Jungle Telegraph

14th June 1998

Hope hope hope

Even if the top post falls vacant next week, the incumbent seems unwilling to go.

That is after formally making it known to colleagues that he would like to come and shake their hands and say good-bye.

Farewell functions have been put on hold in the fervent hope that there would still be a lease of life, if not in years and months, in weeks and days.

He believes that the fresh lease will help him go with "dignity and honour." Does that mean there is no dignity and honour now ? Only the godfather, now busy with a memorandum, will know !!

Mage ammo

An SLAF Court of Inquiry that probed the death of one officer and five airmen during the LTTE attack on Kolonnawa Oil installations in 1996, among other matters, has come up with some interesting recommendations.

One of the items the Court wanted written off was "Quantity 01 Browning pistol magazine damage amounting to Rs 125."

The six SLAF men who died during the explosion were all members of the Special Airborne Force or were commonly identified as the No Problem Group. Now, who says they did not use Brownings ?

Another recommendation from the Court for a write off was "Quantity 01 round (9mm) missing amounting to Rs 3.00."

After all, a single round of 9 mm ammo is cheaper than a razor blade, a wooden pole or even an empty bottle !!

Sensitive info

The censorship has not deterred those within a leading organisation from launching a high profile anonymous letter campaign against senior bosses.

Whether these are prompted by petty jealousies or blocked promotional prospects is another matter. The letters are accompanied by confidential and even highly sensitive documents. Talking of providing sensitive information, here is a good example.

The product of one poison pen wielder was against a senior person and contained copies of reports of an inquiry against him. The covering letter alleged he was under the pay, of all people, of a scribe.

One would say that's a very charitable remark. The "Eisenhower boys", to whom norms of decency are alien, even spoke of scribes who provided women to the seniors. Believe it or not. That was how they got their information, they claimed.

If you cannot silence them, brand them all kinds of things. That will not only bring in a victorious situation but also a much needed ego boost. That seems to be the moral.

The big boss

It was not only the former big boss who has been endowed with a Gold card from a world renowned chain.

Even the better half and the younger one are lucky beneficiaries.

One who knows all about it says they did not just fall from the air. "They earned it," he claims. Sky seems to be the limit !!

Special Assignment

Editorial/Opinion Contents