European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 22, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Havo become prime targets in the civil War. Six a All catholics a were kitted last year. E cab driving in Belfast not for the fainthearted by Shawn Pogatchnik the associated press t riving a taxi s not a crime Quot Paddy a Clarke said As he piloted his Black taxi b m up Antrim Road in North Belfast �1 stopping to Rescue catholics from the drenching rain. Quot i m an irishman and make no apology for it Quot he said. Quot if the loyalists look on me As the enemy there a nothing i can do. In Man easy target and they know where to find  a few weeks later gunmen burst into the 52-year-old cabbies living room and killed him. Driving a cab in Northern Ireland is a peculiarly dangerous Trade. Most of the nearly 100 taxi companies in Belfast Are identified with specific neighbourhoods. Each can safely serve Only one Side of the sectarian Divide Catholic operated cabs in Quot Republican Quot areas and protestant ones in Quot loyalist Quot districts. As a result cabdriver have become targets of the violence that plagues the British province. Six were killed last year All of them roman catholics. On March 10, a 30-year-old Catholic Driver was severely wounded in a protestant area of Southeast Belfast. He was on his daily run to pick up a disabled child when loyalists shot him twice in the neck and four times in the Back. The Ulster Freedom fighters and the Ulster Volunteer Force two outlawed loyalist gangs claim after each operation that their targets were Ira members or sympathizers. Police sources believe the gunmen based in the protestant Community simply go after catholics. Alex Attwood a City Council member for the Catholic based social democratic and labor party has renewed his party s Call for the British government to let taxis operate without visible insignia. He said loyalists Quot will hit a Catholic taxi Driver if they can get to  referring to the murder of five people in a Belfast betting shop on feb. 5, he said the loyalists Quot attack the most easily identified  last year the British government agreed to permit a generic Quot taxi Quot sign atop the cars but it requires cabbies to Wear badges and other identification. The shooting March 10 stunned the victim s firm City cab one of the largest in Belfast. The company is based in the relatively Neutral Queen s University area and its Drivers had never been attacked. Quot in City cab it never mattered whether you were protestant or roman Catholic Quot said a protestant Driver who asked not to be identified. Quot it s not just the fact that a co worker and Friend is shot which is bad enough Quot he said. Quot it s that particularly the roman Catholic Drivers Are asking themselves who set him up and am i next a two cab associations that operate parallel services on the most polarized main streets have been prominent targets. West Belfast taxi association with a Fleet of 250 Black cabs works the Falls Road and Catholic nationalist enclaves in North Belfast. The taxis of the North Belfast Mutual association also Black cover the protestant territory of Shankill Road and Shore Road. Both associations support prisoners welfare groups and Many of their Drivers Are paroled members of paramilitary groups. The British government claims the two cab associations Are financial fronts for terrorism but has not produced firm evidence. Loyalists have killed three West Belfast taxis Drivers in eight months including Clarke. Quot i know in a a target a said Jim Neeson chairman of the cab company whose office has steel Security doors bulletproof Glass and surveillance cameras. Last july when the Ulster Volunteer Force shot Driver Thomas Quot toddler Quot Hughes Neeson rushed to the Hospital but was detained by police. A they thought it was quite funny that i should be in such a hurry to see somebody that was dead Quot he said. It Ira gunmen killed a Driver in october 1990 in front of r the Royal Belfast Hospital for sick children and last fall blew the legs off another Man with an under car bomb in d the loyalist Sandy Row District. After the second attack a the Ira admitted it got the wrong Man. Republican splinter groups have made several attacks e on protestant cabs particularly the loyalist Black taxis. In june 1991, the Irish people s liberation organization. Wounded Eddie Mcllwaine a paroled member of the Shankill butchers As he sat behind the wheel of his Black cab. C on March 13, a member of the Irish National liberation army shot a protestant Driver when he pulled up to a j railway station. R for a Belfast cabbie each Call is a risk perhaps a trap. C John o Hara driving for regal taxis last april i answered one to the lower Lisburn Road a rough protestant area close enough to Queen s University to 1 have become deceptively  Ulster Freedom fighters gunmen Cut him Down. 1 Quot we get Calls like that ail the time from outside the District a Tough Calls Quot said one of o harass co workers who did not want his name used. Quot you can t Tell someone s religion Over the phone and 1 you can t turn away too Many customers either. You have 1 to make a  i Quot still in the Back of your mind Quot he said Quot you re 1 thinking that this customer might be your  action Lin italian to tax a Surprise to some q a i have a problem. The problem concerns the italian Rai to tax. Recently i received a tax Bill from the Rai to network for 142,000 lire. I inquired of not less than 14 civilians some of whom were military wives also living on the Economy about this tax. All 14 informed me that they did t know anything about such a tax nor had they Ever received notice to pay such a tax. These people have lived in Vicenza for Many years i was told that a penalty would be charged if i do not pay. My question is Why must i pay if other americans living in or near Vicenza do not it certainly is not fair. Please give me advice. Certainly i will pay without question if this tax is required of others. I simply do not understand. J. Stewart William Vicenza Italy a to Mark g. Oswald attorney Adelaar chief administrative and civil Law Vicenza military Community replies italian Taw requires the payment of a television subscription tax on All households which possess a television set Quot suitable or adaptable to receive italian Public television Quot Rai. The Clear intent of the subscription tax is to charge a sen ice fee to help subsidize italian Public television. The Cost of the subscription for 1992 is 142,000 lira about $118. In january Many setae personnel in Vicenza were billed apparently by Cross reference of names in the Telephone Book and television tax Rolls. There is no agreement that specifically exempts the . Forces from payment of the tax. The . Forces in Italy have been negotiating with the italian ministry of Post and telecommunications put for Relief from the tax but it is too Early to predict the outcome. I strongly recommend that you coordinate any response with . Setae s Southern european task Force Public affairs office and this office. To write us _ readers action line is the readers a court of last resort Quot striving to answer some of the questions about life overseas in a military environment or questions about policies and guidelines when other avenues for answers Are not readily available. If you have a question and Don t know where to turn for the answer write to readers action line co the stars and stripes unit 29480, Apo a 09211 All letters must be signed and preference will be Given to those seeking information of general interest to our readers. Page 16 a the stars and stripes wednesday april 22, 1992