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Richard Wainright in Myanmar April 6, 2012

Posted by bohdan.warchomij in : Photojournalism, Richard Wainright , trackback

Congratulations to Richard Wainright on his last minute run from the Saigon Restaurant in Perth to an historic election in Myanmar. Great photos on his blog site. Looking forward to the inside story at Saigon on Wednesday night.

Richard Wainright photo: NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi leaving her home in Rangoon (Yangon) to travel down to Kawhmu on the eve of the by-election.
Richard Wainright photo: NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi leaving her home in Rangoon (Yangon) to travel down to Kawhmu on the eve of the by-election.

Richard Wainright in his own words: “A last minute email from the Burmese government stating I’ve been granted an official press pass even though the elections are in 5 days, a few beers with photographers in Perth that night encouraging me to go..8 hours later catching a flight to Bangkok to pick up a visa arriving in Rangoon (Yangon) 8am on Saturday. No sleep, little research and first time in Burma so challenging but not unusual for a news story.

Photo Richard Wainright

Photo Richard Wainright

Luckily found an english speaking driver who knew the story so headed straight to the National League for Democracy (NLD), Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, in Rangoon for some info then a crazy 3 hour drive following her energetic supporters to her chosen constituency in Kawhmu south west of Rangoon.

Had to return that night to recharge batteries etc as totally unprepared for an overnight so in hotel at 11.30pm and gone again at 2.30am. Lots of local and international press at her house to see Aung San Suu Kyi leave to meet her supporters at 7am and another frantic 4 hours as she visited polling booths around Kawhmu.

Leaving the media circus it was time to concentrate on the elections themselves visiting voting stations throughout Kawhmu and Rangoon. Media restrictions stated you could not photograph within 500 yards of a polling station but after visiting more than 20 I found two that due to local officials who either didn’t understand the law or decided it wasn’t appropriate (I hope it was the latter) let me in to document Burmese people voting in only the third election to be held in Burma in the last 50 years. Quite a moment for all which was embraced by young and old.

As far as I could see it seemed very well organised, consistent throughout each station and transparent. This was obviously only a very surface and brief view of the elections so lets hope that nothing untoward comes to light over the next few days. If the official results confirm what the NLD are stating then it has been a resounding victory for  them and Aung San Suu Kyi. The future of Burma is now in many ways as unpredictable yet optimistic as it has been for many years…….”

http://www.richwainwright.com/blog/

Photo Richard Wainright On election day flanked by her security guards NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi visits a polling station in Kawhmu, south west of Rangoon (Yangon) where she is standing in the by-election.

Photo Richard Wainright On election day flanked by her security guards NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi visits a polling station in Kawhmu, south west of Rangoon (Yangon) where she is standing in the by-election.

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