5th Column

Satellite plays same tune as Greens on peace

"Thaaththa," Bindu Udagedera asked, "why did we have a general election a few weeks ago?"

"It was held," Bindu's father Percy explained "because Satellite wanted to…"

"And why did she want to do that?"

"She did that," Percy said, "because as head of state she thought the Greens were not governing the country properly…"
"And did she give her reasons for thinking that?"

"Oh yes, she did," Percy said, "she said the peace talks with the Tigers were not conducted properly…"

"Why is that?"

"She thought the Norwegians were being biased and favouring the Tigers which is why she wanted them out of the negotiations…"

"Is that the only reason Satellite gave for calling an early election?"

"No," Percy recalled, "she also said ceasefire violations by the Tigers were being ignored by the Greens…"

"And she also said that she could not recognise the Tigers as the only representative of their community, didn't she?…"

"Of course, she did," Percy agreed, "and she went even further and rejected the proposals put forward by the Tigers as a basis for future talks…" "And that is exactly why all this puzzles me…" Bindu said.

"Why do you say that, Bindu?" Percy wanted to know.

"Because she has now invited the same Norwegians to resume talks with the Tigers and they are the very people whom she accused of being biased…"

"But Bindu," Percy said, "I suppose she has to do that to try and win the support of the minorities…"

"But thaaththa," Bindu argued, "there have been so many ceasefire violations since the Reds and Blues came to power especially in that fight against Karuna but nothing has been done about it…"

"I think that is because they cannot do anything about it, even if they want to…" Percy argued.

"But thaaththa," Bindu pointed out, "Our new Foreign Minister has now said that the Tigers should be recognised as the sole representative of their community…"

"That is true," Percy conceded, "but that is again out of necessity rather than choice…"

"But thaaththa, they say that they will even use the proposals put forward by the Tigers as a basis for future talks…"

"That is again only because the Tigers are insisting on it…" Percy pointed out.
"But thaaththa," Bindu said, "whatever the reasons, isn't it true that Satellite has gone back to doing the things she said were improper, when they were done by the Greens?"

"I suppose you could look at it that way too…" Percy admitted.

"So, she is now doing exactly the same things that she didn't want the Greens to do…"

"I don't think she is has much of a choice, Bindu…" Percy said.

"Then, we can only hope that what happened to the Greens won't happen to her…"

"What is that, Bindu?" Percy wanted to know.

"Why, that her government won't collapse after two years…" Bindu said.
Percy did not say anything about that.

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