Riots!, City riots due to price increase. Options

[Slick]

Perhaps some of you have heard of what happened in Kenya during the elections. The population went crazy and rioted throughout the city.

Well, during the last two days here, something similar happened here. The prices for the "chapas" (local taxis) was increased by 11%. By yours or my standards it isn't much, but when you only make about $50 dollars a month, and you have to rely on them for transportation twice a day, it really eats into your budget. So the people rioted throughout the city. There were mobs spreadout and causing havoc in order to prevent any movement of vehicles so that the government can take notice. Of course, in the crowd there were opportunists who just joined the mob in order to take advantage of the destruction. Windows to houses and shops were broken, cars were seriously vandalized, people were pulled out of their vehicles and beat up while their cars were vandalized, and obstacles were placed in the road like trees, rocks, bricks, glass, and flaming tires. When i was finally able to go home, it looked like i was driving through Beirut!

[Celicav]

Dang, that is just terrible! I don't understand what moves governments/businesses to make decisions like that. Actually, they are mismanaged and this is a bail out attempt to remediate a bad situation. But shouldn't they expect something like this to happen, since like you said, the average income is like $50/month?

This is hard for most of US people to relate too, but most of us feel "sorry, or "bad" or wish things were better for people in other parts of the world. But in the end, we all say we are "lucky", and in a sense we are. We are all still vulnerable to disasters, losing our jobs, wars, etc, and no one is completely safe from their lives turning for the worse. We just "count our blessings", and work hard to keep govts, businesses, people, etc working together in a way to maximize peoples welfare, although this delicate balance can get out of whack with unfavorable events like you are experiencing, and it affecting a large population.

I hope this situation finds some kind of resolution and that you find safety!