5th Column

Just a note of caution as you ride high
My Dear Mahinda maama,
I thought I must write to you after hearing about your recent successes both in wooing some of the greens to your side and also in getting Velu to agree to talks in Geneva.

I am sure, there would also be many who were envious of you after seeing you preside at the national day celebrations yesterday although given the military flavour of the ceremonies it would have been more appropriate if you came on horseback yourself, like the warrior you proclaimed to be during your election campaign!

At first glance, Mahinda maama, the results of your first months in office are no doubt impressive. It has to be appreciated even more because they were achieved just after fighting an election campaign alongside the red brigade and the saffron robed party.As we all know, the reds hate the greens and both of them hate the Norwegians and Velu.

Having fought an election campaign on the promise of chasing away the Norwegians and tearing up the truce with the Tigers some people are asking how you could do what you are doing while keeping a straight face. But then, that has always been your strength-and the Green Man's weakness!

But, Mahinda maama, despite these early 'successes', permit me to sound a note of caution. I think we all know that Velu agreed to come to Geneva not because he was afraid of your grand alliance in the south but because Uncle Sam and others were making rude noises, virtually threatening them.

Though it is always nice to talk peace be it in Oslo, Geneva or in humble Hambantota I think there is a sense of déjà vu in all this and everyone expects Velu to send his men to Geneva just to get Uncle Sam off their trail, make some impossible demands there and then withdraw heaping blame on you. This is why we need some smart men or women in your negotiating team but then, we know that would be asking too much from among your eighty odd cabinet ministers!

I am sure Velu must have been delighted to know that your 'team' for the talks would be led by Nimal, the Archimedes of the Health Ministry and would include the likes of Pulle and turncoat Rohitha. With all due respect to these chaps, Mahinda maama, it seems that brawn and not brains has been the selection criteria and I wonder whether it is fair to leave the fate of our country in the hands of these gentlemen, distinguished as they may be in their different pastimes…

Then there is this spectacle of greens crossing over to your team suddenly singing your praises when they were seeing you as a very evil person less than three months ago. What you may not realise, Mahinda maama, is that you are only making the Green Man stronger within his own party although the Green party itself will become somewhat weak initially.

There is little you can do about the other Mahinda and that Kehel chap now but you could still thank your lucky stars that the Professor is still among the greens, touting his academic credentials which no one is seriously interested in these days…

And of course there is the little issue of Satellite returning to lead the Blues. I think you should realise that while you may be the leader of the nation, you are still not the leader of the blues. That is something to seriously think about, Mahinda maama, and as far as your own survival is concerned it is probably more important than Geneva itself, isn't it?

Yours truly,
Punchi Putha
PS- And just in case you have not noticed at your Janadhipathi Mandiraya, Mahinda maama, gas has gone up in price, bread has become more expensive and electricity rates have also increased all over the past week. If this trend continues for long, Mahinda maama, it won't be long before people will start saying that 'badaginnata nimaawak' would have been a better option!

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