Protests are a way of venting the pent up frustrations over issues of one’s day to day well-being. These frustrations may be the result of some injustice that has enveloped one’s way of life.

Protests may cause problems and inconvenience to the innocent public, but if there is no other way to seek redress to your problems, what else have you got to do other than stage protests and noisy demonstrations to attract the attention of the authorities who are responsible for those issues.

And if the authorities show a “don’t care" attitude or reply with water cannons, tear gas shells and deadly assaults, then the effect will be more intense; and in the end will create a scene resembling the aftermath of a petrol bomb attack, that has destroyed everything -- good, bad and ugly.

But you have to ask the question whether it is right to stage protests of this magnitude when a newly-elected government, armed with many utopian dreams for a dazzling future, is trying to solve the current issues to bring in an era of plenty?

As you observe, the country, whether we like it or not, is enveloped in a dangerous wave of protests every day and in almost every sphere and also in every nook and corner of the island.

Are these protest the result of the conflict of interests that is visible among the different parties that have joined the ruling setup?

Or is it because they didn’t expect to win and hence did not bother to prepare necessary plans for the future of the nation? Or else were they only obeying orders of the foreign interested parties who, it is said, spent a great deal in helping them to win?

These and many more questions are unanswerable. Rather than dabble in speculation, it is best to ignore them and concentrate on finding the actual reasons for the present scenario, a tsunami affecting the social life of our country.

Is anyone able to compile a list of the protests which took place after the 8th of January (or should we say 15th of August 2015)?

If someone has the time and the patience to prepare it, the list would be a mind boggling affair. Studying the list, you would be able to observe that people living in every corner of the country seem to be angry, and are venting their frustrations through protests and demonstrations.

The situation seem to be getting worse and more complicated day by day, and the authorities should keep in mind that stubborn reactions to these protests are not the correct and intelligent way to solve these issues.

The most unnerving question is whether this wave of protests will end up in a cataclysmic uprising that will destroy the entire social fabric of the country?

It will be anybody’s guess! 

By Vijaya Ariyarathne