Central Working Committee Member of CPN-UML party Pradip Nepal ("Twisting the truth", #123) has ferociously complained about a RSS news report regarding apparent misuse of medical expenditure by few politicians in the past 12 years. Nepal, in one of his regular columns in a prominent daily newspaper, had once written about his embarrassing moment when youths on the footpath loudly talked about "dacoit MPs" ( danka sansad ) and had admitted that sometimes he feels like hiding his MP badge while walking on the street. In this so called "politically-conscious society", constructive criticism about public-interest-issues published in news media should not be taken as "jounalistic crime". Moreover, inter-party and intra-party squabblings (mud-slinging may be a more appropriate word) were taken as perfectly normal phenomena in our past 12 years of democracy. At the same time, all political leaders have been saying that our nation's unique political system has four main power centres-Royal Palace, Nepali Congress (NC), UML and Maoists. Hence, even if Pradip Nepal's contention that it is a deliberate attempt by one power center to defame the NC and UML leaders is true, it should be taken in a democratic spirit, especially when the Royal Palace itself is digesting all kinds of direct criticism and verbal abuse by NC and UML senior leaders against the institution of Monarchy.

Sugat Ratna Kansakar,
Kamaladi

. "The Exodus" by Karuna Thapa (#123) touched a raw nerve. The photographs of thousands of Nepalis who have to flee their own country in search of jobs and security showed the stark reality and the great despair of the poor people of Nepal. But in the same issue you have industrialist Mohan Gopal Khetan floating conspiracy theories about politics. It is very sad that while thousands of people are dying or forced to leave their homes, you have the rich and the elite in Kathmandu having nothing better to do than giving interviews and airing their cynical views. My question to you is: are the people living in Kathmandu even remotely aware of the problems existing outside the valley? What are all the rich industrialists and power brokers doing to help the country in its present condition, other than blame the present or previous government, the king, etc, etc? You take a walk on the busy streets of Kathmandu and find Kathmanduites rushing about shopping and having fun and see the poor and displaced on the streets. I am sure the Maoists are making the most of this situation. There is much to be learnt and there is much to be done by not just the government but every citizen of Nepal. Not just blaming others, but being positive and individually contributing by being less cynical.

G Binisha,
by email

. Reading Kunda Dixit's "The villagers' support keeps me going..." (# 116) and Toya Dahal's "Captain saved airport, but not himself" (#117) made me proud of the patriotism and bravery of Major Khatri and Captain Thapa. My heartfelt condolence to both these great men. Those responsible for their murders are the ones waging this fratricidal peoples' war. I have a question to the comrades: what kind of development are you aiming to bring with this brutality? Why are you killing the people who are helping the poor and the disenfranchised? These and others you have killed were men full of compassion and generosity of spirit. And all that you have shown is your pathological addiction to inhumanity and violence. If your revolution is true, and if you want the support of people like us, then you will have to take the path of peace. You still have the chance of getting out of this spiral of violence by declaring a ceasefire and negotiating. Otherwise, one day, you will answer for these crimes against the people.

Kumar Basnet,
Tokyo