21st May 2000

When will that be ?

"But Thaaththa," Bindu protested, "there are all these stories"

"What stories?" Percy wanted to know.

"All these stories about Jaffna"

"Why, what do they say about Jaffna?" Percy asked.

"They say that there are so many thousand troops in Jaffna and that they could be attacked"

"Those are rumours, Bindu" Percy reassured.

"But even the Leader of the Opposition has said something like that"

"That is because he is the Leader of the Opposition, Bindu. His job is to show that the government is not doing its work properly"

"But Thaaththa," Bindu wanted to know, "why do we have this censorship, then?"

"That is to prevent unnecessary speculation"

"But Thaaththa, if we are winning the war, why can't they lift the censorship and allow the newspapers to report freely on the war"

"That would be a disaster, Bindu" Percy argued.

"Why do you say that?"

"Why, Bindu, the Tigers have their spies in every newspaper and television station. So, if they allow free reporting, they will say that we have lost the war, even if we have won it"

"But surely, Thaaththa, if we have really won the war, we can prove that by taking reporters to the battlefield, can't we?"

"Even then the Tigers will say something, Bindu. Maybe they will talk about human rights and try to make an issue of it" Percy said. "So you are sure we have won the war?" Bindu wanted to know.

"Of course, Bindu. Why, do you have any doubts?"

"But thaaththa, even ministers have said that the war is now at a critical stage and that there have been setbacks"

"It is at a critical stage, Bindu, because the Tigers are about to lose"

"Then what are all these setbacks that they are talking about?" "No, Bindu, those are not setbacks," Percy assured, "those are strategic re-adjustments of our defence lines for tactical reasons"

"So you say the war will be over soon?" Bindu asked. "Of course it will," Percy was confident.

"But Thaaththa, then why did they raise the Defence Levy by one per cent?"

"That is to raise the additional money to finish the war, Bindu" Percy explained.

"And then they will abolish the Defence Levy" Bindu suggested.

"Of course, they will"

"And the government will control the entire North and East, there will be no more suicide bombers and there will be no more checkpoints"

"Yes, Bindu" Percy said, "that's what will happen"

"And we will live happily ever after"

"Yes, we will"

"And when will all this happen, Thaaththa?" Bindu wanted to know.

"Ah," said Percy, "when the Executive Presidency is abolished and when bread is again priced at three fifty and when there is no corruption in the government"

Bindu didn't know what to say to that.

The Jungle Telegraph

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