Larry Jagan

Burma's military rulers have begun a massive shake-up with eight deputy ministers and a supreme court judge already relieved of their posts.

The flags of the various political parties flapping in the wind in Jakarta are putting the whole spectrum of political opinion on display ahead of next year's key elections in Indonesia.

In downtown Kuta, the scene of last year's Bali bomb attacks, there are painful reminders everywhere of the tragic events of a year ago.

Another visit, another failure. Razali Ismail's latest mission to Burma has ended in failure, leaving him emptyhanded in efforts to revive the dialogue between Burma's military rulers and Aung San Suu Kyi.

There may be a division within the military top brass over how to deal with Aung San Suu Kyi, but her recent operation may just make things easier for them.

Thailand is pushing ahead with its initiative to bring democratic change to Burma by pursuing discussions on a road map to national reconciliation and democracy, but where this political journey leads to remains unclear.

Are Burma's leaders prepared to reconcile their differences with the pro-democracy camp? The answer won't be known until the leaders first sort out differences among themselves.