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As I write this in the Burmese capital of Yangon, the city is still buzzing from last week’s historic visit by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Despite the hope and excitement her trip brought to this isolated country, fear and impunity persists in Burma’s conflict zones. The latest region to erupt into conflict is the northern border state of Kachin, where my colleague and I traveled last week.

Whispers of rape by the feared Tatmadaw (or Burma Army) circulated among both displaced people and aid workers we met there. One aid worker estimated that up to sixty rapes have occurred since fighting erupted in June.

While there is no systematic or comprehensive reporting of sexual violence, numerous human rights groups have documented dozens of rape cases by the Tatmadaw. In eastern Burma, local civil society groups told us that in most cases of rape the victim is murdered, leaving no testimony to the horrific crime.

The US government has raised the issue of rape by soldiers directly with the commander-in-chief of the Tatmadaw, who said they are trying to improve accountability and even highlighted specific cases where soldiers were removed from duty.

Since that meeting, local women’s groups told us that the Tatmadaw has publicly called on NGOs to report rape cases to the government. This is a significant step, but tackling the use of rape by the Tatmadaw hits at the heart of issues that have torn the country apart: the rights of ethnic minorities and the impunity of the military.

The Tatmadaw’s culture of corruption is widespread and runs deep. Despite significant and meaningful political reforms in the last six months, the Tatmadaw remains beyond the direct control of reform-minded President Thein Sein. Reeling in the powerful army will be a dangerous task for Thein Sein, since plenty of government hardliners are already nervous about the pace of his reforms.

Ultimately, real change will need to come from the Tatmadaw itself. It must show a willingness to become a professional and accountable military capable of protecting the population, rather than exploiting and terrorizing it.

As difficult as military reform will be, after more than 60 years of civil war, the issue of minority rights will be even more complex and difficult for Burmese society to address. Rather than painting ethnic minority groups as insurgents undermining national unity, the government must learn to derive strength from its diversity by rebuilding trust, negotiating sustainable peace agreements, and providing equal political rights for all citizens. 

The road to democracy for all of Burma’s people – including ethnic minority women – will be long and difficult, but the international community can help turn promising political rhetoric into a new reality for ordinary Burmese. Strong and multi-tracked US engagement will be key to reforming Burma’s abusive political system and extending the rule of law, as will a strong UN presence in the ethnic states and robust international assistance.

As Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has noted, this is only “the beginning of the beginning,” and the international community must support the full rights of all Burmese (and women, especially) through to the very end.