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SINGAPORE: Every hour, Myanmar nationals at Peninsula Plaza would crowd inside Maung Maung's provision shop, with their gaze fixed on a small television set on top of a refrigerator.
The subject of their focus: News updates on the unrest back home. The crowd, mainly workers, reacted to reports with scowls and murmurs. Maung Maung, who allowed this newspaper to use only his nickname, joined them in their commentary.
Jabbing his fist at the screen when it showed a footage of soldiers using tear gas to quell the monk-led protests, the 45-year-old said: "A lot of people here don't like it. They hate the government."
On Wednesday, everywhere in Peninsula Plaza — dubbed "Little Myanmar" because of the Myanmar nationals who flock there on weekends — was abuzz with the community discussing the demonstrations.
Discussions are quiet for fear of secret Myanmar agents lurking and listening. People fear that blacklisted overseas Myanmar nationals could have trouble returning home.
But it is no secret whose side the workers are on. On the counter in Maung Maung's shop is a paper box — with a slit cut through the cover — for donations to help the monks fight their cause.
"This is all we can do," said Khon, a young shopkeeper in halting English.
After days of peaceful protest marches, the junta on Wednesday began its crackdown on the protesters.
With the international media barred from operating freely in the reclusive state, overseas Myanmar citizens like Khon, who owns an Internet cafe in Peninsula Plaza, turn to activist websites for news.
Since the protests started, the junta has shut down such sites, but new ones appear promptly. The process is unorthodox and disorganised, but the outcome, effective.
Activists use mobile phones to spread text messages. Very quickly, these messages appear on websites and blogs, with low-quality photographs and videos.
"The government can do what they want to stop the websites, but the people in Myanmar will always keep us updated," said Khon, 25. "This is people power."
People at the mall spoke of their family members in Myanmar. A woman whose family owns a carwash in Yangon was desperate to contact her relatives. She hasn't heard from them for about 10 days.
Holding two $5 phonecards, the 22-year-old civil engineer said she was worried. "My family told me not to go back because they are planning to join me here," she said.
Meanwhile, back at Maung Maung's cramped shop, the television showed world leaders threatening sanctions against Myanmar unless the military regime backed down.
"International pressure is all talk," said Maung Maung, finally turning his back on the television set. "After a while the junta will go back to what they were doing."
- TODAY/so
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