Caught at the crossroads

“Thaaththa,” Bindu Udagedera asked, “what is all this fuss about the General?”
“Why, Bindu,” Bindu’s father Percy said, “he has been freed after more than two years in jail and that is what everyone is so excited about.”
“But why is that so exciting?” Bindu inquired.
“Somehow, most people thought that keeping him in jail was wrong,” Percy said.
“But, thaaththa,” Bindu argued, “he was sent to jail only after he was found guilty.”
“But Bindu,” Percy pointed out, “how is it that he was in jail and some of the terrorists he fought against are now ministers in the government?”
“That is true,” Bindu conceded.
“And not many people are impressed with the manner in which he was tried and convicted,”Percy observed.

“Why is that?” Bindu wanted to know.
“Well,” Percy explained, “at least for some of the charges, he was tried by officers who were junior to him.”
“But all that must be forgotten, now that he is free,” Bindu said.
“I am not so sure about that,” Percy said.
“Why do you say that?” Bindu asked.
“I suppose that would depend on what he chooses to do next,” Percy declared.
“Why is that, thaaththa?” Bindu inquired.
“That is because it would depend on which party he would join now,” Percy said.
“Why, do all the parties want him to join them?” Bindu was curious.
“Well,” Percy said, “at least one group of Greens do”
“Which group is that?” Bindu asked.
“That is the group which tried to grab the leadership but failed,” Percy said, “and I hope the General doesn’t repeat his mistakes of the past.”
“What mistakes are those, thaaththa?” Bindu queried.
“Why, Bindu,” Percy said, “two years ago, the Green leader got the General to run against Mahinda maama because he knew that he couldn’t contest and win.”
“And what is happening now?” Bindu asked.
“Now the Green Leader’s second-in-command wants the General to run against the Green leader for the party leadership because he knows that he cannot contest and win,” Percy pointed out.
“But what does the Green Leader have to say about all this?” Bindu wondered.
“Well,” Percy said, “he is inviting the General to join him but I don’t think he is planning on handing over the leadership of the party to him, especially after surviving a conspiracy from his deputy.”
“But what will the General do then?” Bindu was puzzled, “will he join the Reds?”
“I don’t think so, Bindu,” Percy declared.
“And why is that, thaaththa?” Bindu demanded, “after all, it was the Reds which encouraged him to enter politics two years ago, wasn’t it?”
“Yes, it was,” Percy remembered, “but now the Reds themselves believe that was a mistake they made and that it was one of the reasons why there was a split among them as well.”
“So what will the General do?” Bindu was baffled, “will he retire and mind his own business from now on and maybe get appointed as an ambassador somewhere?”
“I don’t think so,” Percy said, “that is not his style.”
“But what are his options?” Bindu asked.
“He could,” Percy proposed, “stay with the small party from which he was elected to Parliament.”
“But thaaththa,” Bindu said, “he would then have only Captain Cool and that other chap who got him released by his side.”
“That is true,” Percy agreed, “and it would be extremely difficult for them to win an election by themselves unless they have the support of the Greens or at least the Reds.”
“But thaaththa,” Bindu said, “I am sure the General is aware of all this and he would do what he thinks is best for him.”
“I am sure he will,” Percy said, “although there is another obstacle.”
“What obstacle is that?” Bindu was surprised.
“Well,” Percy explained, “they say that even though he has been released, the General has not been pardoned, so he can’t contest any elections because he has already lost his civic rights.”
“But thaaththa,” Bindu protested, “then all this talk about joining different parties is meaningless.”
“Yes, it is,” Percy said, “unless he does an SB.”
“Of course,” Bindu said, “the SB who was sent to jail and then when he was released, came out shouting that he would take on the high and mighty but who is now a minister in the same government that sent him to jail.”
“No, Bindu” Percy said, “I don’t think the General would do that”
“How else could the General do an SB, then?” Bindu was confused.
“Why, Bindu,” Percy pointed out, “how about the SB whose civic rights were taken away by a powerful President who said he could do anything and wanted to rule forever.”
“Ah, yes,” Bindu said, “I do remember now.”
“That SB waited until her civic rights were restored and returned to defeat the party that put her in jail and lead the country once more”, Percy remembered.
That could happen again, Bindu thought.