I was saddened to see the photos of the injured writer Manjushree Thapa ('A marcher of history' #191) in your paper and would like to join others in wishing her a speedy recovery and condemning the ruthless behavior of the policeman that reduced her to that state. But I would also like her to help dispel some doubts I have about the 'anti-regression' movement. How can she join people like GP Koirala, one of those responsible for giving democracy a bad name and allowing Operation Romeo and Kilo Sierra 2 that delivered the people of the western districts into the hands of the Maoists, a man who reduced the Nepali Congress to his personal fiefdom? How can she follow MK Nepal, a leader of a party with doubtful democratic roots, who conducted his opposition to past democratically elected governments with the weapon of bandas and holding Nepalis hostage, and has tried several times to strike a deal with the Maoists? Would these people suddenly become honest and promote good governance in a republican system? The French Revolution, invoked by so many of Manjushreeji's 'intellectual' friends (including the sermon writer CK Lal) as an example to follow, took place over two centuries ago and ended badly. Humanity has progressed, we devised liberal democracy based on something called the rule of law that does not need to use the guillotine, barricades, stone throwing and torching of vehicles to check the concentration of power and wealth in the hands of a few. One can understand Koirala and his cronies when they protest in the streets in the name of that same democracy they violated. After all, they don't want to relinquish power and are professional hypocrites. One is surprised to find people like Manjushree doing the same.

If she and her 'intellectual' friends would, for once, come out of their elitist bubble and go among the common people, they will find that support for the king and dissatisfaction towards the political parties is widespread, not limited to few mandales as CK Lal in the same issue wants us to believe. In any nation, such a situation would provoke self-criticism and a change of leadership in the parties, but not in Nepal where intellectual arrogance, confusion or maybe even stupidity reigns supreme. Think of those 'academics' that theorise about the 'links' between the Maoists and the king. Don't you see that the only real danger for the freedom and development of our country is the Maoist movement? Manjushree, don't you think is time to stop being obsessed with the past and try instead to work together, yes, also with the king for a better future?

Suraj K Aryal,
email

. I am amused at the media, including Nepali Times, giving so much attention to Manjushree Thapa being beaten by police during a demonstration. Is it because she is the daughter of Bekh Bahadur Thapa, or a writer with many friends in media, or both? There are hundreds being killed by the RNA and the Maoists: they are the many unknown faces, theirs are the untold stories.

Sandhya Sharma,
USA