War clouds breed fear in northern Lanka

Already displaced numerous times by a brutal two decade war in which towns and villages across northern Sri Lanka were flattened, Raman fears a rebel war ultimatum and deadly attacks on the military by suspected Tigers could spiral out of control.

Bouncing his infant son on his knee as customers queue up to buy his rice, a grain-polishing machine thundering in the background, he has much more to lose this time around.

"I fear that war will start again. Nobody wants a war, but if it resumes we will have to leave this place and seek a safer place," the 36-year-old said, sifting through a bowl of the red rice traditionally grown in his paddy fields

"If war resumes, I will lose very heavily. I have machinery here, stocks -- all this is worth about 7.5 million rupees," he added, referring to the equivalent of $73,500.

"I will lose all that. I will lose my house, my rice mill. My child's future is in jeopardy."