Refugee settlement :

The Bhutanese refugee problem has reached a critical stage as the refugees are leaving their camps in search of jobs. More than a dozen ministerial-level meetings aimed at resolving the crisis have produced no concrete results. It is about time we found a permanent solution to this problem. Third country settlement, as proposed by UNHCR, the UN agency for refugees, may just be the answer to the 16-year-old crisis. I believe the refugees will agree to the idea if peace, liberty and human rights are guaranteed in a third country.

The government should either start a fresh round of talks for the repatriation of refugees or make an alternative arrangement for them in other countries. In light of Thimphu’s previous tactics of delaying the repatriation process, third country settlement seems to provide a much better alternative.

Khem Regmi,

Pathri Refugee Camp

Dissolve it :

This refers to the news report “Gurung’s warning” (THT, August 25). I agree with Maoist leader Dev Gurung that some MPs are trying to prolong the life of the institution of monarchy and the HoR for the same purpose. Otherwise, what’s the rationale behind keeping a House that lacks the people’s mandate and is unrepresentative?

Jana Andolan II demanded a republic, not the defunct House’s revival.

Sandesh Shrestha,

via e-mail

Money talks :

Medicine is fast turning into a money-spinning business. The medical colleges sprouting all over the country are perfect examples. These institutions do not seek talented students but the ones who can pay heavy ‘donations’. Many of these colleges don’t even enrol Nepali

students. Don’t we have regulations limiting the number of foreign students in Nepal’s colleges?

P Gautam, Kathmandu

Fuel price :

The common argument is that as the petro prices have a direct bearing on the daily lives of the people, the government should subsidise all petro products. But I believe the imported petro products should be heavily taxed, spending the money on developing alternative sources of energy.

Shree Om Prakash, Hetauda Nepali films The lack of state-of-the-art technology and professional manpower has resulted in a very small market for Nepali films. The youth seem to be addicted to Western flicks. Though Nepali films cannot match the standard of

international movies, I would like to urge every Nepali to watch Made-in-Nepal films.

This will help uplift their standard.

Shiva Neupane, Golphutar

Inexcusable :

This refers to the news report “Newborn gets another life” (THT, August 25). I fail to understand how a healthcare provider can exercise such carelessness. The hospital should own responsibility for pronouncing the baby dead and for keeping it on the hospital floor for the whole night. The authorities should initiate action against the guilty. We should all unite against this kind of ghastly practice in our healthcare institutions.

Rajani, via e-mail