NEW ORDER
Ashraf Ghani says that the intelligence and experience of Nepalis' need to be used ('New order', guest column, #346). Right on. What stops this prosaic but accurate prescription from being followed is the fact that most of my countrymen and -women are sick and tired of being used and abused by politicians and policymakers. Ghani's reading of the situation is exactly correct, though, as was Yash Ghai's ('One more chance', #345).
U Thapa,
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CK LAL
CK Lal's 'The price of radicalism' (State of the state, #346) paints a clear picture of life as it is lived today in the tarai. Even liberals, whether they admit it or not, have found it hard to take the growing madhesi sense of entitlement without flinching. How much easier it would be to accept the aspirations of all underrepresented, socially discriminated groups if only we knew more about how they lived. Lal helps us all understand our compatriots better.
Shanti Aryal,
email
. I found 'The price of radicalism' to be arrogant and callous. Is CK Lal justifying the selective targeting of people of pahadi origin by the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum and the resultant 'respect' the tv merchant Mr Yadav is enjoying of late? Don't forget, Mr Lal, the ends do not justify the means.
SK Aryal,
email
LAW AND ORDER
While it is important to point out the antics of the Young Communist League ('An armless army', #345) and the Maoists in general ('Still in the crosshairs', #346), it can get counter-productive to keep demonising them. True, they are acting as a law unto their own. But ask the decent law-abiding citizens of a number of Kathmandu neighbourhoods who have formed their own 'neighbourhood police' or 'patrol' or 'citizen's security' what on earth they think they are playing at. I find this far more alarming than I do a YCL that behaves like the natural militia successor of the 'people's liberation army'. That is to be expected, and will only slow down when the Maoists are part-forced and part-cajoled into feeling like they really are part of the government. Each of these little local 'patrol' groups is one step away from vigilantism-and that to me reeks of a society where no one thinks it is wrong to be a law unto yourself, not even the so-called educated, middle conscience of the country. To deserve public security and law and order, one has to be willing to ask for accountability repeatedly, again and again, and leave one's leaders with no choice but to ensure it.
M Gurung,
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SNOBBISH
In 'Best and brightest' (Strictly Business, #346), Ashutosh Tiwari makes a disturbing argument. But it's a little too easy, I think, to write such analyses. Oh sure, he covers all his bases, and no one will ever accuse him of being one of those 'people like us' types. But he is surely not being as irresponsible or illogical as he sounds? Regular, bright, motivated folks should stay away from politics? But how, Mr Tiwari, can you expect a polity-or even just its 'best and brightest'-to hold its leaders accountable if it always holds them ever-so-slightly in contempt? This is exactly what is happening now, and look at the price we are paying for it.
Kiran,
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POVERTY CYCLE
Last weekend in Syabrubesi I witnessed an incident which seems symptomatic of the state of affairs in Nepal. Tourism for Rural Poverty Alleviation Program (TRPAP) had organised a mountain bike race to promote their work on the Tamang Heritage Trail. I had just completed my fourth trek in this area, and was fascinated to see almost a dozen Kathmandu babus arrive in a fleet of new-looking 4WDs. While the 21 eager participants waited at the starting line for the 7AM whistle, these self-important bigwigs delayed proceedings for almost 30 minutes while they took photos of each other gracing the event. When the race was finally underway, the 'organising committee' returned to their guesthouse lawn to exchange promotional t-shirts and caps, and congratulate themselves on their cleverness.
Yet four hours walk along the trail, the village of Tungmen has no visiting healthcare workers or toilets, and its 200 or so residents exist in dire poverty. The more than Rs 5 million spent by TRPAP on cars, t-shirts etc would provide healthcare, teachers, and toilets for many years for such a village.
The pomposity of smug babus who think giving each other t-shirts "alleviates rural poverty" is a sad indictment of those who believe that Nepal ends at the roadhead.
Perhaps TRPAP should change their name to Can't Really Alleviate Poverty (CRAP).
Judy Smith,
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HUMAN COST
Anuj Tamang was recently mentioned in a few by-the-way lines of a national daily because he died. We do not blink an eye or pause to think about individual deaths anymore, but they all have stories to tell.
Anuj was fighting kidney failure and liver cirrhosis at Patan Hospital. He requested that he be taken back home to Darjeeling, perhaps to bid farewell to his wife and daughter, perhaps to seek forgiveness from his parents for not being a good son, or maybe just for a final homecoming. He embarked on the journey all right, but never made it home. He was stranded on the way due to the Chure Bhawar banda and died.
How many Anuj Tamangs get stuck in these bandas? We cannot fulfil a dying man's wish, and have even less hope of addressing the dreams of those still living.
Yadav Bantawa,
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YES AND NO
Thanks for the brilliant, succinct analysis in your editorial 'A public republic' (#346). I think it is also time that the media in general get more vocal in resisting the antics of the Young Communist League.
On another note, I wait all week for your paper, but then get done with it rather quickly. It would be good to have more articles and reports to read. And more good news, please-this is a country of 27 million, there must be something good happening somewhere.
Shreeyana Singh Budhathoki,
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. I thought your New Year's issue (#344) was splendid, a visual delight. Ignore the people who say that Nepali Times does not have 'enough to read'. We all get tired of pontificating pundits and nattering nabobs, and sometimes you don't need anything but pictures-the goat in 'Coils of fear' (#346), the built and re-built bridge ('Bridge-building', #345), the cautiously optimistic 'Time flie&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#̵'216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;' ('New year's wishes', #344) say it all.
Tina K,
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