Thaaththa,” Bindu Udagedera asked, “is the war finally over now?”
“Why,” Bindu’s father Percy said, “do you have any doubts about that?”
“No, thaaththa,” Bindu said, “but some people are behaving as if it is not...”
“And who are they?” Percy was surprised.
“Why, thaaththa,” Bindu said, “they are bringing all these resolutions about human rights abuses and threatening to try our leaders for war crimes...”
“I hope they do that...” Percy declared.
“Why is that, thaaththa?” Bindu was shocked.
“Why, Bindu,” Percy explained, “then we can bring similar charges against the leaders of America for killing civilians in Afghanistan...”
“Well, I suppose we could then do that because that is much worse than what they claim happened in our country...” Bindu agreed.
“And we can also bring charges against both America and Britain for all the unnecessary civilian deaths they caused by invading Iraq as well...” Percy suggested.
“I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t be able to do that too...” Bindu said.
“Then, the world will realise who is right and who is wrong...” Percy said.
“Hasn’t it already been proved that what we did was right, thaaththa?” Bindu queried.
“How is that, Bindu?” Percy asked.
“Why, we defeated the most feared terrorist organisation in the whole world...” Bindu pointed out.
“But,” Percy said, “our problem is that some people don’t see it that way...”
“But thaaththa,” Bindu observed, “even Mahinda maama’s worst critics here are now agreeing that he did a good job in fighting the Tigers to a finish, especially when all those countries were asking him to stop the war...”
“And who are these critics?” Percy inquired.
“Why, thaaththa,” Bindu recalled, “even the Green Leader has said that Mahinda maama should get the credit for what he has done...”
“Unfortunately for the Green Leader, he has realised that a little too late...” Percy said.
“And,” Bindu said, “the Greens have said that they too oppose the attempts to try Mahinda maama for war crimes...”
“It is good that the Greens appear to be supporting Mahinda maama in this,” Percy declared, “but he may lose the support of the Greens who crossed over to his side...”
“Why is that?” Bindu wondered, “why should they leave him when he is so popular?”
“Why, Bindu,” Percy remembered, “don’t you remember what they said when they all crossed over to Mahinda maama’s side?”
“And what was that?” Bindu asked.
“Why,” Percy recalled, “didn’t they all say that they weren’t deserting the Greens; they were only joining the government to strengthen Mahinda maama’s hands so he could defeat terrorism...”
“So, what is wrong with that?” Bindu demanded.
“Why, Bindu,” Percy said, “if that is indeed the case, they will all have to return to the Greens now that the war is over and Mahinda maama’s hands are as strong as never before...”
“Well,” Bindu said, “if all those people who crossed over to Mahinda maama’s side sacrifice their cabinet portfolios and return to the Greens, we can also expect Hillary Clinton and David Miliband to support our war...”
“But, Bindu,” Percy cautioned, “we shouldn’t relax now even though that war is over...”
“Why is that, thaaththa?” Bindu asked.
“Why, there is another war which is even more deadly...” Percy pointed out.
“Is that the propaganda war launched overseas claiming that Prabhakaran is not dead?” Bindu demanded.
“No, Bindu,” Percy said, “it is not that, it is the war against Dengue...”
“Ah, thaaththa,” Bindu said, “we shouldn’t worry about that war because our Health Minister will fight that...”
“How can you say that, Bindu?” Percy queried.
“Why, thaaththa,” Bindu said, “he has even been elected as the head of the World Health Organisation, so tackling this war shouldn’t be a problem for him...”
“But that is exactly the problem, Bindu...” Percy said.
“Why is that, thaaththa?” Bindu wondered.
“Loketa parakaasey, Gedarata maragaathey...” Percy said.
Bindu didn’t quite know what to say to that.