CK Lal's obituary for Dinesh Chandra Pyakhurel 'Death of an engineer' (#253) was a poignant example of a country in paralysis. Political parties, king and the comrades, what have they to loose? Nothing. They fight and die for what they interpret as truth. At least after death they are respected among their followers. Who are we civil servants to turn to? We are treated like monkeys in a circus. But Lal should give up his clich?d line of blaming all fellow Nepalis for the country's ills. Why blame the people who try to make a decent living, feed the hungry stomach only to survive. The rules are made by the people at the top who earn top salaries. Let's not moralise to people living on meagre government salaries. Why blame me? I also don't care if there is democracy or autocracy in this country as long as people are provided services and I am paid adequately for doing my job. All I want is food to put on the family table, my life to live and a good night's sleep. How is this being selfish?

S Baskota,
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