5th Column

Rata Perata manifesto should be Kata Perata
"Thaaththa," Bindu Udagedera asked, "what is all this talk about a political deal?"
"What deal is that?" Bindu's father Percy asked.

"Why, they are saying that the Blues and the Greens have done a deal about the inquiries…"
"And what is the deal all about?" Percy wanted to know.

"Well, they say the deal is you drop your demand for one inquiry and we drop our demand for another inquiry…" Bindu explained.
"That seems like a reasonable way of settling matters…" Percy observed.
"How could you say that?" Bindu protested, "we were all awaiting the inquiries to find out the truth…"

"That is where you are mistaken, Bindu…" Percy said.
"Why do you say that, thaaththa?"
"When did we ever find out the truth from inquiries and commissions, Bindu?"
"But, thaaththa, we should at least try to…"

"That is what we have been doing for the past so many years and all we have done is waste the little public money that we have…"
"But thaaththa," Bindu persisted, won't deals like this make the public lose confidence in the system?"
"Why should they?" Percy wanted to know.

"Why, thaaththa, if the two main parties can do what they want and then say I won't inquire into what you did if you won't inquire into what I did, then both parties can get away with almost anything…"
"And what difference will that make, Bindu?" Percy queried.
"Why do you say that, thaaththa?"

"Because, Bindu, even now they get away with almost anything…"
"That is exactly why we should have those inquiries and find out what, if anything, went wrong…" Bindu suggested.
"And then, what do we do?" Percy demanded.

"Maybe action can be taken against people who are found guilty, if indeed they are…"
"That is what they say, Bindu…" Percy said.
"Why, thaaththa, don't you believe what they say?"

"How can we believe them now when they are saying they are ready for talks with the Tigers in thunder, rain or lightning…"

"What is wrong with that?"
"Why, Bindu, we had some pretty ordinary weather the past few months and no one wanted to talk with the Tigers but now they want to talk in heavy weather…"
"What else don't you believe, thaaththa?" Bindu asked.

"Why, didn't they assure us that fuel prices won't rise because the government was absorbing the costs…"
"And suddenly there was the largest single price increase ever…"
"And now they really want us to believe that the cost of living won't rise as a result…" Percy pointed out.
"And electricity rates will rise in September, they say…"

"Maybe the cost of living won't rise as a result of that too…" Percy said.
"Then, thaaththa," Bindu said, "I think they should now change their slogan…"
"Why do you say that?"
"Why, thaaththa, they promised us 'Rata Perata'…"
"I hope that is what they are still trying to do…" Percy said.
"But now thaaththa, they are not doing much but they are still saying what they are doing is right…"

"And they are still winning elections because people still believe what Satellite tells them…" Percy agreed.
"That is why their slogan should be changed…" Bindu said.
"And what would be the new slogan?"
"Kata Perata" Bindu suggested.
Percy didn't disagree with that.

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