I know you're probably okay, almost certainly in fact, but please reassure me! I know also you're probably having disruptions in your internet access. But let us know when you can how things are going.
(This thread prompted by reports that 44 are wounded in Columbo.)
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
We're fine. We heard about the bombing an hour or so ago. I'm pretty disgusted with the events here, of course, but thank you for the concern. Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Thanks for answering. Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
Glad you're okay!
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Indeed! Stay safe.
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
We will. Thanks for the concern.
That bombing, from what I've heard, has injured something like 45 people but killed none, so it's not as bad as most other bombings, thankfully.
Posted by T:man (Member # 11614) on :
Scary, stay safe
Woah you live in Sri Lanka? (is that how you spell it?)
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
Yep, I live in Sri Lanka and yep, that's how it's spelled. Posted by Tatiana (Member # 6776) on :
Glad to hear you're all right, quid! Are you guys still thinking of moving somewhere safer? <hopes>
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
We've toyed with the idea, Fahim's looked for work, but nothing's worked out, and neither of us feels particularly anxious about "must move!", so for now, nothing's happening. Plus Fahim's been getting a fair bit of work online, not earning huge amounts, but enough for us to live on without whining too much , and I'm much better off with him working at home because of my health, so things seem to be working out very well in that respect right now. So, not really, but if something comes up, we'll see at that point. Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
Saw you posting again. Seen Sri Lanka on the news, with more skirmishes. Is everything still ok over there for you?
Posted by The Genuine (Member # 11446) on :
Why do I keep reading that as "say strafe" ?
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
Because you suspect that it might bug saxon somehow?
Posted by The Genuine (Member # 11446) on :
Hey - I've never tried to bug Saxon except in the most innocently playful of ways!
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
Yup, we're still safe. The government claims the war is near the end, they're taking back territory that's belonged to the LTTE for a long term, and so of course the LTTE have stepped up bombing of civilian areas.
We even had a very very big BOOM in our neighborhood (it scared the heck out of me!) four or five days ago, but zero news on what could have caused that. However, the gov't controls the news, so we hear what they want us to hear. Could have been a very large firecracker, could have been a bomb. *shrugs*
The only way the war will really end is if Prabakharan is caught. If he's loose, it'll continue, one way or another. He's the clincher with all of this.
OTOH, the country's gone to hell in a handbasket anyway, what with the out of control inflation (up to 28% some months) and the corruption.
You know how oil prices have fallen, so the gas prices around the world have as well? Well, not so much here, where gas prices are controlled by the gov't. It costs Rs.22 per liter wholesale, and they sell it at Rs.120 per liter. Last time I did the conversion, it worked out to $4 or $5 a gallon. Gov't refuses to lower prices. Adamantly refuses.
Ack. The gov't's just raping the country til she's dead.
Posted by Jhai (Member # 5633) on :
How are the international or Indian media doing at reporting the story? The BBC has been running articles of late, and they're normally pretty reliable.
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
The only news I see them reporting is stuff the gov't's letting out anyway.
Keep in mind two things. One, journalists here are not protected. Some have been killed, although from what I've heard, they're mostly locals, although I could be wrong about that. Two, all local television & radio stations, newspapers, and so on are owned by brothers/uncles/nephews/various other relations of government ministers. If they're not, they tend to get shut down. If they're at all pro-LTTE, they also get shut down.
But then, we've had cable operators get shut down - illegally - by the government. Because the son/nephew/other relative of a government minister wanted to start up a cable service or satellite service or such thing.
I don't know how many foreign reporters there are in this country. The rest of the world isn't entirely interested in what's happening here.
I don't see anyone up in arms over the president (Sinhala) (and his cronies) stating that the country is for the Sinhala and everyone else (Tamil, Moor, Burgher) should leave. They say this based on the fact that they think the country belongs to them since they've been here the longest. Never mind that the Sinhala are also immigrants, just that they got here before all the other immigrants. The Veddah, who number around only 200 now, are the original inhabitants of this country. But they don't count.
All of which is another tangent.
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
An editor of a newspaper was killed by gunman yesterday or today. Here's the thing. This particular editor was extremely critical of the government. And it, along with the television station that was shut down, happened in high-security areas - lots of men with guns checking IDs of anyone who wants to enter those areas.
Rumour on the street is that the gov't is responsible.
The hubby tells me this is how it used to be here - anyone who was highly critical of the gov't was "disappeared".
But then, there's been a rash of kidnappings and murders of people with money. People who knew details of bank accounts and bank balances, so obviously had an in with the banks. Police investigations never go anywhere with these cases. Rumours on the street also say the government's behind these, too. Anything to get money in their own pockets.
One couple I know had this happen to them. They're foreign, there was an attempted bombing at their home (it missed), along with attempted intimidation, extortion, and kidnapping, but it didn't work.
Another wealthy local family we suspect it happened to, but don't know for sure. The father was murdered, but no one in the family would talk about it. At all.
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
*worries*
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
Yep, that sounds about right.
I'm okay, just so you know. To reiterate, I'm a couple of hundred miles from the active fighting.
But yes, things are interesting here. There are allegations of both sides killing/injuring civilians. Many are trying to flee the active war zone but can't. It's a mess.
Two top Sri Lankan officials (US citizens) are possibly facing indictment charges of genocide and war crimes in the US, although of course they'd have to be extradited soon. There apparently is evidence of systematic genocide of the Tamil people in this country. This comes as no surprise to me or to many other people here - many Tamils here have been crying genocide for a long time.
Once the war is over, Muslims and Christians will also likely be targeted, as will anyone who speaks against the government. If things continue in the direction they're going.
But this is a backwater country that no one cares about. *shrugs*
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Scary, stay safe![[Wink]](wink.gif)
, and I'm much better off with him working at home because of my health, so things seem to be working out very well in that respect right now. So, not really, but if something comes up, we'll see at that point.