Daniel Lak's treatise on terrorism was interesting 'One era's terrorist', #225). He is quite right that those who are called terrorists today do become friends of different countries or different parties and leaders sometime later. But it can also work the other way around. Bin Laden was friend of US leaders when he was fighting against the Soviet Union, but at the end of Cold War they suddenly turned him into a terrorist.

Western leaders are quite good at this sort of thing. However, as far as Nepalis are concerned, the Maoists deserve to be called terrorists because they have terrorised the general public in a way that has never been seen in Nepal's history. Even if one hastens to use the terrorist tag, they should at least be called 'murderers' and should never be forgiven for their gruesome killing tactics. Instead of implicitly giving positive signals to murderers. Mr Lak, you should live in places like Dailekh to understand what they have done to poverty-stricken people. It may be just semantics for you because you are in a privileged position far away, but many Nepalis like me have to bear the burnt of their atrocities.

B Raj Giri, email

. It is easy for Daniel Lak to split hairs from his liberal high horse about the politically-correct definition of terrorism. Journalists like him have always bent over backwards to justify terrorists, and this is the latest example. What does he call the injuring of 37 people at the Sanchaya Kosh building in a Maoist bomb last month? What is the drilling of Pari Thapa's wife's legs? What of the killing of teachers like Mukti Nath Adhikari in Lamjung ('Teachers at the frontlines', #225). The Maoists have terrorised Nepalis to force them to obey their diktat. They terrorise them to hand over their children and money. Their methods are as brutal as the Khmer Rouge. Wake up, Mr Lak.

J R Pandey, email

. Hats off to Krishna Shah for her courage and selflessness ('Enough is enough', #226). Your interview with the heroine of Dailekh shows that there are still Nepalis who are willing to risk their lives to defy the Maoists. Shame on the motorists of Kathmandu for not standing up to a Maoist banda and enjoying two days holiday. Shame on the political parties who cower in the capital and bring out masal julus against the king. Shame on government officials who don't dare go to the countryside without an army of security. Krishna Shah and the women of Dailekh have shown us all that they don't need guns, they have lots of guts.

J ayant Jha, New Delhi