Parents seeking to prosecute a Burma Army soldier for the attempted rape of their teenage daughter, had their complaint rejected by the Loi Lem District Administration Office yesterday, a local source said.
A source close to the district office said that local officials were fearful of accepting the complaint because it was linked to the military.
The incident happened on 17 April, but the girl’s family had been too scared to file a complaint until 22 April.
A local news source said that the incident occurred at about 6:00 pm on 17 April in Kong Kon Village, Dong Nao Tract, 13 kilometers south of Loi Lem District.
According to the source the 14-year-old girl, daughter of Khun Nai and Nang Kham (not their real names), was at home when Lance Corporal Myint Thien attacked her.
LCpl. Myint Thein is from Loi Lem-based Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 513 led by Major Aung Myint Thu and Captain Kyaw Myint Niang.
He tore her shirt and tried to rape her, according to the local news source, but fled when the girl’s parents heard their daughter’s screams and confronted him. Her parents were able to arrest him with the help of their neighbours.
After the incident, Maj. Aung Myint Thu said the soldier would be punished for the incident, but villagers did not believe that justice would be served.
After failing to get any response from the military, the parents and other villagers went to the district administration office on 22 April to file a complaint, but it was not accepted.
