{"id":12096,"date":"2021-06-09T04:40:20","date_gmt":"2021-06-09T11:40:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/worldcampaign.net\/?p=12096"},"modified":"2021-06-09T04:40:20","modified_gmt":"2021-06-09T11:40:20","slug":"myanmar-the-mysterious-deaths-of-the-nld-party-officials-bbc-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldcampaign.net\/?p=12096","title":{"rendered":"“Myanmar: The mysterious deaths of the NLD party officials” BBC News"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Jonathan Head,\u00a0South East Asia correspondent, 8 june 2021<\/p>\n

The violence used by Myanmar’s armed forces against unarmed opponents since the coup in February has shocked the world; more than 800 people have been killed, most by military gunfire. But the deaths in custody of two officials from the National League of Democracy – the party led by Aung San Suu Kyi – have cast an even grimmer light on the military’s actions.<\/em><\/p>\n

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\"Collage<\/span>IMAGE COPYRIGHT<\/span>COLLAGE<\/span><\/div>
image caption<\/span>Khin Maung Latt (L) and Zaw Myat Lynn (R) both died earlier in March<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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On Saturday, 6 March, cities across Myanmar were on edge.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Three days earlier they had experienced what had then been the most violent day since the coup in February – with the UN recording the deaths of 38 people.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The army had seized power on 1 February, after claiming – without evidence – that a previous election which saw the NLD gain power was fraudulent.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Ms Suu Kyi and senior leaders were put under house arrest – triggering waves of protest against the military.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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For the first three weeks the military had seemed unsure how to respond to the protests.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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But by the end of February they were using increasing levels of lethal force. By the first week of March, it was clear there would be no restraint.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The historic downtown neighbourhood of Pabedan in central Yangon, with its narrow alleys between crumbling colonial buildings, had seen plenty of drama.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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That week, activists had built barricades in some streets to keep out the security forces, and there had been several clashes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Pabedan has a diverse population, with a large number of Muslim residents and eight mosques in the township.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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In last year’s general election, Sithu Maung, one of only two Muslim candidates fielded by NLD won the parliamentary seat there.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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His campaign manager was Khin Maung Latt, a veteran NLD activist who had moved to Pabedan many years before and lived with the family of a Buddhist lawyer.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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He co-owned a tour company, had run a video rental shop, and had been active in the NLD since 1988, becoming the chairman of his local branch. He was a well-known and well-liked member of the community.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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“He was very religious and prayed five times a day,” Sithu Muang told the BBC from where he is now hiding from the military.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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“But people from all faiths loved him. He did a lot for the community, like making new green spaces for children to play in. He was very important to the NLD.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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