Elections and Nupoh

ELECTIONS IN BURMA

So again I find myself writing all of you late! In my defense, I did have a really quick trip to Mae Sot last weekend that included about 14 hours of travel for a 36 hour stay there. I left just as a reported 20,000 refugees streamed into Mae Sot in the wake of Sunday's elections http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=20005. There were clashes between the Burmese army and DKBA (Democratic Karen Buddhist Army), the army of the minority Karen (Kah-rehn) ethnic group.

It seems that most refugees seeking a safe haven in Thailand after the elections on Sunday have returned home http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=542337, but questions remain if they will be back. The Burmese government (officially named "Myanmar" by the present military-backed government) claimed an overwhelming victory in the election, saying they had gained approximately 80% of the vote. However, the election was marred by accusations of fraud and coercion, from inside an outside Burma - http://www.todayonline.com/World/EDC101110-0000105/Junta-backed-party-sweeps-Myanmar-election.

More Burma news: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jp0h9ZI64WoLeW8l5etpeBhN2Y2Q?docId=dfe02e9c36994341bf9e141b48335f35

http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=20049

IN A LAND FAR, FAR AWAY....

As for me, I am far away from the conflict, about 7 hours or so south of Mae Sot in the peaceful village of Nupoh. The residents here are preparing for a full moon festival, creating human-sized puppets in paper mache' style. My colleague and I are preparing lesson plans for our classes beginning on Monday and hope to have a semi-traditional Thanksgiving dinner with our students on the 25th as well.

The weather has been really great, not quite as cold as some of my first nights here - and not too hot either so far. I can't seem to keep totally clean though. There is dust constantly filling the air, and in the last week or so there has been foul-smelling smoke from the brush being burned for fertilizer by many farmers consistently wafting into our classrooms (and bedrooms) every day and night. It seems that they are taking turns burning so that our noses are rarely given a break from it.

AUNG SAN SUU KYI

Residents are also anxiously awaiting word of Burmese human rights' leader Aung San Suu Kyi's release from house arrest. Her release is supposed to take place today and rumors are swirling as to what is happening and if the ruling junta will actually go through with the release. The latest report as of this posting: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/Aung-San-Suu-Kyi-set-for-evening-release-30142181.html 

Info on the life of Aung San Suu Kyi: http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1991/kyi-bio.html

I have come to Thailand to work with the Burmese at an interesting time in the country's and people's history. I just hope that even a small change will be a positive one for them.