Going beyond the Tipping point - Electricity, poor Governance and Violence

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Over the last 48 hours the situation continues to evolve in Senegal even as we are doing research. On Sunday morning, I and 5 students were awoken by a bang at 4:30 AM in the morning. I ran to my balcony and saw a line of fire running from the street to the car of the land-lady whose apartment we are staying at. The car was set ablaze by someone. We could not leave by the house by the door because of the flames and smoke, so we moved to the roof of the apartment building where the blaze continued. The firefighters did come and put it out after 20 minutes, but the flames were shooting the near the top of the building. My room (2nd floor) smelled of toxic materials and smoke. While we were not hurt, we were a bit traumatized and we moved from that apartment yesterday to the university.

Why did this occur? The landlady is a supporter of President Wade who the public is protesting. Of course the 23rd of June will be remember here as the day when the public stood up to his plan to change the constitution. It seem like a political sabotage but I cannot be 100% sure. I definitely do not support what the president is doing but I do not want people to be terrorized.

Today, I went to find out how much we owed and as I was leaving the guard told me to be careful because the people were protesting the electric company (Senelec). Senelec needs to be protested because every single day since I have been here, we have lost power. Last night there was no power all night.

I saw everyone looking at the corner and there I saw young men putting bricks in the street and
throwing debris. The then put the stuff on fire and blocked all traffic. They were waiting for the police. I quickly moved away from this area and did see two police, but they did not seem concerned. I don't know the outcome of this last protest.

The thing that concerns me is that all of these issues are converging at once. There is a feel of violence in the air. While many of the older generation do not believe that much will come of this, I am not so confident. All around us we see where poor governance is leading countries like Egypt, Tunisia and Yemen. I don't think that you can disregard the young people and I am not sure that they want to listen or talk. But we can't give up on them because they are the future.

I have talked to Senegalese young folks about violence and why is it not the best option. The real problem with violence is that no one knows where it start or ends. A fist fight can become a gun fight and a rock to the head can kill like a bullet. The people here are tired but they have to continue to talk to the younger generation about the downside of violence. They have to protest the injustices but they do not have to become violent, because I am sure that the corruption will collapse. Corruption is unsustainable and like some viruses it begins to kill its host.

On the back side of all if this is the anger that people feel towards this government, the electric company and other forms of power that control their everyday lives. Just remember, they can cannot control the good within us. They cannot remove the good that parents and grandparents have shown and taught us. They cannot remove the good that God has put within us. They cannot take the spirit of man. They are not more powerful than God. But if the people (all people) fall to the way of violence, they will destroy all that is good within. Violent actions does not leave the the mind until one dies. Regret and guilt will also accompany this violence. Again, I say do not accept what is happening but before you pick up the rock --- Think : Will this lead to a positive action within my heart? What if I kill the policeman... What if I hit and kill an innocent person.....

Don't let this system of corruption and your suffering steal your heart or the good ways. Don't forget that we all have a village. No matter where you are in the diaspora. That is where your true self can be found.