“Thaaththa,” Bindu Udagedera asked, “who should be punished by the law?”
“Why, Bindu,” Percy said, “anyone who commits an offence should be punished...”
“So,” Bindu wanted to know, “what are these offences, thaaththa?”
“Well,” Percy explained, “these offences are laid down by various laws, Bindu...”
“And then what happens?” Bindu wanted to know.
“Well, I suppose someone has to complain that an offence has taken place...” Percy observed.
“What happens next, thaaththa?” Bindu asked.
“Well, then the Police will conduct inquires and if they think an offence has been committed they will take legal action against the person who is supposed to have committed the offence...” Percy declared.
“So, thaaththa, even writing newspaper articles can be considered an offence...” Bindu wondered.
“I suppose so,” Percy said, “especially if the newspaper article is considered to be defamatory or damaging...”
“What sort of articles are those, thaaththa?” Bindu wanted to know.
“If you make unfair allegations against someone that could be considered defamatory...” Percy explained.
“Then,” Bindu asked, “what could be considered a damaging article, thaaththa?”
“I suppose articles about terrorism and terrorists could be considered to be potentially damaging....” Percy observed.
“So, those who write such articles could be punished?” Bindu wondered.
“I suppose they could be...” Percy agreed, “especially if there is enough evidence to prove it beyond doubt...”
“Then,” Bindu asked, “is being a terrorist an offence, thaaththa?”
“Yes, of course, Bindu,” Percy said, “that would certainly be considered a serious offence, much more than merely writing about terrorism...”
“Then,” Bindu said, “those who are terrorists should also be punished...”
“Yes, of course,” Percy said, “why shouldn’t they be?”
“But, thaaththa,” Bindu argued, “what happens if those who write about terrorism are punished but those who are terrorists are not punished?”
“Now,” Percy said, “that shouldn’t be happening...”
“But it is happening, thaaththa...” Bindu persisted.
“How can you say that?” Percy demanded.
“Why, thaaththa,” Bindu pointed out, “journalists who have written about terrorism are being punished...”
“Well,” Percy said, “I suppose they could be, if they have indeed done something wrong...”
“But, thaaththa,” Bindu countered, “terrorists are not being punished...”
“How can you say that?” Percy asked, “so many terrorists are being punished these days...”
“But there are other terrorists who are not being punished, thaaththa...” Bindu insisted.
“Who are these terrorists who are not being punished?” Percy wanted to know.
“Why, thaaththa, there are terrorists who are ministers and then there other terrorists who are chief ministers...” Bindu replied.
“How do we know that they are terrorists?” Percy queried.
“Why, thaaththa, there is surely enough evidence that they have been terrorists and have engaged in many terrorist attacks including murders of hundreds of innocent civilians...” Bindu pointed out.
“Then they should be punished as well...” Percy proposed.
“But they aren’t...” Bindu said.
“And do we know why they are not being punished?” Percy was puzzled.
“Yes,” Bindu said, “apparently there is a reason for that too...”
“And what reason is that?” Percy was curious.
“Well,” Bindu said, “they say that no one has made a complaint, framed charges or initiated investigations into the acts allegedly committed by these former terrorists who are now ministers...”
“So,” Percy said, “when there are no charges made against a person, there is no trial...”
“Yes,” Bindu agreed.
“And when there is no trial, no one is convicted or punished...” Percy said.
“I suppose you can say that too...” Bindu conceded.
“And if they are not convicted or punished,” Percy pointed out, “that means they are innocent individuals even though everyone thinks they are terrorists who carried out brutal massacres of innocent villains...”
“I am not so sure about that, thaaththa...” Bindu said.
“Well,” Percy said, “in the eyes of the law, they are...”
“But I would have thought there was something wrong in that...” Bindu argued.
“But that is the way the system works, Bindu,” Percy said, “everyone is innocent until proven guilty and if no one wants to prove that someone is guilty they have to be considered innocent...”
“I suppose you can argue that way too...” Bindu said.
“And you had better be careful, Bindu...” Percy said.
“Why is it thaaththa?” Bindu asked.
“If you go around calling all these ministers terrorists, you too could end up in jail....” Percy warned.
Bindu didn’t argue with that.