ELECTION COVERAGE

Despite your political differences with the Maoists, I appreciate what you have tried to convey in your special election coverage (www.nepalitimes.com). The poll results indeed represent the desire of the common people to do away with the old faces who robbed them for so many years of basic necessities like water, electricity and security. I honestly hope Prachanda will get the message that people want real change this time.

Shroma T,
email

. 'Lost time' by Kanak Mani Dixit (#395) was one of the most beautiful pieces of writing that I've read in Nepali Times, and it contains no political prejudice, but only forward vision and unbiased analysis. However, when considering whose time has been lost (which is basically everyone's) we remember that an important reason for this was the continued misinformation by the political elite, and petit bourgeois media such as yourselves (sorry to say so). For the last 10 years our information systems were centered on the capital and did not gauge the real opinion of people around the rest of the country. The surprise at the Maoists' victory is emblematic of this. Can we hope our big journalists will be grounded in reality from now on?

Chanakya,
email

. We need to be very pragmatic if we really want to make good media contributions in this time of our history. Let's not be biased and try to understand the Nepali people's strong desire for change, which it seems could not be met by NC and UML. Why don't we give new parties like the Maoists and MJF a chance this time? They really deserve it given the Maoists' ten-year struggle for a constitutional assembly, and the MJF's movement in the Tarai for the rights of Madhesi people. I think these two parties have done more good than any other in recent years, so let's give them a chance now.

Prasanna Adhikari,
email

TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION

I honestly believe that after the war both sides have the right and the duty to give their respective versions of what happened in a Truth and Reconciliation Commission ('Voting for reconciliation and justice', #395). This is crucial for the stability of a country. So, I hope in the near future the political authorities will show a real sense of responsibility in addressing this matter, so that nobody is unheard.

Nirmal Ghimire,
Spain

INK SUPPLY

While I always enjoy reading the Ass's comments on the back of the Nepali Times and appreciate the satirical take on local developments, I do wish to point out one factual error in this week's piece 'Donkey voted for Duck' (Backside, #395). It was Australia, not Korea, which provided the indelible ink. When we signed up with the Election Commission to provide the ink, I had not realised what a complicated process it would be to arrange supply, but that is another story.

Graeme Lade,
Australian Ambassador