Sexual and gender-based violence in Myanmar and the gendered impact of its ethnic conflicts in English raped at gunpoint by a captain from the Tatmadaw South Western Command in Minbya Township. This happened after her family was unable to provide the Tatmadaw with part of their harvest of rice, framed as a “tax”. The captain said she should marry him in exchange. When she refused, she was raped.227 103. Rakhine women and girls who have been raped by Tatmadaw soldiers told the Mission they face rejection by their families or communities and have expressed fear of being subjected to further sexual violence.228 104. The situation in Rakhine State, however, has changed dramatically since the Mission’s 2018 report. On 4 January 2019, the Arakan Army (AA) 229 launched coordinated attacks on four border police outposts in northern Buthidaung Township, Rakhine State, killing 13 police officers. While clashes between the AA and the Tatmadaw have been occurring since 2015, the conflict intensified in October 2018. January 2019 marked another significant escalation. The conflict now affects nine townships of Rakhine State, as well as Paletwa Township, Chin State.230 105. The Mission received secondary accounts from villagers who said they had heard that women were abducted by Tatmadaw soldiers and raped.231 However, the Mission has not found evidence of the Tatmadaw engaging in widespread mass sexual violence against civilians as a part of its military strategy to combat the AA. This is in striking contrast to the widespread and systematic sexual violence perpetrated against Rohingya, during the 2017 “clearance operations”, by some of the same military units present in Rakhine State in the context of the current conflict with the AA, such as LIDs 33 and 99. 232 The highest levels of command appear to be able to control when their troops do or do not use sexual violence during attacks on civilians and civilian populations. The senior commanders seem able to turn mass sexual violence on and off at will. The Mission considers that this new trend lends further support to its conclusion that soldiers used sexual violence against the Rohingya as an intentionally degrading strategy in their “clearance operations”. 233 106. Nevertheless, there is a complex gender dimension to the AA conflict. Men and boys of all ethnicities are particularly subject to being taken for forced labour by the Tatmadaw, and often subject to ill-treatment or torture, with ethnic Rakhine men more vulnerable to arbitrary arrest and detention. An increasingly notable practice of the Tatmadaw in 2019, is the rounding up and interrogation of ethnic Rakhine male villagers, including minors, accused of belonging to the AA. The villagers are often subjected to violent interrogations, at times amounting to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.234 107. The Mission received credible accounts of Tatmadaw soldiers sexually humiliating men in the course of these interrogations, forcing them to undress in front of other villagers.235 More specifically, on 18 March 2019, approximately 150 soldiers entered a village near Mrauk U town and rounded-up young men hiding in the monastery with other villagers. Men were separated out, stripped naked and forced to do jumping exercises and were beaten, while being asked about the AA.236 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 26 DI-036. DI-036, DI-044, QI-072. The AA has a political agenda of Rakhine self-determination through a “confederacy”. They have been excluded from the National Ceasefire Agreement as well as the Tatmadaw’s unilateral ceasefire extended it until 31 August 2019. A/HRC/42/50, para. 41. The AA, the MNDAA, the KIA and the TNLA collaborate as the Northern Alliance; A/HRC/39/CRP.2, para. 108. A/HRC/42/50, para. 39. CI-274, CI-276, LI-167. Troops deployed included the at least five Light Infantry Division (LIDs), and elements of three others, including 11, 22, 33, 44, 55, 66, 77 as well as part of 99 into Rakhine State, as well as the 77th LID 77 stationed in the region; A/HRC/42/50. para. 41. A/HRC/42/50, para. 51. A/HRC/42/50, para. 40. LI-166, CI-274. LI-166.