CK Lal's "Distant Neighbours" (#110) made me totally confused and very angry. Although I look forward to CK Lal's columns, I find that his articles are wandering more and more off the issues that he tries to highlight. This particular one urged Nepali people to rethink the value of their independence. I wanted to write a strong letter against CK Lal's arguments, but felt that Shovendra Gautam from Calcutta summed up all my feelings in his letter (#111). I totally agree with Mr Gautam that dignity and pride of being a Nepali is worth a lot more than any material benefit. Mr Gautam even gave me an insight: that CK Lal could be "more Indian than an Indian".

R Khadga,
Kathmandu

. This time, CK Lal really hit it straight. Nepal is not like Bhutan or Sikkim. It is much bigger and India will not be able to support our people, politicians and bureaucrats with its largesse. The answer is more like what Mr Lal's friend "ID" all but admitted that the Maoists are enjoying patronage in India.

India will never dare to alienate China, and neither will China feel easy with India having a complete sway over us-even though Indo-Sino relations are warming and the advantage of Nepal as a buffer is vanishing for both of them. It will not take long for the Maoist to be like the LTTE was for India. It is indeed intriguing that "ID" thinks that the Maoist will come to an abrupt end as soon as India backs away.

Last point: no matter where a Nepali is toiling, or how badly we are governed, a real Nepali would never think of being a colony just to have a better life.

Dipak R Tuladhar,
Thamel

. "Distant neighbours" by C K Lal gives us a deep shock. As an emotional Nepali I don't like to believe what he says. But unfortunately it is true. We are an endangered species. Many internal and external forces are haunting us, and some Nepalis are carrying guns to finish not only poor Nepalis, but the whole Nepali nation that our forefathers defended with their lives. Baburam and Prachanda are cloned from Kazi Lendup. But that is only one side of the coin, the other is the betrayal of democracy by the parliamentary parties that allowed the Maoists to rise and take our country to the brink of extinction. Sooner or later, the people will realise the anti-national nature of the Maoists, but I am afraid it may be too late.

Giri Raj Dahal,
by email

. The government, and political parties, have failed to provide even the very minimum sense of security to the common people. We can think of basic necessity only if we live. People are being massacred like livestock, and all that government and political parties think of is getting political benefit through propaganda. It seems that they have lost their humanity and compassion. We wonder whether it is really the incompetence of the government and political parties, or is it their deliberate intention not to resolve the Maoist problem? The problem could be resolved through negotiation, intelligence and international politics. And we need the complete cooperation of India. The Maoists are operating from India, that is a fact. Many Nepali leaders have visited India, shook hands with Indian leaders, and nothing really happens. Why should India solve Nepal's problem when our own leaders don't show any genuine intention to do so? We have neither any expertise nor statesmanship in the country needed to deal with the present situation.

Rajeeb L Satyal,
Baluwatar

. The anonymous Indian diplomat that CK Lal spoke to at Bangkok airport didn\'t tell him anything new. We have known all along that India is using the Maoists as a bargaining chip to turn Nepal into a Bhutan, or worse, a Sikkim. Now, we have it from the horse\'s mouth.

Chitra B Pun,
Kathmandu