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Burmese Wake Up to First Election in Two Decades

   VOA News | Rangoon 06 November 2010
   A Karen ethnic woman casts an advance vote in Rangoon, Burma

Photo: AP

   A  Karen  ethnic  woman  casts  an  advance  vote  at a local election
   commission office Saturday, Nov. 6, 2010, in Rangoon, Burma.

   Burma  has  banned independent journalists from covering the election,
   but  VOA  has  been  speaking  with  a freelance journalist inside the
   country.  We  are  not disclosing her identity for safety reasons. She
   has this report from Rangoon. 

   The  polls  have  opened in Burma for the first elections in 20 years.
   The  vote  pits  candidates  loyal  to  the  ruling  military  against
   pro-democracy  groups  that  have broken away from the main opposition
   party, the National League for Democracy.