UN Leader Condemns Myanmar Military Over Sexual Violence

A U.N. investigator described an “extremely concerning” pattern of sexual violence by Myanmar’s military in a statement Friday.

Pramila Patten, the U.N. special representative of the secretary-general on sexual violence in conflict, identified a swath of human rights violations by the ruling political power, which seized control of the country in February. Patten focused particularly on reports of sexual violence against women in detention centers. In her statement, Patten called for not only an immediate end to violence against women but also the ability to independently investigate reports of sexual violence in the country. “The patterns of sexual violence perpetrated by the Tatmadaw against women from ethnic and religious minority groups, as well as against individuals on the basis of their sexual orientation and gender identity, as documented by the UN Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar, is extremely concerning,” the statement said.