A member of Burma’s upper house of parliament has assured the family of a girl who was allegedly raped by a Burma Army soldier in Karenni (Kayah) State’s Hpruso Township earlier this month that she will monitor the case closely.

“We want this case to be solved by the law. If they [soldiers] make problems or threaten the victim’s family, I want the family to contact me. So far they haven’t. I have already contacted the Central Women’s Organization for their help,” upper house MP Daw Shar Mu told Kantarawaddy Times.

The father of the 13-year-old victim, who is from Yar Apra village-tract in Hpruso Township, reported the case to police after his daughter was raped on the township sports ground on September 22.

A soldier from the Burma Army’s Battalion 428 has been under investigation by military authorities on suspicion of carrying out the attack, but is expected to be transferred to police custody to face criminal charges.

“I heard that the military court completed its investigation of this case yesterday. Then it is supposed to go to a civilian court of law. We’ll have to wait and see what happens next,” said Ma Mee Mee of the Karenni Women’s Organization (KWO).

According to Ma Mee Mee, a great deal depends on how much attention the case receives from elected politicians.

“If MPs monitor how the judicial system handles the case, judges won’t be able to make unfair decisions,” she told Kantarawaddy Times, adding that the KWO would also help the victim’s family get justice and take care of the victim’s health.

A court in Karenni State’s Demoso Township recently sentenced a convicted child rapist to 20 years’ imprisonment with hard labor.