 COLOMBO - Every time 16-year-old Suresh Subramanium steps out of his home in Sri LankaÂ’s heavily-guarded capital, his father says a silent prayer for his sonÂ’s safe return.
| 'course it's someone else's fault, not his. |
The Subramaniums are ethnic Tamils, and run a grocery store in Colombo. They have lived in the city all their lives, and have little connection to the north and east where government troops are fighting Tamil Tiger rebels. But they say life for ordinary Tamils in Colombo is getting worse — with the community caught in the middle of a once again escalating ethnic war between the island’s Sinhalese-dominated authorities and the rebels. “I can’t step out of the house without my identity card and police papers. If I don’t have them, I will be detained,” Suresh said.
Tamils, whose national identity cards are written in Tamil, are instantly segregated at check points for a sometimes lengthy grilling. Members of the majority Sinhalese community have an easier time from the Sinhalese-dominated security forces.
Tamil visitors to Colombo also need to register with police, who are fearful of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) suicide bombers or assassins infiltrating the city of around 650,000 people.
| [slaps forehead] Oh, that's why! |
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