Both major parties are so worried about courting the minority vote that the Sinhalese voice is never heard, and when we do open our mouths, we are accused of being racists. For many Tamils who have fled to the capital, the emergency rules have heightened their worries about friends and relatives back in Jaffna. At Tamil rooming houses throughout the city, Sinhalese-speaking police knock on doors at 4 a.m., checking identification cards and looking for suspected rebels. The refugees say they feel trapped, unable to return to Jaffna because of the fighting but reluctant to venture out in the capital for fear of being detained. Some said they still dream of a future Tamil homeland, but others said they spend all day in their rented rooms, essentially waiting for the war to end.
People feel depressed and isolated.
If we Tamils are to have true freedom, perhaps we do need an Eelam. But right now, freedom for us would mean just being able to sleep through the night.