Your Internet Poll question "Should the Maoists now return to the negotiating table?" (#76) is timely. Yes, the Maoists should come back to the negotiating table. Everybody should agree that poverty is the root cause of extremist politics. Poverty alleviation should be given highest priority. Both the Maoist and the government side should agree that there is rampant corruption in the country. To root out this malaise, some known select politicians from both the Nepali Congress and the UML should be barred from active politics. Indeed, they should be declared anti-nationalists. Maoists and royalists should work together under a government headed by the Nepali Congress. What better tribute to BP Koirala's national reconciliation dream? Indeed, BP's thesis of national reconciliation should be interpreted differently under the new changed circumstances.

Mike Sharma
by email

Your question "Should the Maoists now return to the negotiating table?" should actually have read "Should the Maoists now be eliminated?" and to that my answer would have been a strong "yes". They have caused enough mayhem and destruction.

P Rana
USA