In a more understated speech than had been expected , president rajapaksa attempted to allay some of these concerns by drawing a clear distinction between the tigers and the tamil people .
But mr watanabe 's relatively narrow corporate experience as an understated nomura lifer , who has never worked abroad and whose english remains shaky , adds to the challenge .
Their only physical distinction was age : the man who had stopped us at the restaurant 's door had the loose , weathered skin of a fifty-something ; the new arrival was at least fifteen years younger , but he was the boss , and he carried himself with an easy , understated authority .