Myanmar nun kneels between police and protesters

A nun went down on her knees in front of policemen in a northern Myanmar town and pleaded with them to stop shooting protesters agitating against last month's coup.

Libby Hogan reports.

Myanmar's northern State of Kachinhas witnessed some of the heaviest crackdowns since the military seized control on February 1.

On Monday as police held shields, formed a line, and moved in on protesters - a nun appeared.

She walked quietly up to police and knelt downin front of them, tearfully she pleaded with them not to open fire.

Her name is Sister Ann Roza Nu Tawng: "I begged them not to shoot the children because I am worried about people in the hospital nearby and residents living around (here)." Tawng and one of the policemen then touched their foreheads to the ground.

But later, witnesses said two protesters were killed by gunshots to the head and three others were injured in city of Myitkyina.

Tawng had also come between protesters and police lines late last month, pleading for peace.