Nepal celebrated the 66th Democracy Day on February 19 throughout the country to mark the end of the Rana oligarchy and the establishment of democracy though it took around seven decades to fully achieve the goal of democracy ruled by the people themselves. The autocratic Rana regime lasting for 104 years, the rule established by Jung Bahadur Rana, was finally brought to an end in 1951. It meant Nepal was changed into a democratic country from that year. This year was the special year to be reckoned with as it coincided with the promulgation of the new constitution drafted by the second Constituent Assembly.

Now the focus should be laid on its implementation by holding elections of local bodies, provincial assemblies and federal parliament. The political parties should come together to draft new laws governing the elections of all the bodies which are the bedrocks of rule of law and good governance. Democracy cannot flourish unless periodic elections are held as defined by the constitution. We have seen in many developing countries that democratic system has not sustained in any country where elections are deferred time and again under one or the other excuse. The periodic elections also cultivate a culture that helps strengthen democracy to the grass-roots level.

Pratik Shrestha, Kathmandu

Unacceptable

The news story “Goa threatens to list peacocks as vermin” (THT, Feb. 13, Page 11) is a true reflection of the sorry state of wildlife conservation inthe subcontinent. Lack of modern scientific management has been a major problem behind the sorry state of wildlife in developing nations like India. If this could be the attitude towards the majestic national bird of the nation, one could assume what could be the outcome of other less known species. However, I seriously doubt that with the presence of strong animal rights, conservationist and ecologist groups in India alongside a powerful media and an active judiciary, the vicious attempts at eradication of the peacock from Goa will be easy! Similar approaches by another Indian state, Tamil Nadu, to reintroduce banned practice of bull racing faced nationwide protests and was stayed by the apex court of the country last year. Serious anthropogenic pressures on the local forests have been pushing desperate wildlife species to come into direct confrontation with humans for their survival resulting in

classic cases of human-animal conflicts. Similar heart-breaking news is rampart throughout Asia, Africa and Latin America which share spectacular global biodiversity as well as a large number of developing and underdeveloped nations. Unless socio-economic conditions of the people are included in the conservation packages of wildlife, such sad stories will keep circulating in the media. The Goa Government should be condemned for putting this unacceptable proposition and inhuman way of dealing with precious wildlife.

Saikat Kumar Basu, Canada