5th Column

The show, ask not who runs it
"Thaaththa," Bindu Udagedera asked, "who is ruling our country now?"
"Why, it is the Greens of course" Bindu's father Percy asked, "do you have any doubts about that?"

"Of course I do," Bindu said,"is it really the Greens or is it the Blues?"
"Why do you say that?" Percy wanted to know.
"Why, thaaththa, the Greens don't seem to be able to get anything done anymore..."

"Why is that?" Percy queried."Is it because Satellite has taken over those three ministries?"
"It is not only that, thaaththa..." Bindu observed.
"Why, what are they unable to do?"

"Well, these days they can't even get the trains running..." Bindu pointed out.
"But that is only because of a strike which will in all probability be called off soon..." Percy argued.

"And now they are having water cuts and even talking of power cuts again although Karu promised us that would never happen again..."
"He can hardly be blamed if it doesn't rain enough..." Percy protested.
"But thaaththa," Bindu said, "the Greens just don't seem to able to control anything now..."

"Why do you say that?"
"Why, thaaththa, now Satellite is sacking Defence advisors...."
"She would hardly be expected to keep on the son of a person who put her husband in jail..." Percy tried to explain.

"Then," Bindu pointed out, "one of the Greens' main supporters is now in remand even though it took heaven and earth to get him there..."
"But that is only part of the judicial process Bindu; it has nothing to do with the dwindling power of the Greens..." Percy protested.

"But that is not all, thaaththa," Bindu said, "the state television and the newspapers are hopelessly critical of the Greens which means that the Greens no longer have control over them..."

"Which is exactly what it should be in a proper democracy..." Percy argued.
"And then there is Satellite saying that she will continue to be in office for one more year..."

"That is a matter of opinion, Bindu..." Percy protested.
"But she has already made up her mind, thaaththa..." Bindu pointed out.
"But that can be challenged, can it not?" Percy wondered.
"And when it is challenged," Bindu said, "it will end up in courts and then it will be 'naduth hamuduruwange, baduth hamuduruwange'..."
"We can't be sure of that..." Percy said, "I am sure we have a judiciary of unimpeachable integrity..."

"Which is probably why they are not being impeached..." Bindu retorted.
"But that doesn't mean the Greens have lost control..." Percy persisted.
"But very soon even the Reds will give orders to the Greens..." Bindu predicted.
"How could that happen?" Percy demanded.
"Why, thaaththa, whatever the Reds want, they have only to ask Satellite and it will be handed to them now..."

"So," Percy said, "what you are suggesting is that the Blues control the Greens and Reds control the Blues..."
"It does appear so..." Bindu said.
"No, Bindu, " Percy said, "absolute power still lies with the Greens; there is still one very sure sign of that..."
"And what is that?"

"It is the Green ministers' sons who are now running riot just as much as it was the Blue ministers' sons who were running riot when they wielded absolute power..." Percy said.
Bindu didn't argue with that.

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