SAME OLD NEPAL
The almighty parliament has turned into a lame duck house, an all powerful government is lost in political bickering without any sense of direction, and an untamed Young Communist League has run amok ('Same Old Nepa&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#̵'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;,' 'Burned Again', #349). The King must be laughing all the way to Dakshinkali and truly believing that his 'tantrik' acts are really more powerful than the 'loktantrik' desire of Nepali people. It is obvious that the 7+1 is again putting its own petty interests before that of the Nepali people. What is the 7+1 waiting for to bring it to its senses: another coup a la 1 February 2005, conversion of the YCL into Mao's Red Guards for another experiment of cultural revolution, or Tamilisation of the tarai?
Sandesh Hamal,
Lalipur
. So we've got our comrades and everyone else now ruling the roost with Girija Ji and all the ji-s together ('Same old Nepal', #349). What has changed, then? Still the same violence and populist statements that hold no backbone. Who will we blame now that the king is gone? We have the power, the people, the machinery so why are we still in the same rut? Somebody should tell those inefficient and corrupt leaders that they are all the same. It is so sad that all we can do is laugh at oursleves.
Dhoj Khadka,
UK
PLAN B
I agree with Daniela Ponce ('Got Plan B?', #349). Nepal is in need of leaders with understanding and commitment to help the people of Nepal.
Name withheld,
email
. I was surprised to learn that at the pinnacle of Jana Andolan 2, Daniela Ponce managed to do her graduate research on the role of student movements in Nepal. As a graduate student, our professors tell us to pick topics which grab the attention of the evaluators. I just hope that Nepal doesn't turn out to be a haven for research scholars.
Dino Shrestha,
email
SAVE DEMOCRACY
K B Gurung, the general secretary of the Nepali Congress in an interview with BBC Nepali Service said unification of the NC and the NC-D is necessary to save democracy. It is difficult to understand how democracy can be saved by doing that especially since corruption at all levels of the government has increased compared to the one-man rule of the Narayanhiti Palace. To save democracy, the government, the reinstated parliament, and the interim parliament should make urgent laws to discourage corruption, especially at the executive and the judiciary levels. If a law that confiscates the property of corrupt judges and officers comes into effect, corruption would be discouraged, minimised, and eradicated to ensure a long life for democracy.
Ravi Manandhar,
Kuleswor
SPIN
Artha Beed's ('The Art of Spin', #349) was interesting. He definitely wants everyone to see the silver lining. He suggests we begin to talk positively about our country rather than bashing it. Going abroad is not the solution. Let's be optimistic and have pride in a new Nepal.
Jenny Pandey,
Chandol
. During the 1990s, people's attitude influenced Nepal's economy. At the beginning of the decade, industries mushroomed because of peace and free economy which in turn created new jobs. It was all hunkydory until the Maoist problem. Today, every sector is ill because of pressure tactics. People have become selfish in the process and started taking either themselves or the management hostage to fulfil demands. People stopped having faith in democracy and so have the industrialists. Today, because of this change, my prospect to retire does not exist. I am taking a younger man's job. I know, but I had to change my plans.
Kripesh Shrestha,
email
LET DOWN
"Biratnagar's bookkeepers" ('State of the State', #349) somehow feels like a dumb abstract from C K Lal's tour diary of Biratnagar. It is unexpectedly cold and painstakingly resembles a cheap local daily writeup. Lal is one of the best writers around but he somehow manages to let us down every now and then.
Name withheld,
email
ASS
During a hot debate in class, my professor smiled at me and said, "Do you know that the world is run by people who have more influence and contacts than you? He can be a complete nitwit but he has complete control over your future."
I was flabbergasted and was troubled for days until I read the Backside column in your paper written by none other than the Ass. Thank you, Ass. You proved the hypothesis my professor made. The sad part is, you've been proving it every week.
Gayesh N Goyal,
email
. The only person (animal?) that calls it like it is in the Nepali media and your own illustrious paper is the backside Ass. Loved 'Let us bray' (#348). May the Ass live a long and productive life so we can keep on reading Nepali Times back to front.
G B Rai,
UK
