Double standard

There is no denying that the political parties have employed double standards regarding many of the crucial issues, the most recent being the price hike in petroleum products and seven party alliance’s indecisiveness on the Assembly polls.

Bishwambhar Pyakuryal’s edit page article “Oil politics” (THT, Oct. 31) only goes to prove this.

He sketches a background of ‘oil politics’ and brilliantly relates it to the study report of the Nepal Rastra Bank on inflation. The report’s theme is that money supply does not have a meaningful impact on inflation in the long run. Thus the central bank seems to have no role in price stabilisation (vis-à-vis the central banks of other countries) provided that the Nepal Oil Corporation opts for a dynamic price setting mechanism in consonance with global prices.

Pyakuryal himself being a board member of NRB and associated with the Nepali Congress that heads the coalition government, however, ignores this basic truth and calls for the establishment of a price stabilisation fund in order to bring down the prices. However, the right step in this regard would be to set up an autonomous price stabilisation body, separate from the central bank, that would monitor, supervise and publish price-related information.

Rajan K Pant, Kathmandu

Great relief

Following the improvement of security situation in the Bhutanese refugee camps, many refugees are now optimistic about the humanitarian assistance that the US and other

European countries have promised. However, some Bhutanese political leaders like Teknath Rizal have openly come out against this humanitarian step, even as UNHCR, in collaboration with other aid agencies, has nearly completed the establishment of the offices necessary for the execution of the ongoing resettlement process. BCP (MLM), a Bhutanese revolutionary political party, is working tirelessly to foil the implementation of this new plan.

The majority of the refugees spent two decades in poverty and hardship waiting for the day when they would be safely repatriated. Therefore, the resettlement offers of the United States and other countries come across as an immense relief. We would also like to urge United States state minister for population, refugee and immigration, who is now on a Nepal visit, to initiate the resettlement process as soon as possible.

Roman Kshetree, Damak-5, Jhapa

Unfair

This refers to the news report “Prachanda admits Shah’s abduction” (THT, Oct. 31). Though Prachanda has admitted Shah’s abduction, the Maoists have not yet revealed the captive’s whereabouts. Furthermore, it is bizarre that another senior Maoist leader ‘Ananta’ is trying to absolve his party from the responsibility of abduction, blaming ‘personal enmity’ for the kidnapping.It is unacceptable for a legitimate political party to act like this, while at the same time claiming be the true advocates of democracy. Shah’s whereabouts and condition should be immediately revealed before the media starts questioning the Maoists’ standing asa legitimate political outfit.

Abijit Sharma, via e-mail