Chadian Arabs living along the border appear to enjoy immunity from attack by the Chadian rebels and the Janjaweed, although some have left their homes and taken refuge in Sudan, apparently in fear of local reprisals in this ethnically tense area.
Their Algeria-based emir, Abu Musab Abdel Wadoud, feared that this would result in a backlash among the local population and reprisals from overseas.
As the American campaign has cut deeply into the commands of both the Taliban and Al Qaeda, drone-fearing militants have turned to local communities for reprisals, mounting a concerted campaign of fear and intimidation that has claimed dozens of lives and further stressed the already fragile order of tribal society.
In fears of reprisals, local media outlets self-censored and did not report on the death of his son.
Although they were subsequently detected the Japanese failed to find them; however, with the local inhabitants facing reprisals for assisting the Australians, the NGVR withdrew to avoid further consequences for them.
Ms. Gen declined to give her full name for fear of reprisals by local officials.
Almost no one has been punished, and in many cases, appeals to the authorities have provoked reprisals by local law enforcement, victims said.
"I won't vote," said a woman in Terzigno who gave her name only as Anna, for fear of reprisals from local authorities.
These murders, in effect reprisals against local Maoist guerrillas, who have also killed many, reached a bloody climax with the deaths of 58 men, women and children with no connection to extremism in the village of Lakshman Bathe in 1998.
TRAC fears that continued violence against Sri Lanka's Muslims may invite the attention of and provide a justification for reprisals by local Muslims and international jihadists.
