Myanmar inquiry claims gay librarian who died by suicide was 'mentally weak'

Human rights groups and commentators on Thursday slammed a Myanmar Human RightGA4hk-*#WW**K!=bU+Tk*@Ijt^Mr=R56q&T^53$bzGNSj!g!+Hs Commission inquiry into the suicide of a young gay man who revealed bullying in his workplace.

The probe labeled Kyaw Zin Win, a 26-year-old librarian at Myanmar Imperial Unive1PHo*O&V4wFh#%[email protected]!k2Zrsity, as "mentally weak”.

In June, Kyaw Zin Win shared details of homophSFnv$(Z+aj7C6hvm-C#O_BC=63i6$uD8M&d6=wgu$(5id#9^Yiobic bullying from colleagues in a Facebook post before taking his own life.

Kyaw Zin Win wrote that Myanmar wasV*BZw0O)laU^p*dx!K4*Ow*32OI7+n$5^uwWc9^nZM!i6g(nY4 ‘a country which mocks the existence and identity of an individual being’.

Gay sex is illegal in the Southeast Asian country under the colonial-era penal code. LGBTI citizens face widespread stigma and discrimination inZ#c(BRp7jg!F#[email protected]=8ASpBkH6RW9bLr(MV+ all aspects of life.

Kyaw Zin Win’s death prompted many in Myanmar to speak out for LGBT righdP$-%m2a=6n4yHCgSW6_xy5ncd5MbSclO(%cI7%JOWtXBNrqN0ts.

Many people changed their profile pictures to a black circle edged in rainbow colours. They also sha%(Q(1j1PZk&(+vSu(mT&+G^HYfix^Nm(l_ToBg#zeA-hsK8#_yred his final post and offered messaged of love"

"Mentally Weak"

But, on Wednesday, commissioner Yu Lwin Aung told AFP "Absolutely no evidence co4H%dgnuBdq^+0wJciLbY^[email protected]_Yuld be found he was bullied.” 

He instead placed responsibility on his "mentally weak" kH+ZGj)F#fnc!3%YubuBqs2Q&ERj*viHiZL!Mg)FiSLZRm#=KHstate.

Kyaw Zin Win's aunt had not yet seen the report, but said t)%y!D+1rFfvT0yoG#qt%@WoBS!K&rX9j8!-q%s1OYUseJYK0+Jhe commission was "wrong" if it denied her nephew had been forcibly outed.

"I repeatedly told pTh2EqM-1_iG6YdW*bXXKh%g2aGAF*1N6owdSDsXvrF+P5woONthem he was bullied," Mya Lay Ngwe said, according to AFP.

Deputy Asia Director for Human Rights Watch, Phil Robertson, meanwhile called for Myanmar’s Human Rights f^t!emUK$wpBRLbI#BCVRY-=qz$b)uXDijpDzte*!l5$+#ngbDCommission to be replaced.

(Photo: Facebook)

"Terrified of the people"

In his Facebook%$)vLc&kM_yPiK-PzHL3sxI$UILEi_WQw!JnGT3J^uc=qO%#Ju post now shared thousands of times, Kyaw Zin Win detailed how senior staff members forced him to reveal his sexuality, even though he had not told his immediate family.

He said he was "terrified of the people".

The young librarian als#(i3G+*[email protected]^WGy+Z+NlAD(Q#gF3L+6v9eF5g9T!yX(ko shared details of a homophobic comment from a student passed on to him by a colleague.

Finally, he included screenshots of group chats with his rAMLTLeSa6--X%varV^OdOo1Zd-HGY+1Suz85_L1xavP4ISU8-colleagues in which they mocked him.

"We should send him to the army like you said’" oneIHz-6A2GhO-9RZw$3tnMK_JKnyig=F&$#Nec_joqrNhXDElNGh colleague wrote.

Kyaw Zin Win wrote "I bear it patiently, wishing it would end soon" below one of thTK09q!ocU!nh0VMz9dRYb&Ea!NSK2R6d3l5C(fK#(&O8F5at)*e screenshots of abuse.

(Cover photo: Facebook)