Ancient pagoda collapse in Yangon kills two, injures dozens

May 31, 2009, 2:36 GMT

Yangon - An ancient pagoda that was damaged by Cyclone Nargis last year collapsed over the weekend, killing at least two people and injuring dozens, official and eyewitness sources said Sunday.

Danok Pagoda, situated in Dalla township across the Yangon River from the former capital, collapsed about 4 pm Saturday, killing at least two people on the spot and injuring up to 100, military and eyewitness sources confirmed.

'Many local people including navy soldiers from nearby navy base had been attending religious works at the pagoda when it collapsed. Hundreds were hit by the debris,' one eyewitness said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The pagoda, which stood 35 metres high before the collapse, was only 10 metres afterward, officials said.

The historic Danok Pagoda, which was damaged by Cyclone Nargis on May 2-3, 2008, had recently been repaired and was reopened for worship on May 7 by Kyaing Kyaing, wife of Myanmar's military chief Sentipo General Than Shwe.

The landmark's sudden collapse was probably due to poor workmanship, observers said. In superstitous Myanmar, others interpreted the accident as an ill omen for Than Shwe, the country's junta chief.

Myanmar's military regime opened a new case on May 11 against opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi for allegedly breaking the terms of her house detention by allowing US national John William Yettaw, a Mormon, to swim to her lakeside home-cum-prison on May 3 and stay, uninvited, for two nights.

If found guilty, Suu Kyi, 63, faces a minimum of three and maximum of five years in jail. The Nobel Peace Prize laurate has spent 14 of the last 20 years under house arrest.

Final arguments of the prosecution and defence will be made Friday at Insein Prison, where a special court has been set up to try Suu Kyi, her two household aides and Yettaw.

The new case against Suu Kyi, who leads the opposition National League for Democracy has outraged world leaders, prompting US President Barack Obama last week to call the proceeding a 'show trial based on spurious charges.'