The most moving images I have seen this week have come out of Myanmar. A soldier pointing his rifle at a dying Japanese photographer named Kenji Nagai, who kept holding up his camera, filming to the end. A single monk cloaked in red standing before a row of soldiers hiding behind shields. A young monk staring out at the world from behind bars. But let's begin at the top.

Myanmar was called Burma during the British colonial period and after independence until 1989, when the military junta renamed it. (The United Nations and all countries except the U.S. and the U.K. have accepted the change). Myanmar was a democratic state until 1962 when General Ne Win toppled the government in a coup d'etat. The economic situation declined sharply, triggering pro-democracy demonstrations (8888 Uprising) on Aug. 8 1988. The military massacred thousands of protesters and General Saw Maung staged a second coup, putting the country under the leadership of the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), another military junta. The new government organized elections for the People's Assembly (parliament) in 1990 but despite the victory of Aung San Suu Kyi's party, National League of Democracy, the SLORC annulled the results, refused to step down and detained Suu Kyi. (The 1991 Nobel Laureate has remained under detention for most of the last 19 years.) The elected representatives of 1990 formed a government-in-exile.

Meanwhile, living conditions in Myanmar have continued to drop. Poverty is high and respect for human rights is low. The junta is accused of ethnic cleansing, forced labor a.ka. slavery, systematic rapes and corruption. Around Aug. 15, the junta sharply raised the fuel prices with neither warning nor explanation, sparking protests in the capital Yangon (Rangoon). Plain clothed police arrested a few people, but more and more people took to the streets until the Buddhist monks joined in.

The entry of the monks was an important development because in Myanmar sharing your opinion is a perilous proposition. It may land you in jail or, worse, earn you a bullet. But the government could not attack these highly revered monks without angering the public. So the red snake of monks marched through the streets for almost two weeks and emboldened activists, university students and other civilians to protest. It was an atmosphere electric with the cry for change and charged for a major confrontation.

Thanks to cell phone and Internet technology and the hard work of Burmese citizens abroad, the world noticed the situation in Myanmar. The U.S. announced visa sanctions on the junta. Other countries demanded that the junta negotiate with the demonstrators. In Europe, Asia and North America, activists for Burma signed petitions to the U.N., marched outside Myanmar's embassies and censured corporations trading in Burma. The pressure seemed to be working.

Then, on Sept. 26, the junta opened fire on demonstrators, killing one person (official number), then raided monasteries overnight and killed and arrested an unknown number of monks. The next day, nine died including Kenji Nagai (who was officially killed by a stray bullet and not a blank point shot.) On Sept. 28, the government cut off Internet access and sealed monks in their monasteries; unconfirmed reports claim that many monks have been killed and dumped in the Yangon River. With the monks gone, replaced by heavy army presence, the demonstrations are over and the streets quiet. The U.N. envoy arrived on Sunday, but the leaders of the junta will not meet him for discussions. The so-called Saffron Revolution is dead.

Why? (Here I apportion blame). Because the only country that could have influence the situation, China, has economic interests in Myanmar and is not pro-democracy. Because all it can say to the junta is "tidy up that mess quick." Because Russia and India and a couple of other countries can't afford to lose Burmese business. Because the U.S.,

having flouted U.N. resolutions so many times, has made the U.N. a clown. Because visa sanctions are absolutely pointless. The list goes on and I wonder, can I help Myanmar? Can anyone change anything on this planet?

I refuse to reply NO. It has to be YES. For the sake of Aung San Suu Kyi, to whose dying husband the military junta denied an entry visa into Myanmar. For the sake of the monks who marched barefoot and bare-headed under the sun and the rain with nothing to gain and their lives to lose. Yes, for Kenji Nagai, a martyr and a hero. I must find a way. We must find a way.