5th Column

Dividing line of North Lanka and Iraq is the oil wells
“Thaaththa”, Bindu Udagedera said, “we must be a very lucky country…”

“Why do you say that?” Bindu’s father, Percy asked.

“Why, thaaththa, while the rest of the world is pre-occupied with war, we are having peace talks…”

“But don’t forget, Bindu,” Percy recalled, “we too nearly went back to war…”

“But that is why it is all the more creditable…” Bindu said.

“Why do you say that?”

“Why, thaaththa, it shows that we are genuinely interested in peace and a settlement through negotiations …”

“But that is not the New World Order…” Percy said.

“What do you mean by that?” Bindu wanted to know.

“The latest way of dealing with conflicts is to bomb the other party into submission…”
“Why is that, thaaththa?”

“The official reason is that they have wasted too much time talking and need what they call a ‘speedy resolution’…”

“Is that what Mr. Bush is saying?”

“Yes,” Percy said, “and he also accuses Saddam of inflicting so many hardships on the Iraqi people and being an unjust dictator…”

“What does he mean by that?”

“He is so upset that he wants to end these hardships as soon as possible by bombing Iraq…”

“But thaaththa,” Bindu argued, "wouldn’t he be killing the very people he wants to save?”

“Perhaps,” Percy said, “he thinks they are better off dead…

“But, thaaththa, I just had an idea…” Bindu said.

“What was that?”

“Isn’t the situation in the North quite like what Mr. Bush claims happened in Iraq?”

“What do you mean by that?” Percy wanted to know.

“Why, it is being controlled by a dictator…”

“I’ll agree with that…”

“And there are many hardships being imposed on the people there…”

“How else is it similar?” Percy queried.

“Why, thaaththa, haven’t we wasted too much time talking?”

“So, what are you suggesting?”

“Then, shouldn’t Mr. Bush want to liberate the North too by waging war to liberate the people there?” Bindu argued.

“There’s an important difference, Bindu…” Percy cautioned.

“What’s that, thaaththa?”

“Why, Bindu, there are no oil wells in the North to gain control of…”

“So, what will happen to us now?” Bindu wanted to know.

“We will go from country to country and participate in rounds and rounds of peace talks…” Percy said.

“But, thaaththa, isn’t that better than waging war?”

“I suppose it is,” Percy conceded, “especially for the negotiators on both sides who are having an all expenses paid round-the-world tour…”

“But that is a small price to pay for peace…”

“But, Bindu,” Percy said, “these peace talks are quite like the performances of our cricket team in this World Cup…”

“What do you mean by that?”

“We are on the brink of disaster but then somehow we make it to the next round…”

“That is not a very good comparison is it, thaaththa?” Bindu asked.

“Why do you say that”

“Because,” Bindu said, “finally when it matters most, we have an excellent chance of making it but then let it go in a rather silly way…” Bindu pointed out.

“And what’s more,” Percy said, “as a result, India may be the ultimate winner..”

Bindu didn’t argue with that.

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