Thousands flee deadly fighting in Myanmar

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A group of Myanmar refugees, who crossed over from Myanmar to Thailand when a battle erupted between Myanmar's soldiers and rebels, walk along a street side at the Thai border town of Mae Sot November 8, 2010.​

 

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Myanmar citizens, are guarded by Thai border police officers as they gather under the tree in a field in Mae Sot town, Thailand , Nov. 8, 2010.​

 

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Thai soldiers move to reinforce the border after fighting broke out between Karen fighters and the Myanmar military on the Myanmar side of the border, at Mae Sot, in Thailand Monday, Nov. 8, 2010.​

 

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A group of Myanmar refugees, walk alongside Thai soldiers at the Thai border town of Mae Sot November 8, 2010​

 

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Myanmar refugees, receive food from Thai officials at the Thai-Myanmar border town of Mae Sot November 8, 2010.​

 

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Myanmar citizens runs across the Moei river as they flee Myawaddy township to Thailand's Mae Sot town , Nov. 8, 2010​

 

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A Thai policeman talks with a group of refugee Buddhist monks from Myanmar at the Thai border town of Mae Sot .​

 

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Myanmar's junta supremo Senior General Than Shwe casts his ballot in Naypyitaw November 7, 2010.

In this photo released by Myanmar News Agency, Prime Minister Thein Sein casts his ballot in Naypyitaw November 7, 2010. Myanmar's military will keep its grip on power after the country's first election in 20 years, backed by parties that on Monday looked set to win a vote marred by fraud and condemned by the United States, Europe and Japan. Picture taken November 7, 2010.​

 

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Myanmar's new flag is seen at the top of the High Court in central Yangon November 8, 2010. Myanmar's ruling military changed the country's flag, national anthem and official name on October 21, 2010, just over two weeks before the country's first election in 20 years.​

 

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Thai soldiers take cover as they react to explosions and sounds of gunfire in the Thai border with Myanmar in Mae Sot November 8, 2010.​

 

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A group of refugee Buddhist novices, rest at the Thai border town of Mae Sot November 9, 2010. Illustrating the strains multi-ethnic Myanmar has faced for decades, minority Karen rebels seized government buildings in clashes with troops in the border town of Myawaddy, causing about 12,000 people to flee into Thailand, Thai officials said.
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A Thai border policemen stands guard as Myanmar refugees sit in a temporary camp set up at a police base on the border town of Mae Sot on November 9, 2010. Some 20,000 people crossed from Myanmar into Thailand to escape clashes between government troops and ethnic rebels following Myanmar's first elections in 20 years, Thai officials said.​

 

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Thai border policeman stand guard as Myanmar refugees sit in a temporary camp set up at a police base on the border town of Mae Sot on November 9, 2010.​

 

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A group of refugees crosses over from Myanmar to the Thai border town of Mae Sot November 9, 2010.

A Thai border police officer, right, guides the way for Myanmar Buddhist monks at a Thai border police base where Myanmar refugees took refuge in Mae Sot, Thailand Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2010.​

 

[lovesamleong]

These Thai soldiers looked very young. I expected older looking men.

 

[Jah_rastafar_I]

A group of Myanmar refugees, crossed over from Myanmar to Thailand .

A group of Myanmar refugees, who crossed over from Myanmar to Thailand when a battle erupted between Myanmar's soldiers and rebels, board a boat on the Moei river along the Thai-Myanmar border town of Mae Sot November 8, 2010.​

These refugees look like a bunch of keling bangala shit skins or tamilans.

 

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Nov 9, 2010
MYANMAR ELECTIONS
Army-backed party wins
YANGON - THE Myanmar military's political proxy claimed victory Tuesday in the country's widely criticised first election in 20 years, saying it had won about 80 per cent of the seats.

The poll has been denounced by Western governments as anything but free and fair and pro-democracy parties who participated have complained of intimidation and 'cheating' at polling booths.

'We have won about 80 per cent of the seats. We are glad,' said a senior member of the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), who did not want to be named.

The vote appeared to have gone largely according to the junta's plans but fighting erupted between government troops and ethnic rebels on Monday, triggering an exodus of about 20,000 people to neighbouring Thailand.

At least three civilians were killed when heavy weapons fire hit the town of Myawaddy in Karen State, an official in Myanmar said. There was no information on any troop casualties on either side.

There was no official announcement from the junta or election officials on the vote results, but the USDP had been widely expected to sweep the poll given the severe financial, campaigning and other hurdles facing opposition parties. -- AFP

ELECTION WAS 'STOLEN'

US President Barack Obama led international criticism of the vote.
'It is unacceptable to steal an election, as the regime in Burma (Myanmar) has done again for all the world to see,' he said in a speech to the Indian parliament on Monday.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon called the vote 'insufficiently inclusive, participatory and transparent', his spokesman said.
Myanmar state media, however, said people 'freely cast votes' and it announced the 'winners' in 57 constituencies, 55 of which were contested by just one candidate, more than two-thirds of those from the USDP. -- AFP

OVER 70 PER CENT VOTED

*The USDP was formed by Prime Minister Thein Sein and other former top military officials who shed their uniforms to contest Sunday's election.
The USDP member said turnout was more than 70 per cent, despite muted activity seen at many polling stations on election day.
*There were also widespread accusations of irregularities on election day.
'It's very different from our expectation because of foul play,' said Than Nyein, chairman of the National Democratic Force, created by former members of Suu Kyi's party, which boycotted the vote and was disbanded.
'We have our evidence. Some candidates complained... because there was vote cheating,' he told AFP on Monday.

 

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A woman sells crickets in central Yangon November 8, 2010.​

 

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Burmese people walk at downtown market following the country's first election in 20 years, on November 8, 2010 in Yangon, Burma. The elections, heavily criticized by opposition politicians and the Western World, were reportedly hampered by vote rigging, harassment and initimadation. Deadly clashes have erupted on the border with Thailand, triggering fears of renewed conflict with ethnic militias.​

 

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A Thai border policeman (R) stands guard next to Myanmar refugees. Many of the 20,000 people who fled to Thailand to escape clashes between government troops and rebels in southeastern Myanmar have crossed back into the army-run country, an official said.​