Binod Bhattarai in "Free-fall" (#91) states that the economy is the clear loser in the current situation. He is wrong. The loser is Nepali innocence, that was so well known throughout the world. The clear and devastated losers are the Nepali people. The economy can and will be rebuilt. We have a lot of rich friends around the world who will help us with that. However, it will not be that easy to re-establish Nepali innocence. How will we rebuild trust in each other? This is what this "multiparty democracy" has done for us. We don't need this. Enough is enough.

Bhaskar Tripathy, by email

Having read CK Lal's "What Next?" (#92) it seems that he along with the rest of the Nepali intellectual elite suffer from this "fatalism" (yastai ho, ke garne?) mentality. Is this fatalism and apathy an explanation for the current political situation? Or does the answer lie in the belief that all the Nepali people will attain better karma in their next life for all the suffering they have endured in the present one?
The emphasis on karma/fatalism of our social and religious system has enabled the ruling castes and classes to justify their dominance. Lal espouses a left-leaning material political philosophy, therefore it is misleading for him to propagate "fatalism" as an excuse. It just legitimises the doctrines and values of a fraught system. What is needed is not more fatalism, but humanism-the belief that we can chart our own destiny. We must be this-worldly and not other-worldly.

Subarna Bhattachan
Kansas, USA

Thank you Mr "Name withheld" for reminding me (Letters, #91) that Nepal is a multiracial and multiethnic country consisting of people of different castes, religion and social customs. My gist was that CK Lal had no reason to comment unnecessarily about the Chief of Army Staff's extended religious ceremonies. What we readers like is unbiased and clean journalism. It really doesn't bother me if a Brahmin becomes a chief in future and performs kotihom and mahayagya.

Dr Amrit KC
Bishalnagar

If the present Nepali government thinks that foreign money and military involvement is the answer to the current problem in Nepal ("$40 million," #91) , it should look at Afghanistan, Sri Lanka or Vietnam before begging and accepting "aid".

Pramod Adhikari,
Australia

We have great respect for our king. The monarchy in Nepal has taken different forms over 333 years of history and is a symbol of national unity and integrity. But the role played by the political parties has not exactly promoted this unity and integrity. Now Nepal is facing serious problems with terrorism. It is our bad luck that after the restoration of democracy, our leaders have failed us with bad governance, corruption, politicisation and incompetence. In our opinion in this critical situation, it is only the monarchy that can save the country.

Rabina Adhikari, Sadhana Thapa, Padma KC, Shanta Kumari, Suchitra Thapa, Manohari, Sudharshan, Chiranjibi, Samjhana, Prativa Students in Canada

We are worried that Prime Minister Sher Bhadur Deuba is travelling to the United States to meet President George W Bush to ask for military assistance. Nepal needs medical equipment rather than military hardware. We need training to make Nepalis doctors and engineers, not to use modern weapons to spill the blood of our brothers and sisters. Being a Nepali in America, I'd like to see the United States helping Nepal with development and investment, rather than with arms.
S Shrestha
Texas, USA

In your editorial "Absolute anarchy" (#90) you suggest compromises in the Maoist demands for constitutional change. I think meeting this demand is completely unthinkable and insane. The Maoists are terrorists and they shouldn't be given the privilege of being across a negotiation table. By recognising them, it will mean the government has capitulated, and this will breed more terrorism in future.
Tsewang Sangmo Lama
Minnesota, USA

Everyday, I read articles in the Nepali media, including on nepalitimes.com, about the actions taking place against terrorists. I compare this to the support that journalists in the US are giving to fight terrorism. In the Nepali media I see criticism hurled at the people's efforts to fight terrorism. Don't you journalists realise that if Nepalis lose this war against the terrorists, you will have no jobs... there will be no free press in Nepal. Stop whining.

P Prajapati,
by email

Thanks for the great content. For it to emerge from a Nepali publication gives me so much confidence and hope in the future of Nepal. Thanks to all the contributors and especially to CK Lal, Puskar Bhusal, Daniel Lak, and Artha Beed. And Kunda Dixit for his outstanding editorials. Nepalitimes.com has been a prime source of news and literature from back home for many of us students and others in the United States. Spending five hours at your website in the middle of a final exams week speaks for itself.
Abhishek Shrestha,
Michigan, USA