Misplaced priority

Apropos of the news brief “Royal statues to go” (THT, Nov 16), I strongly object to Home Minister Bamdev Gautam’s decision to remove the statues of former kings and their kin and erect them in a separate place. Minister Gautam seems to have forgotten that Shah rulers have greatly contributed to unifying Nepal which was then divided into a number of principalities. I acknowledge that the institution of monarchy is an anachronism in the modern era. But the former kings deserve due recognition for their contributions. The government has more important issues crying out for attention than the removal of the statues belonging to former royalty.

Shreejaya Lumbini, Kathmandu

Go by script

It seems that the major parties have their own ways of interpreting the NA-PLA integration issue. I wonder why the civil society members have not been able to come up with suggestions for the speedy resolution of the issue. The government must integrate the PLA

soldiers into the state security agencies. I believe that many of them would also opt for employment in industrial security forces or in foreign countries. It is the duty of the government to ensure that they are able to resume their normal lives. The major political parties should stop locking horns and be ready to abide by past agreements.

Rai Biren, Kathmandu

Own it

Finance Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai, in a recent remark with the media, refuted the

allegations that the Maoists continue to seize people’s land and properties. Meanwhile, Minister for Culture and State Reconstruction, while addressing a press conference in Birtamod, reportedly said that land and properties seized by the Maoists would not be returned. Thousands of people who were displaced during the insurgency are testimony to Maoist excesses. It is sad that the ministers, instead of addressing people’s woes, are hurting their sentiment. Before the Maoists came to power, it was the former king who used to be everybody’s favourite whipping boy. Now that the monarchy is gone, who should we blame?

Heimdall Hallinskioi, via e-mail

High hopes

With the foundation stone for Arun-III, vaunted as Nepal’s biggest hydel project, laid, I believe

Nepalis will eventually have found light at the end of the tunnel. Above all else, it will create job opportunities for people in eastern Nepal, who, willy-nilly, have been forced to seek jobs in foreign lands. However, I hope the project is completed before the stipulated time.

Dr. Neil Pande,via e-mail

Defer

The contradictory views of political parties on the structure of Nepali federalism are likely to

hinder the timely writing of the constitution. It seems the implementation of federalism has to be deferred by institutionalising the concept of fully proportional representation of all the marginalised communities at all the agencies of the State. Urgent action on this front and enactment of effective laws against corruption are expected to speed up the process of writing the constitution.

V P Sayami, Kathmandu