Three Pyu Saw Htee members from Kan Ni village in Myaing Township, Magway Region, have defected with their families and exposed the systematic sexual assault of young women by their leader who used weapons to threaten and coerce his victims. The revelation came after they contacted the local People’s Defense Force (PDF) on May 7, expressing their desire to defect. Upon investigation following their rescue, the horrific details of these crimes came to light.
Among the defectors were two Pyu Saw Htee members in their 30s and one in their 20s, accompanied by three children. According to their testimonies, the Pyu Saw Htee leader in Kan Ni village had been using his weapons and position of power to sexually assault young women in the village, forcing them to become his minor wives. Some of these victims are now pregnant, with these abuses reportedly having started since the previous year. The defectors provided detailed accounts of how the leader would use threats of violence to coerce his victims into submission.
Currently, the Kan Ni Pyu Saw Htee camp is under blockade by People’s Defense Force members, resulting in severe food shortages within the camp. There have been frequent defections from the camp due to the brutal treatment by the military council-affiliated Pyu Saw Htee members. The defectors particularly emphasized the cruel treatment of women and children, which ultimately led to their decision to escape. The testimonies reveal a pattern of systematic abuse of power and human rights violations within the Pyu Saw Htee camp, highlighting the ongoing crisis faced by civilians under military-backed armed groups in Myanmar.
