Burmese freedom fighter, democratic leader and Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi went back on "trial" Friday, nearly a month after the ruling military regime suspended court proceedings.

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PD toolbar!Suu Kyi is accused of breaking the terms of her house arrest. Her defense team was finally allowed to bring its second witness to the stand -- a minor victory, given the prosecution's 22 testimonies on record. Twenty-two to two is a rout if ever there was one, but we should be surprised that her defense even got this far.

Following a global outcry in protest of Suu Kyi's arrest, the regime has wised up: Reporters and diplomats, initially permitted into the courthouse to observe the trial, have been locked out; Suu Kyi is no longer allowed to speak with foreign dignitaries; and -- perhaps most damning -- the trial itself has been postponed. And postponed. And postponed. If we've learned anything from the tribulations of Mark Sanford, nothing kills scandal better than distraction. But Suu Kyi didn't even need a Sarah Palin: the Burmese generals have learned that if you wait long enough, the world will stop watching.

Here's proof: Suu Kyi's trial has fallen so far below the global radar that when U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon went to the country last week and returned empty-handed -- unable to even meet with Suu Kyi, let alone secure her release or that of any of the 2,100 Burmese political prisoners -- his failure was met largely with silence. G8 leaders released a statement expressing solidarity with Suu Kyi and confidence in the good offices of the secretary general -- to which all I'll say is . . . really, guys? How much confidence can we have when the world's highest-ranking diplomat has been completely stonewalled?

Secretary Ban's special envoy, Ibrahim Gambari, has visited Burma eight times in three years, most recently to lay the foundation for his boss' s visit. And yet, nothing has changed. If all goes according to plan, Suu Kyi and her party, the National League for Democracy, will be prevented from participation in the scheduled national "elections" in 2010, ones which will secure military rule for the country for the foreseeable future. If anything, the utter failure of the last few weeks should prompt not confidence, but change. The generals are betting the global community takes a nap on Burma. Here's to hoping we stay awake.


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