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But allow me to inquire the following: Should the children go to school? What are they to learn that is more important than what is going on in their lives outside of school? What are the teachers 'teaching' by standing up for their cause? I believe the students can learn from this situation and develop character through support of a cause - whether it's for or against the strikers. Children are first taught in the home and supplemented by academics that supposedly educate a 'higher' education. The parents are not in question here. But, let me be clear - the 'higher' education appears to be occurring in Pangai Si'i. - Rick Siale

In our adopted country we witnessed last night a mature Tongan male trying to head butt his way through a police barricade to seek the presence of the King. This thug who thinks himself a martyr or saviour of our Tongan brothers and sisters is nothing but a self-gratifying egotistical heat stirrer who is strangely enough the instigator for this disgraceful act of borderline tyranny of his own country. Burning our flag? Our flag that symbolises peace? My flag that was held up by Paea at the Olympics in Atlanta? - Lalo Kasia Crew

I'm sorry to sound like the devil's advocate, but I'm not sympathetic with the strikers or the government. What I do agree with is the need for political reform. Personally, I'm not keen on having a King; on the other hand, I don't know enough about the leaders of this political/employment-related strike to make a sound decision. I know the need for reform is warranted; also, times have changed and the public appears to desire more representation in government. - Rick Siale

About what I learned from this chaos in Tonga, is that the majority of the people are with the strikers. And the reaction from the government to the people seems very faraway from what we expect to happen. Meaning that this is the worst government that Tonga has ever had. Or do we say that this is the worst public servants (hundreds of them) that Tonga has ever had? - Philli Qarase

Tonga's frustrated Public Service Association said last night that it will not negotiate with government to end the five weeks long civil servants strike, "until their conditions to return to work are met by government."

A wave of destruction is continuing in Tonga as a third vandalism incident was reported early this morning from Vava...’u High School where the monitors of up to a dozen computers were smashed by intruders.

I have had a lot of emails from my youth in Tonga how schools have been on protest and I'm real disappointed to read about this. I was wondering what the cause of this is? and why is it taking so long? I'm am Tongan myself yet I would like to understand and also ask who I can email or talk to about it? and why my country is suffering yet my youth are. - Salome Fiukefu

New Zealand will meet the costs of strike mediator Judge Tom Goddard and his team who are expected to arrive in Tonga on Wednesday to begin discussions with the parties.

A Nuku'alofa restaurateur, Paul Johansson, is recovering after a mugging outside his Sopu home on August 2 that put him in hospital for five days with severe facial injuries and bruising and left him feeling that he is lucky to be still alive.