By Julie Ward
Sexual violence is
being used as a tool of terror against Rohingya women, writes Julie Ward.
There is a human
crisis on Myanmar’s western border. Since 1982, the Rohingya people have been
denied citizenship, making them vulnerable to government discrimination and
violence.
Several UN bodies
and NGOs have labelled the ongoing abuses perpetrated by the Myanmar government
against the Rohingya as “textbook ethnic cleansing”. One element of this abuse
that has not been adequately addressed by the international community is the
epidemic of sexual violence against women.
Rape, including gang
rape, is being used as a tool of terror against Rohingya women. UN special
representative on sexual violence in conflict, Pramila Pateer, has described
the situation as “a calculated tool of terror aimed at the extermination and
removal of the Rohingya as a group.”
Survivors of the
brutal state-sponsored persecution have testified to the abhorrent
circumstances in which they have been sexually assaulted, raped and tortured.
Primarily women, these people have also testified about the inhumane execution
tactics employed against their sisters, mothers and friends.
The UN investigation
on the use of sexual violence in Myanmar concluded that 52 per cent of women
had reported being raped or subjected to other forms of sexual violence.
The majority of
these women reported gang rape at the hands of Myanmar’s autonomous military,
the Tamadaw.
Consequent to sexual
brutality, women who survive the horrors of persecution often cross the
Bangladeshi border pregnant from the attacks. As a result of cultural norms,
women and girls face many barriers to accessing reproductive rights, and are
performing underground abortions, which further endanger their health and
survival.
Many of these women
are traumatised by their experiences and their unique needs are largely unmet
in refugee camps in Bangladesh, as less than 20 per cent of Rohingya refugees
have access to post-rape treatment.
Bangladeshi refugee
camps have also proven to be an unsafe place for women. Stateless Rohingya
women have been targets for criminal networks that operate in the region.
Human trafficking is
rampant, and displaced women are particularly vulnerable to forced marriage or
sex slavery. The recent increase of refugees from Myanmar has fuelled the sex
trade in Bangladesh.
Kateryna Ardayana,
counter-trafficking expert of the International Organisation for Migration, has
warned of the urgency for the international community to act. In her own words,
“Rohingya refugees need preventative and proactive action now to mitigate risks
of human trafficking, and the survivors need help - before these spirals out of
control.”
Many
parliamentarians have taken note of the special burden Rohingya people are
facing and have been strong in their support. British MEP Wajid Khan stated,
“I’ve campaigned hard over the disgraceful violence against the Rohingya at the
hands of the Myanmar government and military: any path to a return for the
Rohingya Muslims must not further compound their shocking treatment.” Surely,
pervasive violence against women is one of the compounding elements to which my
colleague is referring.
Meanwhile, the
European Union has adopted a €5m programme to support the refugees in
Bangladesh. Unfortunately, the framework of this programme fails to adequately
address the issue of sexual violence. Given the evidence, the EU’s failure to
incorporate stronger initiatives for the protection of women’s rights leads one
to question the Union’s dedication to its core pillars of female empowerment.
The EU must take
action in order to avoid further violations of the most basic rights of women
in both Bangladesh and Myanmar.
The
author Julie Ward (S&D, UK) is a substitute member of Parliament's women's
rights and gender equality committee