The goings on of Guinea...

I can't remember if I mentioned this yet, but on the 10th of January there began another general strike in Guinea. For those of you unaware, this means the people of the country basically all stopped working with the exception of the bauxite mining companies, the military and maybe a few other select groups. However, all offices are closed as far as I know and I am sure it is somewhat like a ghost town with hardly anyone in the market and basically no taxis moving. In the past they have wanted the price to go down on certain items so that they could afford the necessities of life. This time they say they will continue to strike until they get a new president. President Lansana Conte has been in power, i believe, since a coup in the mid 80s. The people of Guinea would like this 70 (or so) years old man to step down and let someone else take up presidency. The president would like to put his son in power, but the people do not want that either. So they continue to strike. Here is the last news I got about the strike as written by a missionary who is currently serving there:

We have email for this morning because we let the internet provider upstairs have some of our electricity.
The radio station located directly in front of a very large market. It is on one of the main streets between two major intercections that are regularly the "hot" spots for demonstrations and riots. We have a good view of most of this stretch. The past 2 days have had moments of calm, just as if life is normal and moments of civil unrest. The police drive by, shoot into the air and everyone runs. The government is trying to scare the general population so that they will not manifest - join together and march to the President's plaice and demand that he retire.
The radio station is walking a fine line. We are announcing the events as we know them. We are asking government officials to give interviews and some of them are - some refuse. We play the interview as they give it without commentary afterwards. Some people in the government do not like this. Caleb is being wise in the questions that he is asking and the news that is being transmitted by FFM. From every quarter people are telling us how much they appreciate the fact that we are saying something about the strike. We really covet your prayers today. It is Friday - the day when normally the greater majority of men go to the mosque and pray around 1pm to 2pm. Today they will try to again march to the palace. When this happened three days ago - the people were peaceful, the military people were observing and some were applauding the crowd. Caleb was himself at the front with the woman who is the head of the main union that called the strike. The President's soldiers came abruptly and began shooting ands teargas the crowd. That day a child was shot down the street from us. many tried to demonstrate by placing rocks and burning tires on the roads. Yesterday had more of the same, some areas of town worse than others but I saw the marks of the days efforts by the population on the road as I drove home. Today will prove to be more of the same. How will all this end - only God knows. The people have twice last year had a one week peaceful general strike. This strike had 5 days of peace, no violence BUT no change was made. Three times a peaceful solution was sought and three times no results. SO I try to put myself in their shoes. The people cannot afford to eat every day because of the spiralling inflation. The two men causing the inflation were arrested and then released by the President. One of the causes of inflation is that they were stealing the money that was supposed to be destroyed because it was all ugly and torn and putting it back into circulation. It was for this that they were arrested.
PRAY that the radio station will not be targeted by clandestine government forces who have already tried to intimidate us into not broadcasting anything about the strike. They have phoned Caleb and said they would take him to jail and bust up the station. Fear tactics. We are not afraid - God is in control and this is HIS station. We are not being foolish in what we say concerning the strike and are not trying to aggravate the population or the government. PRAY that we will have wisdom. PRAY for God's people that are on the streets and must make their own choices about what to do during this difficult time. Peace I give you, not as the world gives. PRAY that they would know God's peace and be able to share that with their neighbours who are living in what they think are hopeless days.

I hope you feel a little enlightened about just one more world event, imagine yourself in their shoes and I am sure you will feel compelled to pray.