Kantarawaddy Times
In 2024, U Zaw Zaw Htun, the headmaster of Lehhtun village’s high school in Pekhon Township, Shan-Karenni border, committed acts of sexual misconduct against seven students.
In this incident, the school principal, U Zaw Zaw Htun, inappropriately touched the students, kissed them, and occasionally made physical contact with their lower bodies, according to the sources close to the seven students who were abused.
The families of the victims sought justice, demanding the removal of U Zaw Zaw Htun from his position. However, according to a source close to the case, one parent chose to settle the case through financial compensation.
“A parent of one of the victims asked for 200,000 kyats as compensation, but due to traditional customs, only 100,000 kyats was given. The parent justified the demand by citing cultural practices,” a source close to the case stated.
This has become a traditional practice in ethnic regions, passed down through generations.
This practice of settling sexual offenses through compensation has been deep-rooted in ethnic traditions and continues to be widely used today in the Karenni state and Shan-Karenni border regions where Kayan people predominantly reside.
In cases of fraud, sexual exploitation, and similar offenses, compensation is often demanded in the form of chickens, pigs, coins, or cash, according to women’s rights activists.
Women’s rights activists criticize and point out that compensation-based settlements could encourage committers to re-offend, as they do not face serious legal consequences.
In Karenni and Kayan communities, human rights and sexual offense cases are often handled through religious and customary practices rather than legal systems.
Even in the 21st century, where human rights awareness has expanded, legal action remains uncommon in ethnic regions due to a lack of legal knowledge. As a result, local women’s rights organizations continue to raise awareness and provide educational campaigns and workshops.
A young woman from DawBuNganReh village in Demoso Township explained that victims often avoid public legal actions due to societal pressures and fear of being shamed by their community.
“In our village, even married men sometimes inappropriately touch young girls. No one considers it as harassment. People joke about girls’ bodies and make inappropriate remarks. Those who experience it don’t realize it’s wrong and accept it as normal,” she said.
In the case of U Zaw Zaw Htun, investigations confirmed that his actions were considered sexual harassment rather than rape. As a result, the Pekhon People’s Security Force (PK Police), the Pekhon Township Administration, and the Karenni State Consultative Council (KSCC) decided to suspend him from his position and sentence him to six months in prison, according to a January 28 statement from PK Police.
Moreover, in a statement released on January 24, the Pekhon Township Basic Education Students’ Union called for the offender’s legal punishment and urged parents not to settle such cases with compensation.
“We will continue to fight until justice is served for the sexual assaults and threats committed by U Zaw Zaw Htun. We also call on revolutionary forces and civil society groups nationwide to stand with us,” revealed in the statement.
Kantarawaddy Times contacted the Pekhon Basic Education Students’ Union regarding the punishment of U Zaw Zaw Htun but received no response until February 3.

Under Section 100(c) of the Child Law, sexual touching of a child’s body is punishable by a minimum of three months to one year in prison and a fine of 300,000 to 500,000 kyats.
Meanwhile, under Section 377 of the Penal Code, non-consensual sexual offenses can result in a prison term of 10 to 20 years, according to Khu Poe Reh, Chief Justice of the Karenni Interim Justice System.
“Actually, the police and the organizations that issued the orders cannot enforce such orders. This is not the correct approach. In our state, the three pillars of governance have their own responsibilities and powers under the interim administration. Any legal case should be handled through proper legal channels,” Khu Poe Reh explained.
Since the military coup, child rape, with sexual harassment and fraud, has been the second most common crime in Karenni and Shan-Karenni border areas, according to a report by Kayan Women’s Organization (KyWO) on August 7, 2024.
Ma Yu, a representative of KyWO’s violence prevention program, emphasized that legal action should replace traditional mediation in such cases:
“If such cases arise in the future, we must rely on the law rather than mediation to address them effectively. Even if the current punishment may not have a significant impact, at least the case has been properly addressed, which could help reduce such crimes.”
U Zaw Zaw Htun, the principal of Lehhtun Village High School, has been detained by the Pekhon People’s Security Force from January 28 to July 18 for six months.
In Myanmar, a person is legally considered an adult at 18 years old. Those under 18 are considered minors. Any form of sexual misconduct against minors, even if it does not involve rape, still constitutes sexual abuse, according to U Ba Nyar, founder of the Karenni Human Rights Group.
“Sexual acts with minors, whether with their consent, their parent’s approval, or even in exchange for money, are still considered sexual abuse. If it involves a minor under 18, it is legally considered child rape. These are not cases that can be settled through negotiation. Under the law, they must be prosecuted and punished accordingly,” said U Ba Nyar.
Although sexual offenses in ethnic regions are rarely prosecuted legally, local residents have emphasized the need for more awareness campaigns to encourage legal action against such crimes.