures our ministry has implemented. MN: As a deputy minister, how do you view the current state of the Spring Revolution? ETM: At present, we are consistently receiving reports of positive outcomes and victories. Many of our soldiers have returned home, and these updates are being shared widely on social media. Overall, we are in a strong position and making significant progress.

‘We are in a strong position and making significant progress’—Ei Thinzar Maung

The NUG’s Deputy Minister of Women, Youth, and Children Affairs speaks to Myanmar Now about efforts to protect civilians and the progress of the Spring Revolution

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