This Is Gwada

Day 28 of the strike. This week we have moved up a gear to "cyclone force 9".

The large shops are only open when the gendarmes (army) are present...
....the additional gendarmes flown in are too busy facing militants setting up road barricades and putting cars on fire etc to assist people shopping....
....so the shops are closed and our cupboards are increasingly empty.

The LKP (grevistes) are not directly responsible for the violence of (usually) young people at night, but they do not seem to be condemning it or helping the matter at all....
...the LKP leader has even said that if any of the strikers are harmed, "il y aura des morts". Responsible leadership indeed.

The French government are certainly not helping the matter at all....
....Sarkozy has not given the crisis any time of day whatsoever....
....the agreement made with the Secretary for Overseas Departments and approved by the different players was refused by the powers that be - a real source of anger here.

We are wondering what lies ahead - another week perhaps? Another month even?

And then what? It has been estimated that 1 in 8 workers will lose their jobs as a result of this strike, with up to 1,400 businesses going under. And how will students make up over a month of lost education before their exams in June?

How timely amongst all of this that my current chapter in my book is on contentment:
"for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances". Phil 4:11.
And that includes strikes and unrest!