Punish the guilty

I find it incredible that those who forced the Dalits to flee from the village of Silgadhi, Dipayal, because they dared enter the Shileshwori temple, are still at large. We often hear about discrimination against Dalits but never the news of the culprits being punished. The media should bring such incidents to light and the authorities should strictly enforce the law. If the guilty are not put behind bars, more people will be encouraged to perpetrate such crimes again. Suppression and torture of the weak will continue.

Anil Sharma, via e-mail

Dig deeper

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) seems determined to expose corruption in the Supreme Court. However, it and the lawyers representing the five commercial banks that lent money to the Mahalaxmi Sugar Mills have been cautious.

If PAC can back up its case with evidence, impeachment proceedings could be initiated in the parliament. Newspapers like THT should dig deeper into the scandal and bring truth to the public from various angles, in the process doing justice to all the parties concerned. All the three organs of the state should be transparent and responsible. But the judiciary should be all the more so, as it is the ultimate hope for the people who are denied justice.

Chakra Shrestha, via e-mail

Wrong ways

This is in reference to Maoist activities inside the Valley. What rationale can they give for staging a chakkajam on the flimsy grounds of the government importing arms? It brought the Valley to a standstill for a few hours. Schools and colleges were shut down, businesses bore losses and people were left stranded inside their houses or in the streets.

The Maoists didn’t even bother to issue an apology. Besides, the rebels are quick to allege that it is another government plot to push them back into the war whenever a SPA leader expresses views the Maoists do not agree with.

If the rebels want to be taken seriously by the government and the people, they need to tone down their rhetoric and shun double standards. Activities like forcible fund collections and making demands or threats leading to closure of banks and hotels cannot be justified. If the Maoists continue to behave in this manner, how can the government be expected to ensure economic stability? These institutions hold the key to financial stability no matter which party may be in power. They should learn to sort out differences through discussion.

Utsav Shakya, via e-mail

Ban it

The joint effort of Wildlife Watch Group and Animal Nepal to prevent the breeding of Nepali monkeys for research in the US is praiseworthy. The export of animals for research or any other activity should be banned.

Meghna, via e-mail

Cruelty

I cannot believe that American research institutions are using Nepali monkeys for their projects. To ask a poor country to provide its animals for torture and slavery is tantamount to asking parents to sell their children. The poor animals do not deserve this cruel treatment. It is also likely to give US institutions a bad press.

Tracey Rawlings, via e-mail