They have been traumatised by the contrived emergence of ravaging gangs of militancy-spouting thugs who roam the streets garbed as saviours. For all their existence, they have hoped to be able to stand up for their rights, to be at peace with themselves, their fellow countrymen, their neighbours and their surroundings and to be able to invest in their progress and that of their coming generations in consonance with the parameters of civilised co-existence among people and among nations of the world.