Colombo: Mohamed Hasan has barely left his home in Colombo since a string of deadly blasts hit Sri Lanka on Sunday, afraid he could be attacked because he is Muslim.
He has a job at a printing press, but the 41-year-old’s family have begged him to stay home.
“They are worried that if I go out, will I be able to come back alive?” he told AFP outside the Jumma mosque in Dematagoda, where he had ventured briefly to pray.
The deaths have horrified Sri Lankans and been condemned by Muslim groups, but many in the community have been left feeling vulnerable.
Zareena Begum, 60, said she had barely slept since the weekend. “I know people are angry at Muslims,” she said in tears outside the mosque. “Infants being carried in the arms of their mothers were killed.
“I never imagined such hatred being there in the hearts of these people (who attacked). Hatred must not sow more hatred.” Wearing a black dress and white headscarf, Begum added: “We have been huddled at our homes. We are scared about going out.”
Back at the mosque, R.F. Ameer said the community just wanted safety. “We are living in constant fear because if someone sees us wearing the skull cap they will perceive us to be their enemies,” he said, his forehead creased with worry.
“But we want to tell everyone we are not your enemies. This is our homeland, it is known as the pearl of Asia. We want it to remain like that.”
