CK Lal is his usual mean and cynical self in his review of the book, Peoples' War in Nepal: Left Perspectives by Arjun Karki and David Seddon (The rise (and fall) of the people's war', #139). The authors do not pretend to make this a definitive work on the Maoist movement, it is a collection of writings that will shed light on how the left itself viewed the 'peoples war'. What's wrong with that? Why does he have to go on a knee-jerk left-bashing tirade? Besides, don't you think Mr Lal's conclusion about the demise of the peoples war is greatly exaggerated?

Arjun Shrestha,
email