LETTERS

Shocking experience:

As visitors to Kathmandu, we were shocked by the level of freedom motorcyclists have on the city’s roads. Walking through Thamel in the evening we felt as if we were under constant attack from aggressive motorcyclists. Every second we were pushed to the side of the road to make way for motorcyclists and taxi drivers who obviously feel they have more right to use the road than anyone else.

Durbar Square in Kathmandu was even worse. A square which holds some of the city’s most precious cultural heritage is being used as a traffic interchange. To allow all forms of

transport from motorcycles to tractors into the square is pure madness. This was a totally unpleasant experience for us.

We have visited many cities in Asia but we were totally unprepared for what was in store for us in Kathmandu. It seems that simple measures such as restricting traffic from key tourist areas has yet to be adopted. While Nepal may have more important issues to deal with, we believe that making the city more pleasant for its residents and visitors is vital for Nepal’s tourism.

Banning traffic from key tourist areas even if it is for a few hours in the evening would be a step towards making the city tourist-friendly and less polluted. These actions are not costly. What is required is a little political will.

Drs Gary Haq and Dieter Schwela, York, UK

Biased:

I was deeply saddened by the news of abduction and subsequent killing of the two unarmed YCL leaders by the MJF in Rupandehi, “Two YCL cadres abducted, killed by MJF activists” (THT, June 13). Was this news not worthy of any space on the front page, while the news reports of alleged YCL atrocities routinely make your headlines?

Starting from the Gaur carnage, scores of unarmed Maoists leaders and cadres have been victims of violence. But the mainstream media have shown their bias against the Maoists by playing up the alleged YCL excesses and by not giving anti-Maoist violence deserved coverage. This attitude is not fair. It can also affect the peace process. A responsible

daily should maintain neutrality.

Kamal Nepal, Lazimpat

Food price:

I would like to draw the attention of the authorities concerned to the soaring prices of food products. But the income of most people has not gone up. How can the government keep a balance between the two?

Sabina Darshandhari, via e-mail

Uneasy China:

As regards the news report “Aussie PM okays Dalai meeting” (THT, June 13), the Dalai Lama is about to wrap up his 10-day Australia visit with high profile meetings with Australian politicians, including, hopefully, Prime Minister John Howard.

The Chinese embassy in Canberra has warned that it is inappropriate for political leaders to meet the Dalai Lama.

The comment came after Howard recently suggested that he might meet the exiled Tibetan leader. The highest Tibetan leader will raise the issue of human rights violations in Tibet with the Australian PM.

This will give a clear message to the Chinese about what the international community thinks.

Nyima Gyalpo, Kathmandu