After reading your editorial 'The Kathmandu Shuffle' (#148) of the regime change in Nepal on your online edition, I get the impression that there is a lot of suspicion about foreign influence in the appointment of Surya Bahadur Thapa. But as you argue, it is mostly our own action (and inaction) that has brought us all to this state of affairs. It is easy to blame a foreign hand when we have made such a mess of things. In fact, it is probably why we like to blame outsiders. The leadership we do need is within the parties. The ossified heads should be replaced by commited politicians who are not allowed to rise up: Subhas Nemwang, Shailaja Acharya, CP Mainali, Narhari Acharya and others like them. This second-generation of leaders are smarter, have more integrity and could lead the country into a new direction.

J Vaidya,
by email

. Kunda Dixit in 'The king castles' (#148) says that Surya Bahadur Thapa has been bestowed with full executive powers by King Gyanendra and that he is the most powerful prime minister he has ever been four times previously. It may be true, but how can he be powerful if, right after his swearing in, he is dragged to a ceremony where the Crown Prince is the chief guest and he sits for hours watching a prize-giving ceremony? At a time when he should be the busiest person in Nepal, the prime minister is already following the mindless rituals of his predecessors.

If protocol requires the prime minister to be wherever the heir to the throne is present, then he needs to change the rules. The head of a government of 23 million people should not be made a showpiece at a time of national crisis. Not only is it a complete waste of time, but it also sends the message that nothing has changed, it is business as usual and we have rulers who only care about form not substance.

This feudal mentality is perpetuated by a servile and subservient bureaucracy. It is also reflected in the sycophantic coverage of royal events on national radio, television and every irrelevant pronouncement that makes it to the evening news. Let's see some genuine concern from the royal patrons and political head who grace these functions. A moratorium should be called on all members of the new Thapa cabinet from attending ribbon-cutting ceremonies, book and CD launches, and empty speeches.

The journalists in our state-owned media boycott events that have no news value. Where Nepal wants to move in the next couple of decades, and how it is going to get there has to be planned. Otherwise it will not happen.

Sarita Khatri,
Sanepa