LET'S JUST GET ALONG

Your poll result last week (#358) said over 60 percent of people thought this government had not done anything in its first 100 days. Look at the flipside: in such a chaotic situation, it has still managed to hold together, put out a budget, and promised to conduct the elections. You can't expect a coalition government as diverse as this one to achieve more. It would be great if this government could peacefully organise the elections and then promulgate a constitution-which will still be based on compromise.

The media needs to look ahead positively, make people believe in the democratic process, keep political parties on their toes, and help build a positive atmosphere for social movements to be bold but non-political. You need to help build a mass movement in support for national unity. We have to believe each other, and be tolerant, compromising, and forgiving.

Name withheld,
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DISBELIEF

'Securing a future' (#358) reminded me of the Pied Piper. The soldiers have unthinkingly followed their leaders who were fighting, in fact, for money and power. Now that they are corralled, I wonder how the government expects people who were out for each other's lives to join hands and pray? What about the casualties on both sides? Are they all martyrs or just more nameless bodies?

J,
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. I agree with the Foreign Hand ('Damned if you do', Moving Target, #358). The Maoists think the entire country backs them up, while in fact no one actually trusts them. The YCL continue their rampaging activities, vandalising party offices and beating up their members. They may talk about arresting criminals, planting trees, and building roads, but their humanitarian activities are overshadowed by their aggression. Looking at their behaviour now, it seems very likely that they will reject the poll results if they lose-and the only way they're going to win is by coercion and spreading terror. Either way, we're going to hell.

Surya Thapa,
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HOT AIR

CK Lal's 'Lost in seminar space' (State of the state, #358) hit the nail on the head. This hot air convection is being powered by donor money, while the government and political parties condone it and the media is pampered and buttressed by it. In those stale discussions about inclusiveness, democracy, and poverty alleviation, whatever, some of the most vocal people only really want to project an image of commitment and say things the bigwigs want to hear. They won't do anything about anything. In this country everybody loves to tell others what they should do.

Thanks CK, keep spilling ink, and some day a leader will stop talking and Just Do It.

Neeranjan Rajbhandari,
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BACKSIDE

Keep up the good work. You guys have the guts required in journalism. However, as for the online version of your newspaper, the site goes haywire at times which can be a real pain in the posterior. Hope you can fix that soon.

Eric Shrestha,
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. I'm confused by the Ass. Sometimes it is plain unvarnished (boring) gossip and editorial-type comments, while other times it is nastiness central. We're all trying very hard to be goody-goody serious citizens of the New Nepal. Please give us a break, be as mean as you can be. It's amusing.

Arati,
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