ACTION NOW
Thank you for promoting non violence on your editorial ('Action now,' #453). No religion advocates violence, this is an act of terrorism so let's not associate a religion with such a demeaning act. However, I think you are very na?ve if you think all religions are peaceful. Take India for instance. The advent of Islam was violent and Christianity was full of propaganda. In the future, the readers of Nepali Times will hope to read equally strong editorials against the over-zealous multinational conversion business in Nepal

Prabin Gautam,
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PRAETORIAN REPUBLIC
It is unfortunate that CK has become the Maoists' spokesperson ('Towards a praetorian republic,' #453). Why does he think that the 22 parties who supported MKN are less informed about Nepal's current situation? I am shocked by the fact that Lal takes the fact that Maoist PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal was the commander of two armies so nonchalantly. Whose interest did Dahal serve?

Democracy is a framework in a process balanced by many factors but it rests on a certain philosophy and foundation. If you violate the basic foundation by attacking the fundamental rights of the people, then you become a dictator. How can you support any dictator, whether it is Prachanda or Gyanendra? If they seem democratic, it is only a fa?ade.

Kishor Kamal,
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GURKHAS
The strength of the Gurkha soldiers currently serving in the British army is about 3500 not 35000 ('The resistants'#453) . Furthermore, only those Gurkhas (including other British soldiers) who fought during World War II and were made Prisoners Of War by the Japanese were awarded 10,000 pounds as a compensation by the Japanese government.

Captain Hikmatbahadur Gurung,
Pokhara

UNMIN
After Ian Martin, his successor continues to play foul in Nepal's peace-game?taking the sides of one and damning the others. This is tarnishing the image of the United Nations and its agencies. UNMIN must now think of damage control and stop hiding the mistakes it has made, which include a flawed verification process and a misguided briefing to the Secretary General on 5 May. It is important at this time that the other UN Agencies not bail UNMIN out. While it was public knowledge that the exodus of fresh recruits into the cantonments was a deliberate attempt by the Maoists to inflate the number, the nation had banked its hopes on UNMIN and its verification process to reveal the truth. With the benefit of hindsight and with the preponderance of evidence, the concerned citizens of Nepal now believe that UNMIN has been part of the problem and not a part of the solution. Good intentions of the UN and its SG have gone to waste.

Om Nepali,
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