The Fifth Column

19th September 1999

Now designing new words

"Thaaththa", Bindu Udagedera asked, "what is a 'disposable sacrifice?'"

"Why, Bindu" Bindu's father Percy asked, "why are you using these big words?"

"I didn't use them, thaaththa," Bindu said. "The media minister has used them…"

"Well, 'disposable' means something that you use and throw away; a 'sacrifice' is an offering you make to get a reward…" Percy explained.

"Then" Bindu asked, "why did the media minister use that term to refer to a journalist?"

"He may have thought that someone was using journalists and then throwing them away, just to get some advantage in return…"

"But thaaththa, why is he making up all these new words?"

"What new words?"

"Why thaaththa, he first used the words 'media Mafia'…"

"And then?"

"And now he calls some people in the media a 'disposable sacrifice'..."

"Why Bindu," Percy said, "that can be explained easily…"

"How is that?"

"Why he was dress designer earlier; so, now he is designing new words…"

"He is also good at designing good explanations…" Bindu pointed out.

"Why do you say that?"

"Why thaaththa, do you remember when those photographers were assaulted during the UNP protest"

"I do remember" Percy said, "that the UNP made a big hue and cry about that…"

"And do you remember what the media minister said then?"

"Well, not really" Percy conceded.

"He said that UNP thugs assaulted the photographers to discredit the government…"

"I would daresay that it is quite possible…," Percy said.

"But thaaththa, the Minister says something quite different now…"

"What's that?"

"He says that they could have been assaulted by government security officials…"

"Why does he say that?" Percy was surprised.

"His argument is that if they didn't do it, they would be neglecting their duty…"

"Again," Percy countered, "that is not an unreasonable statement…"

"But, thaaththa," Bindu wanted to know, "what do you think about all these sacrifices?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"Editors are being killed and others say they are being threatened…"

"Well, Bindu why don't you look at it this way?" Percy said.

"Which way is that?"

"Remember, how so many journalists died during the UNP rule…"

"But thaaththa" Bindu argued, "this government said they will not do that…"

"I never said the UNP did it, Bindu" Percy pointed out, " it just happened during the UNP's time…"

"Yes" Bindu agreed, "but should it happen again?" Bindu demanded.

"Of course not" Percy agreed, "but do you remember Satellite's promise?"

"What was that?" Bindu asked, "She has made so many promises but never kept any of them…"

"But this promise is one that she has kept…" Percy said.

"What's that"

"Why, Bindu, remember how she said that this government will do in five years what the UNP managed to do in seventeen years…"

Bindu didn't know what to say to that.

Rajpal Abeynayake's Column

Editorial/Opinion Contents