I know very little about your situation, but something I've been thinking of is I don't think these people are sincere or confident when they say "it'll all be okay". Perhaps they say these things because they feel or know they are being watched, monitored, or recorded. They may say that because they do not know who is friend or foe. Perhaps if they admit, "yes, we have a problem, we need to stop it!" their lives are at stake and they could be for questioning or defying the leaders of this civil unrest.

Again, I know very little of this civil unrest, but for your safety I'd be careful what you say and to whom. Defiance in an unrest is a very dangerous thing. Sometimes it is safer to be ignorant than to know too much, because I am sure these people are not as hopeful as you think. Be careful!