James Borton

Opinion | Asia can’t escape sexual violence in conflict zones without addressing the past

Reports of sexual violence against women in detention in Myanmar draw attention to a broader pattern which Asian governments have not addressed apolitically

For instance, South Korea’s dogmatism in fighting for reparations for the ‘comfort women’ is at odds with its failure to acknowledge a dark chapter in Vietnam war history

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South Korean supporters hold portraits of former “comfort women”, who were coerced into working in brothels for Japanese soldiers during World War II, during a rally outside the Japanese embassy in Seoul in 2015. Photo: AFP

James Borton

Published: 7:45am, 24 Mar 2021Updated: 7:45am, 24 Mar 2021

As the death toll and reports of atrocities mount following the military coup in Myanmar in early February, women are on the front lines of resistance. They are also suffering “targeted and disproportionate violence”, according to a UN Women warning on March 12, including sexual violence while in detention.

Tragically, the reports of sexual violence by the Burmese authorities amid the ongoing strife come as little surprise. Independent investigators appointed by the UN Human Rights Council uncovered evidence years ago that the Tatmadaw, as the military is known, was deploying sexual violence against Rohingya women and girls with “genocidal intent”.

What’s more, these appalling acts are part of a broader pattern of conflict-related sexual violence which policymakers across Asia have yet to effectively address.

Yet, despite ample contemporary examples, public awareness of the issue of sexual violence in conflict in the Asia-Pacific still remains dominated by the experience of the “comfort women” forced into brothels set up by Japanese imperial troops across the territory they occupied.

While South Korea’s decades-long crusade to obtain justice for the numerous “comfort women” from its shores has brought welcome attention to the serious problem of sexual violence in conflict zones, the issue has become hyper-politicised in Korea. It has also crowded out other, similar horrors, including South Korean troops’ own history of atrocities during the Vietnam war.

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Until Asian governments make a more comprehensive, apolitical effort to tackle conflict-driven sexual violence, it will continue to proliferate in strife-ridden countries like Myanmar.