GENDERING FAILURE
Seira Tamang is wrong to assume that the women can't confidently lead the defense and foreign ministries, even if they are dominated by men ('Gendering failure', #458). To be sure, women are discriminated, but they aren't alone. Dalits, Janjatis, the poor, young people (and so forth) all are to varying degrees. So, even though Bhandari and Koirala are women, they may have the advantage, however dubious ethically, of belonging to a higher caste or being richer or older than their underlings in these ministries. Plus, in a country, indeed, region, where so few are rich and so many poor, rich women are probably far better positioned than poor men.

Name withheld,
email

GUERRILLA TREKS
It struck me after reading your article 'Guerrilla treks'(#458) that this would be a great way to generate employment in rural areas and uplift parts of Nepal that have been ignored by the state for so long. We should just make sure that the exploitative trekking wallhas in Kathmandu don't pocket all the profits leaving little for the villages along the routes. The Rukum trek would be a great attraction because of its history, its untainted character and the great scenery. This may be the best area to test out a new model ACAP-like trekking where the benefits accrue directly to the people, with the emphasis more on development than conservation.

Frank Colinns,
email

BACKSIDE
It brought tears to my eyes (laughter as well as shame) reading 'Pants without pockets'(#458) by your illustrious Ass. The donkey is right on the button: the only news about Nepal to appear in the New York Times about Nepal for the past six months was the story about airport staff having their pockets removed. And the Ass is right as usual: the only way to tackle the extortion by policemen on security duty is to not just remove their pockets, but remove their pants as well.

Rajan,
USA

* Having been at the receiving end of corrupt immigration and security officials at TIA for many years, let me congratulate the Ass for 'exposing' the ugly truth about Nepal's premier airport gateway. There is daylight robbery going on at the airport with immigration staff extorting money from students with proper visas and harassing anyone who looks vulnerable. Besides having to nearly miss a flight myself because of my 'detention and interrogation' recently by officials looking for a quick buck, I've noticed that these predators prey on the most vulnerable, for example women travelling alone, monks, first-time travellers going to the Gulf, Tibetans. At the security check it is the Japanese tourists who get hit the most, probably because the cops know they don't complain. Time to clean up this mess. And while we're at it, let's clean up the country too.

Tshering Tashi,
Australia

* Your last issue (#458) was really depressing: disappearing owls, the incompetence of the government to get anything done, the constant yelling and shouting by the Maoists, child labour...And so I turned to Backside hoping for some comic relief only to find that the Ass made me even sadder when I read about the latest antics of Comrade Shock and Awe.

K Shrestha,
Kathmandu