"The demonstrations in Burma last August and September — dubbed the ‘saffron revolution? due to the participation of many Buddhist monks — were initially spontaneous reactions to unexpected fuel price increases and the military government?s mistreatment of a few dissident monks. The demonstrations quickly developed, however, into an organised national protest against the regime?s brutal and inept rule. Since then, however, the international effort to resolve the crisis in Burma has run into the sand. Indeed, the unprecedented level of attention given to this issue last year, while clearly warranted at the time, may have achieved precisely the opposite of what was intended..."