5th Column

"Thaaththa," Bindu Udagedera asked, "what's Mahinda maama doing in China?"
"Why," Bindu's father Percy said, "I thought he was on a state visit there..."
"But I hope he doesn't invite the Chinese President to visit Sri Lanka..." Bindu said.
"Why do you say that?" Percy wanted to know.
"Why, thaaththa, the President has taken so many ministers with him..." Bindu observed.
"What is wrong with that?" Percy asked, "I suppose they all needed to finalise the various agreements with China..."
"But thaaththa," Bindu persisted, "the entire delegation visiting China amounted to over one hundred..."
"That is hardly surprising, Bindu," Percy assured, "China itself has the largest population in the world..."
"That is exactly why I am saying Mahinda maama should not invite the Chinese President to Sri Lanka..." Bindu said.
"Why is that?" Percy was puzzled.
"Why, thaaththa," Bindu said, "Mahinda maama took a delegation of over one hundred to China to represent our country of less than 20 million people..."
"And how would that be a problem?" Percy demanded.
"So, if the Chinese President were to visit Sri Lanka he would have to bring a delegation to represent a population of one billion people..."
"And how many would that be?" Percy wanted to know.
"Why, thaaththa, that would amount to the Chinese President bringing a delegation of five thousand people if he decides to visit Sri Lanka..."
"That would be quite a team..." Percy conceded.
"But thaaththa," Bindu observed, "I don't think Mahinda maama's colleagues are happy even after such a large delegation was taken to China..."
"And why would they be unhappy?" Percy queried.
"Why, thaaththa," Bindu pointed out, "even though the delegation numbers over a hundred, only a dozen or so ministers have been taken on the trip..."
"But surely," Percy said, "one would think that even a dozen ministers are probably one too many..." "Don't forget, thaaththa," Bindu said, "that there are over one hundred ministers and when Mahinda maama is taking a dozen ministers with him, he is also leaving about ninety ministers behind..."
"That may be so..." Percy agreed.
"And thaaththa," Bindu pointed out, "there is another issue that would hurt most ministers..."
"What is that?" Percy asked.
"Why, most of the ministers who are accompanying Mahinda maama are not from the blue camp..." Bindu explained.
"Where are they from, then?" Percy inquired.
"Most of them are the rogue elephants who recently crossed over from the green camp to the blue camp...." Bindu noted.
"Maybe Mahinda maama feels they are more competent..." Percy suggested.
"But thaaththa," Bindu said, "Mahinda maama has also left behind the Clown Prince even though he promised to make him a special envoy on foreign affairs..."
"Since China is famous for its circuses maybe they didn't need anymore clowns there..." Percy proposed.
"That maybe so," Bindu said, "but even other blue ministers are unhappy..."
"But, Bindu," Percy said, "don't forget that Mahinda maama also had to take with him a baby elephant to present to the people of China..." "And that is exactly what the other ministers in the blue camp are complaining about, thaaththa..." Bindu said.
"Why is that?" Percy wanted to know.
"They are saying, 'aliyo rata yanawa, rata aliyata yanawa'..." Bindu said.
Even Mahinda maama will not disagree with that, Percy thought.

Making China an elephant land