Moon is on the mark

United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon has sent a positive signal by hinting at the end of UNMIN’s tenure in Nepal, “Extension of UNMIN’s term unlikely: Ban” (THT, May 18). United Nations Mission in Nepal has successfully carried out its major responsibilities of monitoring the management of arms and armed personnel, as well as the election to the Constituent Assembly. Only the subsidiary tasks remain now for UNMIN and they that can easily be carried out by Nepalis themselves. The country cannot rely on international help for every little hurdle it comes across. It has to learn to solve its own problems if it is to protect its status of a sovereign nation.

However, the UN will continue to work with Nepali government to sort out other issues of

national and international import. Hence it is unlikely that the expiry of UNMIN’s tenure will have any major impact on the peace process.

Samjhana Phuyal, Jorpati

Intriguing

Apropos of the news report “Naxalites await Bhattarai” (THT, May 18), some people may find it intriguing that the news regarding Maoist leader Baburam Bhattarai’s impending meeting with Indian Naxalities in Kolkata should come on the same day that Maoist supremo Prachanda

was sending positive feelers to the Indian government in an interview with a popular Indian news channel. This will, according to them, be a tough balancing act for the Maoists. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has labelled the armed Maoist movement “India’s biggest security threat”.

However, the Naxalite outfit in question is something different from what the Indian prime

minister had referred to, and Bhattarai’s programme is not likely to create problems. Prachanda’s ability to galvanise people for a common cause is now well proven. His statesmanship at the international arena is however less so. In the days ahead, it will be very

interesting to see if and how Prachanda can take the important foreign powers into confidence.

Samir Shah, Janakpur

Great idea

Turning Narayanhity palace into a national museum is a great idea. No great palace of former rulers is open to public in Nepal. Hence, the Narayanhity Museum (a possible name) will give Nepalis a unique peek at the 240-year-old institution of monarchy that has played such an important role in shaping the political course of the country.

Moreover, the palace is located in the middle of the city, as are most other great museums around the world. Turning this palace into a museum would also bring in some foreign exchange for the country.

Santosh Kalwar, Ratnangar-4, Chitwan

Out with it

The first meeting of Constituent Assembly on May 28 should abolish monarchy. There can be no two ways about it. This date is also an occasion to test the political will of every political party represented in the CA. Any delay will show that the political parties are still beholden to the monarch. Before the meeting, the Maoists should also dissolve YCL to establish its credential as a democratic political outfit.

Shreedhar Prasad Panday, Gongabu