5th Column - Blood soaked, tear stained Kebethigollawa and the difficult journey ahead

I thought I must write to you after the events of last week and especially after seeing you rush to Kebithigollawa immediately after the massacre there.

We do appreciate your courage in rushing to the scene of the terrible tragedy, Mahinda Maama, but we do not know whether it was the safest thing to do. Knowing Velu, he may set off another bomb, just to lure you there!

But Mahinda Maama, the events of these past few weeks have made most people think whether you have a good plan to deal with Velu and his murderers-or whether you have any plan at all!

Just imagine, there was the ever smiling Thamilselvam being rushed from Katunayake to Kilinochchi in Airforce helicopters and all that while, he must have surely known that within hours Kebithigollewa would be soaked in blood and tears.

And just before that, Thamilselvam took you for a rather embarrassing ride by taking a ride to Oslo himself only to say that he is not talking to anyone because no minister was there!

Of course now we know the reason why. Though being a murderous clown, even Thamilselvam wouldn't have been able to keep a straight face and discuss the ceasefire with the Norwegians knowing that the Kebithigollawa massacre was only a few hours away.

And that must also bring us to the topic of Solheim and the Norwegians, Mahinda Maama. Even after what happened at Kebithigollawa, what Solheim could manage was a few words urging "both parties" to work towards peace. Who knows, he may even say next that some civilians were responsible for the bomb blast and condemn the air strikes on Sampur!

So, Mahinda Maama, Avamangala may have got a red carpet welcome, and an audience with the King when he went to Oslo, but we think we should all seriously rethink whether Solheim and his cohorts are doing more good than bad…

Then, Mahinda Maama, we also hear the Greens making noises to the effect that they will not support you in that all-party talkshop that you have set up. Being in the opposition can be hard as you well know, Mahinda Maama, but we believe you too should not go too far by rubbing salt in their wounds.

Since most of the key players in your team are now greens and there are rumours that more greens are willing to join you, encouraging them may strengthen your hand in Parliament but if it is at the cost of destroying any consensus on the North and East issue, maybe you should think twice about that, Mahinda Maama…

And, then there is the minor matter of the economy to sort out, Mahinda Maama. We do not know whether you have noticed it because all your expenses have been paid for, Mahinda Maama, but prices of everything have increased and just after the recent fuel price hike, one of your many minister chaps tell us that electricity charges will be raised again. War or no war, this is something that you seem to have done absolutely nothing about, Mahinda Maama and we thought we should send you a gentle reminder about that too!

Yours truly,
Punchi Putha

PS-And, we don't think asking Sunil to resign and appointing Nivaard (another green turned blue!) instead to head the big bank will solve the problem either!