13 plus the problem — not the answer

" Thaaththa," Bindu Udagedera asked, "what is so special about the number thirteen?"

"Why, Bindu," Bindu's father Percy said, "thirteen is supposed to be an unlucky number…"

"Then why is everyone suddenly so interested about thirteen now?" Bindu wanted to know. "Why," Percy asked, "who is interested in thirteen?" "Why, thaaththa," Bindu said, "everyone is talking about the thirteenth amendment these days…"

"Ah," Percy said, "people talk about different amendments at different times when it suits them…" "Why do you say that, thaaththa?" Bindu inquired. "Why, Bindu," Percy recalled, "there was a time when they talked about the seventeenth amendment…"

"And what happened to that, thaaththa? " Bindu wondered.

"Although that amendment provided for a Constitutional Council to be created to supervise all important appointments, the Council was never appointed properly, so the amendment was never really implemented…" Percy explained.

"Are there any other amendments like that, thaaththa?" Bindu was curious.

"Why, of course, there is the eighteenth amendment which came after that…" Percy said. "And what did that do?" Bindu asked. "Well," Percy said, "it replaced the Constitutional Council with a Parliamentary Council and also took away the twoterm limit on the number of times someone could be elected as a President…"

"Then thaaththa," why is everyone talking about the thirteenth amendment now?" Bindu persisted.

"That is the amendment that created the provincial councils..." Percy remembered.

"If it is an amendment that already exists, what is so special about it?" Bindu was puzzled.

"Although the amendment and the provincial councils existed," Percy explained, "they never functioned properly…"

"So," Bindu asked, "what do they want to do about it now?"

"I think Mahinda maama has promised that minister who was visiting from India that he will go ahead and make the thirteenth amendment work in the way it should…" Percy declared. "And what does that mean?" Bindu wanted to know. "For example," Percy said, "the thirteenth amendment allows each province to have its own police force…"

"Wouldn't that be great?" Bindu asked.

"Why do you say that?" Percy demanded.

"Why, thaaththa," Bindu said, "if we are having so many problems with just one police force, just imagine what it would be like having nine police forces…" Bindu pointed out.

"That may become an issue," Percy agreed, "which is why some people don't like the idea…"

"Who are they?" Bindu asked.

"Why, Wimal maama's party and Champika maama's party have said that they don't like this thirteenth amendment…" Percy recalled. "So, what will they do about it?" Bindu wondered. "I suppose Wimal maama can stage a fast unto death opposite Temple Trees…" Percy suggested.

"And Champika maama can shave his head in protest…" Bindu proposed.

"Or else, if they really mean what they say, they can show their opposition to the thirteenth amendment by resigning from their ministerial posts…" Percy said.

"Of course we all know that will not happen…" Bindu said.

"Yes," Percy said, "maybe we can expect them to be conveniently absent from Parliament if the matter is taken up for a vote…"

"Then they can honestly tell the people they didn't vote for it…" Bindu said.

"That wouldn't be a problem for Mahinda maama…" Percy pointed out. "Why do you say that, thaaththa?" Bindu asked. "Why even without the votes of Wimal maama's and Champika maama's parties, Mahinda maama will have enough votes in Parliament to implement the thirteenth amendment…" Percy observed. "How is that?" Bindu demanded. "Why, Bindu, Mahinda maama enjoys more than a twothirds majority in Parliament," Percy calculated, "and besides, even if Wimal maama and Champika maama don't support him, he will get the support of the parties in the North for this, so he will have the required numbers anyway…"

"But thaaththa," Bindu asked, "if so many people are against this, why does Mahinda maama want to still go ahead with this thirteenth amendment?" "I think India wants him to do that…" Percy declared. "And what has he told them?" Bindu wondered. "I think he has told them that he would allow the thirteenth amendment and even some more, what they call 'thirteen plus'…" Percy recalled.

"But thaaththa," Bindu was puzzled, "if people are concerned about the thirteenth amendment itself, won't they be even more worried about this 'thirteen plus'?" "I suppose they would be…" Percy agreed. "So," Bindu was curious, "if Mahinda maama already has trouble convincing people like Wimal maama and Champika maama about the thirteenth amendment, how can he convince them to agree to 'thirteen plus'?" "Remember, Bindu," Percy said, "that is Mahinda

style of dealing with this…' "What do you mean by that?" Bindu asked. "Mahinda maama has only promised the Indians 'thirteen plus'," Percy pointed out, "he hasn't told them what exactly this 'thirteen plus' means…" "And what do you mean by that?" Bindu was confused. "Knowing Mahinda maama," Percy said, "thirteen plus could well mean thirteen plus a few but minus a few more…"

Bindu didn't quite know what to say to that.