Five jump from building in bid to flee Myanmar security forces; at least 2 dead

YANGON • Five people jumped from an apartment building in Myanmar's main city of Yangon, and at least two of them died, in a bid to escape a raid by security forces, media reports said, sparking condemnation among opponents of military rule.

Since the military overthrew elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi's government in February, the country has been thrown into crisis with almost daily protests and fighting between the army and hastily formed militias.

Tuesday's incident occurred in the Botahtaung district of Yangon, with media reports saying at least two died while the others were seriously hurt and taken to hospital.

The Myanmar Now news portal showed a photograph of three people lying motionless on the ground in an alley, while the US-funded RFA (Radio Free Asia) said that all five involved in the incident - four men and a woman - had later died. BBC Burmese and Myanmar Now said the five had jumped from the third storey.

Mr Tin Zaw, the father of one of the young people who died, said in an interview with RFA that his 27-year-old son had been arrested by security forces in February but had, with his help, been released.

He said his son had never been interested in politics before the coup but since the military takeover, had tried to resist the junta. "There wasn't any big organisation behind him," said Mr Tin Zaw, adding that he was proud of his son.

Mr Soe Myat Thu, the husband of a 29-year-old woman who was also believed to be among the dead, said he had not yet received her body. "I feel really sad that my wife died. She left a daughter behind," he said by telephone.

Reuters could not independently confirm what happened and a spokesman for the military did not answer calls seeking comment.

But reports of the incident have shocked many in a country that has become used to daily headlines about deaths and violence.

Memes about Tuesday's incident went viral on social media, including one that showed five silhouettes of people jumping from a building into a field of bright yellow sunflowers.

Security forces have killed at least 965 people in the more than six months since the coup, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a Thai-based activist group, though the junta has denied that the toll is that high and said many soldiers have also been killed.

Meanwhile, the United Nations special envoy for Myanmar said on Tuesday that the country's military leader appears determined to solidify his grip on power following February's coup and amid speculation that Ms Suu Kyi's political party could soon be disbanded.

Ms Christine Schraner Burgener cited military ruler Min Aung Hlaing's announcement this month that he was now prime minister in a newly formed caretaker government and also a formal annulment of the results of a November election, which was won by Ms Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD).

"I fear that we will soon hear also that the NLD party could be disbanded. This is an attempt to promote legitimacy against lack of international action taken," Ms Schraner Burgener told reporters. "I have to make clear that the UN does not recognise governments, so it's up to the member states."

She said that unless UN member states act, Myanmar's UN Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun - an opponent of the junta - remains the country's legitimate envoy at the world body in New York, and Ms Suu Kyi and Myanmar President Win Myint are the country's leaders.

REUTERS