Attempt to mislead :

I feel saddened at the Jantantrik Terai Mukti Morcha’s attempt to mislead the country. Its blatant discrimination against the people hailing from the hills is deplorable. It should not forget that all Nepalis have the right to settle in any part of the country that they choose. If the people of the hilly areas started discriminating against people of the Terai region in the same way, nobody knows what might happen to the country.

Deepak Thapa, via e-mail

Good sign:

The news report “Cardiac Care Mobile CCU launched in Nepal” (THT, Jan 13) indicates that the country has entered a new phase in cardiac care. This is the right step on the part of the Norvic Escorts International Hospital at a time when the number of heart patients is increasing. This move can be expected to save some lives in the capital. However, as the services of the Norvic Hospital are beyond the reach of common Nepalis, poor patients will not be able to benefit from this service. It would be a nice gesture on the part of the hospital to treat poor patients at subsidised rates.

Ambika Pandey, Chitwan

He’s Austrian:

This refers to the news brief “Australian trekker dies” (THT, Jan 15) regarding the death of a tourist while trekking in the Dolakha district. The name of the tourist should have read “Dr Martine Utiz” who is an “Austrian” national and not an Australian as mentioned. Laxman Badu Shrestha, Honorary consul general, Austrian Consulate, Kathmandu

New hope :

The restoration of permanent peace was one of the central mandates of the Jana Andolan II. The reconstruction of the physical infrastructure destroyed during the conflict is part of the process. Nepalis are tired of war and violence. With the promulgation of the interim constitution yesterday, Nepalis can now expect that the country will experience peace and prosperity in the days ahead.

Hem Raj Basnet, JAM Campus, Chitwan

Neglect :

It seems that the education ministry is unaware of the sensitivity and importance of the education sector. It is full eight months since the top officials of some universities resigned following the mass movement and the restoration of the parliament. But nothing has been done to fill the vacancies. On the other hand, the protest programmes organised by the students and teachers seem equally out of place.

Hem Raj Basnet, Chainpur-8, Chitwan

Visionless:

As the protests over the brutal hanging of Saddam Hussein abated, the United States decided to increase its troops level in Iraq. Its decision to send 21,500 additional soldiers is strange since the US personnel currently deployed in Iraq are only fuelling sectarian violence. More troops will mean more targets for the guerrillas and more casualties on both sides. Bush’s decision is hard to understand because the bipartisan Iraq Study Group had recently recommended a gradual withdrawal of the US forces from Iraq. But Bush is going in the opposite direction.

Shiva Neupane, Golfutar