UN unaware of mediation

The Centre’s attention has been drawn to the front page news published in THT on April 25, under the headline, “UN mediation can free cops,” in which your reporter has quoted Bamdev Chhetri, a CPN (Maoist) central committee leader, as expressing his willingness to release policemen abducted by the Maoists from Pashupatinagar Ilam district on March 7, through the United Nations. Chhetri has also been quoted as saying that the release has been delayed because the UN was hesitating to engage itself and that talks between the Maoist leaders and UN representatives were going on. The Centre would like to clarify that the UN has no knowledge whatsoever of this reported request for mediation. United Nations Information Centre, Kathmandu

Need for unity

Nepal is a country with various cultures, castes, traditions, along with variety of ethnic minorities, beautiful landscapes, and indigenous animals and plants. If we can unite all these diverse elements with a common goal and make use of it like an efficient business, we can improve the living conditions of the people. Nepal represents a diverse land within a small country. We can establish a successful example for the world if we mobilise what we have.

However, there exists barriers which do not allow us to evolve into a better country. Our culture still harps on racism, which has set standards to treat different races differently. Right now, no one in Nepal knows what our future goals are. No one knows how to help the country. However, we still have hope as it is never too late to bring change. We have to plan our national goals. We have many profitable resources. Let our children not go through the same problems we are living with everyday.

Takeshi Okawara, via e-mail

Wrong caption

I would like to draw your attention towards the photograph published on the front page on April 24. Some journalists and human rights activists were carrying injured Srijana Adhikari of Padmakanya Campus, and in the caption it was mentioned that policemen forcefully dragged her from her room. The caption conveys the message as if the girl was actually innocent and that the police were at fault, whereas in reality, she was amongst the protestors who were pelting stones at the police and was therefore beaten up. The news report broadcast by one of the television channels on Friday evening clearly showed her participation with all the gusto.The victim was an active participant of the demonstration and not an innocent passer-by. Thus, she was treated alike other demonstrators.

Dheeraj Kandel, via-email

Cyclists in a fix

I am a regular reader of The Himalayan Times. Since your newspaper gives due coverage to variety of issues, I would like to bring to the attention of the authorities concerned the bad condition and problems facing cyclists in the main road of Kathmandu. The present traffic system has been a nightmare for the cyclists. The proposed scheme of restricting cyclists to the side street is not a solution to this problem. The existing rule will encourage the cyclists to use other mode of transports and would in turn increase the deteriorating pollution level.A much better solution would be to design a cycle-line along every main road. This would help to systematise the traffic movement on those roads and would also provide some relief to the cyclists.

Shweta Dhakal, Baneshwor