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Peace, surely yes, but there are reservations
"Thaaththa", Bindu Udagedera asked, " what is happening to this peace business now?"
"Why, Bindu" Percy, Bindu's father asked, "why are you calling it a business?"
"Why, thaaththa," Bindu said, "it seems that everyone wants to profit from the peace process..."
"Why do you say that?" Percy wanted to know.
"Why, Prabhakaran wants to get rid of his nasty image..."
"But that is only to be expected, isn't it?"
"And the Green Man wants to survive using it..."
"But even the people want him to go ahead with it, judging by the election results..." Percy argued.
"And Rauff wants to a slice of the cake simply by hanging on to the coat tails of Prabhakaran's safari kit..."
"What about the Reds, then?" Percy wanted to know.
"They want to gain some popularity for themselves by jumping on the anti-peace bandwagon..."
"And who else?"
"Why, the Norwegians are running for the Peace Prize by trying to get involved..."
"And Uncle Sam is trying to get hold of Trincomalee, simply by issuing veiled threats to the Tigers..." Percy added.
"And India is trying to have their pound of flesh by insisting on trying Prabha for the offences he allegedly committed..."
"Then, Satellite is the only one who is not using it..." Percy said.
"Oh, no, she's using it too..." Bindu pointed out.
"And how is that?" Percy wanted to know.
"Why, she is issuing statements from time to time saying that she is not agreeing with all that is happening but she also says that she supports the peace process..."
"So, what does she gain from that?" Percy demanded.
"Why, thaaththa, in the eyes of the world, she is still supporting the peace process but if it goes wrong she can always turn back and say 'I told you so' to the Green Man..."
"Is that why she is India now?" Percy queried.
"Ah, I pity the Indians..." Bindu said.
"Why do you say that?"
"Why, thaaththa, that Vajpayee chap must be so confused; he has Satellite coming and telling him that Prabha should not be trusted and that the ban on the Tigers should not be lifted..."
"And what's wrong with that?" Percy asked.
"But the very next day there is the Professor at his doorstep explaining how Prabha appears to have turned a new leaf and how we were thinking of lifting the ban..."
"That must be confusing indeed..." Percy agreed.
"So, thaaththa, how do you think all this will end?" Bindu asked.
"I think," Percy said, " the majority of the people are no longer worried about what is given or not given to Prabha..."
"So, they will even agree to Eelam..."
"I think they will, if it is given for all practical purposes so long as they don't call it that?" Percy suggested.
"What do you mean?" Bindu was puzzled.
"I think most people would agree to something amounting to a virtual separate state with perhaps a few things in common..." Percy said.
"And what would these few things be?"
"Maybe a few things like a single currency, a single head of state and also a few things like a single flag and a single national anthem, perhaps..."
"And something more..." Bindu said.
"What's that, Bindu?" Percy wanted to know.
"Why, thaaththa, a single cricket team..." Bindu said.
Percy didn't disagree.

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