Burma’s parliament named the premier of the outgoing military government as the country’s new president today, handing a key junta member the top job in the post-election administration.

WHEN Aung San Suu Kyi was finally released from years of house arrest last week, memories flooded back of Nelson Mandela’s own release from Victor Verster prison and his triumphant walk to freedom. Dare we hope that Burma too might soon join the civilised nations of the world? The chances, unfortunately, are slim.

RUMOUR and speculation about the imminent release of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi swept across Burma yesterday, but there was no word from the country’s secretive military rulers about whether she would be freed after almost two decades of house arrest.

Hundreds of supporters of Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi gathered at the headquarters of her political party today as one of its leaders said an order for her release had been signed by the ruling junta.

Burma’s pro-junta political party secured a majority of seats in both houses of parliament as speculation mounted today that democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi would be freed from house arrest.

About 20,000 refugees headed home to Burma yesterday after fleeing to Thailand as fighting followed a general election that will keep the military and its allies in power.

About 20,000 refugees headed home to Burma today after fleeing to Thailand as fighting followed a general election that is certain to keep the ruling military and its allies in power.

Fighting between ethnic rebels and government troops continued for a third day today as activists warned that the violence which sparked a refugee exodus from Burma could escalate in the aftermath of contentious elections.

FIGHTING between ethnic minority rebels and Burmese government troops has sent at least 10,000 refugees across the border into Thailand after a widely criticised election that is expected to usher in a parliament sympathetic to the military regime.

Fighting between ethnic minority rebels and Burmese government troops has sent at least 10,000 refugees across the border into Thailand after a widely criticised election that is expected to usher in a parliament sympathetic to the military regime.

Clashes between rebels and Burmese government troops raged in a key border town today, a day after the country’s first election in two decades – polling which critics say will the cement the military-run government’s power.

Burma’s secretive military-ruled government gave no sign today of when results from the country’s first election in two decades would be released, though it is almost certain power will remain in the hands of the junta and its political proxies.

BURMA voted yesterday in its first election in 20 years as complaints of intimidation added to fears the poll was a sham to create a facade of democracy after decades of iron-fisted military rule.

Voters in the secretive military-ruled nation of Burma cast their first ballots in 20 years today, as slim hopes for democratic reform faced an electoral system engineered to ensure that most power will remain in the hands of the junta and its political proxies.