CHIANG MAI, Thailand – Less than four months after the shattering events of last September, news about Burma has almost completely disappeared from the international radar screen. The regime’s tight control over the country has increased since the protests, and a quiet crackdown on dissidents has continued. The regime's attempt to restore "normalcy" may be working as many dissidents have been locked up and many Buddhist monks have deserted Burma's temples and monasteries.

In this ongoing stalemate, a combination of deep depression, despair and fear continues to grip the country. News from Iraq, Kenya, Pakistan and Afghanistan, as well as America’s primaries, has taken over the headlines, and developments in Burma are given little attention.

Nevertheless, as the year 2008 gets under way, the desire among Burma’s international friends to see change there is as strong as ever. These friends keep advocating Burma's cause and maintain the spotlight on the country. They are as determined as Burma's own undefeated souls to keep the Burma issue alive.

On the 60th anniversary this month of Burma's independence, U.S. First Lady Laura Bush strongly criticized the country’s military leadership, saying, "Instead of celebrating their freedom, the Burmese people live in fear, poverty and oppression under General Than Shwe and his military regime." She noted that the United States stands behind detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and "all those working to make sure that by the next January 4 the people of Burma will celebrate real independence."

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