Thanks for "The villagers' support keep me going". Mohan Khatri's tragedy has a parallel with a friend who lives a few days east of Mude. But my friend was killed by the state security forces. These killings only show the bankruptcy of Maoist "philosophy" and the unnecessary brutality of the army, which is setting back its own counter-insurgency operation. It is a true tragedy. Pol Pot has come to Nepal.

M Nepali,
by email

My heartfelt condolence to Captain Dinesh Thapa who showed his bravery at a time when the country demanded it. May his soul rest in peace. My condolence also to all the security personnel, police force and the Royal Nepal Army personnel who gave up their lives to save the nation's integrity and sovereignty. A 21-gun salute to all the fighters.

Pravesh Saria,
Chicago

Thank you, Nepali Times, for bringing the human element to the conflict with the stories over the past year of patriots like Mohan Khatri, Dinesh Thapa, the farmers' sons in Kalikot, Ram Mani Gyawali, Krishna Prasad Sapkota. And there are thousands of other names of innocent people, of young Nepalis who joined the Maoists because they had nothing, of villagers caught in the middle, of young men arbitrarily detained, beaten and killed by the security forces. It is clear that no one is going to win this war. Only one thing is certain, the losers will be the Nepali people.

G Thapa,
Dharan