Simoundou Chronicles - 3

(Continued from Simoundou Chronicles - 2)
Prabha smiled at Pottu's suggestion as he watched another explosion on the big, high-definition screen. "It is one thing to blow him up in Colombo. But to take him out here when he is our guest - that doesn't sound right Pottu. We can even justify blowing up bus loads of civilians as revenge for their clymore attacks and air attacks on our civilians. But killing someone when they come to our place for talks is different. We have never done anything like that before have we? "

"No sir. I don't think so" Agreed Pottu.

"And then there is international opinion. Our image is already badly damaged. But if we do anything like this it will destroy it"

"But sir, already we are listed as terrorists by many countries and we are banned almost everywhere. So can it really get any worse?"

"Yes Pottu. It can get worse. We would get banned in the few remaining countries where we can still operate legally - like Norway and Switzerland. And worse still, those countries that have already banned us could put more effort into crippling our front groups there. We are already having a bit of a problem these days. The money isn't flowing that smoothly anymore. We can't afford to make things any worse"

"But sir if our image abroad is that important, then how come we have always ignored those foreign idiots all the time?"

"Of course we can't please those white guys. If we send all those under aged kids back to their homes or refugee camps or wherever they came from then you and I will be minced meat in minutes!" Prabha said as he picked up the remote. "We can't do everything they want us to do. But we can't ignore them either. That's one of the reasons why I selected Mahinda during the last elections"

"What has Mahinda got to do with those foreign guys and what they think of us sir?"

"Well, we can't turn into nice guys to please those western countries. And those white skinned do-gooders don't like bad boys like us. so what do we do?" Prabha paused the movie and continued. "We simply make our enemy look just as bad as us, if not worse. That way things are a bit safer for us. Although we are evil so is our enemy. That way those western countries won't be so enthusiastic about helping our enemy defeat us. So all we needed to do was to make the Sri Lankan government look just as bad as us. And Mahinda was the right man for the job! So far he has not disappointed us"

"Hmm... yes." Pottu agreed " The US has stopped military assistance. They got kicked out of the UN Human Rights Council and the EU is applying more pressure as well. They are being compared to notorious 'rogue' states and some are even talking about economic sanctions."

"That's the idea Pottu. When they look that bad, those white guys won't be so enthusiastic about helping them defeat us. That's why even in some of those countries where we are banned now, we still have front groups and they don't seem to be too bothered"

"I knew Mahinda was ideal for this job because he was seen as a hard liner from the start. He was very close to people like JHU and JVP even before the elections. These guys hate the western governments. I was sure from the start that he won't get along with the international crowd very well. But if we kill him when he is our guest things would change. We become worse than terrorists but more importantly he becomes a hero! And that, Pottu, is really bad for us!
It will hit the international headlines 'The president who died for peace!' And what would they call us? The whole world would get behind Mahida's successor to help him defeat us!"


"Yes sir, And the successor will be our old friend Ranil! He is quite good at dealing with those foreigners. He doesn't have any of Mahinda's bad baggage like Human rights violations so it would be easy for him to get the western countries to back him. And he would be ready to consider some form of power sharing so it would be harder for us to stay relevant"

"Exactly, So the question is do we want to see Ranil in power now? With the whole world behind him?"

"OK sir, So what do we do now then. We can't kill Mahinda when he gets here! So are we really going to talk peace with him?" Potto asked.

"Ah! peace!" Prabha smiled sarcastically "I love peace! when there is peace everyone seems happy except me! Even our own boys and girls seem so happy. They want to have fun, They want holidays,they want to visit their families and then they never come back!"

"Yes sir, And then we learn they are in some western country! That's the pattern."

"And the people forget what we have done for them. They forget we have been fighting for their rights all this time. They start arguing with us!"

"Yes sir, during peace they quickly forget about all the killing and raping the Sinhalese have done in our country. They don't even feel angry anymore"

"Yes, peace would destroy our struggle Pottu. That was the game Ranil was playing."

"So what do we do if Mahinda starts playing the same game?"


"I don't think we need to worry about that Pottu. Because I don't think he is serious. If I know Mahinda he won't come here! He would be damned scared about risking his life! A Sinhalese can never be that brave!"

"Yes sir! That's why they don't have suicide bombers. Only a Tamil will have the guts to blow himself up for what he believes in! It is in the Tamil blood! I don't think a Sinhalese can ever have that kind of courage"

Just them they hear a faint ringing noise. Prabha puts his hand in his pocket , digs our a satellite phone and says "Yes"

His expression turns serious as he listens. After a few seconds he says "OK" and puts the phone down.

"I was wrong!" said Prabha "He is coming! The Norwegians have just contacted Nadesan about this! This is getting complicated now"

Prabha looked worried.


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It is Sri Lanka's defense secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse's office. The place looks neat . Gota is sitting at his desk talking on the phone. A huge potrait of Mahinda hangs on the wall behind him. He is doodling as talks.


"Another protest march?... JVP?........Right....."

The door opens and Basil rushes into the room. Gota looks up and waves his hand towards the chair in front of him as he continues " Yes some Engine oil should be fine ....... What?....You don't have any? What happened to all that engine oil?......."

Basil looks impatient. He picks up a 'post-it' note from the desks and writes 'URGENT' and holds it up for Gota to see.

Gota looked at it and nodded. 'Just a minute Basil!' he said. Then he continued on the phone "...Yes about that Engine oil... You used it up yesterday?... Why? was there any protest marches yesterday?......You idiot! It was our guys! You threw burnt engine oil at our guys? You crazy fool! Yesterdays protest was organized by us! It was a protest march organized to protest against the protest march by JVP the day before! .... Yes I did tell you to 'throw engine oil if you come across any protest marches' but I didn't say you should do it to our own people you fool! "

Basil was getting annoyed. "Gota" he interrupted. "I need to talk to you now. I have some.."

Gota took the phone away and stared at Basil angrily. "Can't you see I am on the phone? I am dealing with issues of national security! Can't you wait for a few minutes? " Then he continued on the phone. "Oh where was I? Oh that engine oil stuff. OK you stupid don't do this again! Check whose protest march it is before you throw anything on them OK! If you do that again I will throw something much worse than burnt engine oil on you. By the way have you got that journalist I told you about the other day?... OK... Make sure there are some fractures... No.. don't kill him this time... "

Basil stands up "Our Aiya's(Brother's) life is in danger! Can you put that damned phone down Gota?" He shouts.

Gota looked startled. He slams the phone down immediately. "His life is in danger? Have they exploded a bomb near him? Is he hurt?"

"No No Nothing like that!. But he wants to go to Kilinochi and meet those murderers there!"

"What?.... Has he gone mad?"

"I don't know. I couldn't even get him on the phone for a long time after I heard this news. But when I did he didn't say much. He sounded very strange. He refused to even listen to me"

"What exactly did he say?"

"He said something like 'I have always listened to your advice Basil, but right now I need to do what I believe to be right. So don't bother me know' and he slammed the phone.

"It must be the stress Basil. I know Aiya is under a lot of stress these days. He really needs some rest. Then he will be fine. What what do we do now"

"He seemed to be hell bent on going there. And I have a feeling that he won't come back alive if he goes there'

"Of course he won't. You think those murderers would let him come back in one piece?"

"I really don't know what is in his mind now. He never starts anything without talking to me. I am really worried about his safety more than anything"

"Me too" said Gota. There was silence for a few seconds. Then Gota broke it.

"He is not going there" Gota uttered each syllable slowly and clearly. "He will not leave the Temple Trees for the next few weeks."

"How are you going to stop him?"

"I am the defense secretary remember? The armed forces of the state fall under my command. And that includes the presidential security devision"

"Are you crazy Gota? Are you going to place Aiya under house arrest at temple trees?"

"I hate to do this Basil. But if that is the only way to save Aiya from those blood thirsty killers, I will have to do it." With those words, Gota reached for the phone.

"Listen Gota, I don't think this is the best thing to do..."

"Hold it Basil!" Gota interrupted. " You may be aiya's advisor, but I don't need your advice now. No body is going to know about this except you,me,aiya and a handful of security personal. Everyone else will be informed that the president is busy and he has canceled all appointments for the next few weeks to focus on matters related to national security."

"You are crazy!" Shouted Basil

"Aiya has gone crazy!" Gota shouted back "I am just trying to save him" He picked up the phone


(continued)