Way out of the crisis:

Leaders of the parties are engaged in talks with the Maoists to encourage the latter to call off their blockade, implement the 12-point understanding and declare a unilateral ceasefire. Indian, US diplomats and the government have stressed the need for talks between the constitutional forces. The Maoists must also renounce violence as the alliance emissaries are holding talks in New Delhi to install peace. In Nepal it is not possible to impose a communist dictatorship given the country’s geo-political situation and the international pressure. The talks can be successful if the international community is also involved as a witness and a common political road map is evolved among the King, the political parties and the Maoists. Forming an interim government and holding elections to the constituent assembly could be the way out.

Ramesh Neupane, Mahankal

Antics:

The negotiations going on in New Delhi between the leaders of the agitating parties and the Maoists with regard to the implementation of their 12-point agreement and the parties calling on the Maoists to cancel their blockades are praiseworthy.

But the government is misinterpreting this as a secret and illegal meeting with the ‘terrorists’. The government has failed to restore peace either through negotiations or through military means. It has no right to disturb the steps being taken by others for restoring peace. There is a famous saying, “A monkey who cannot build his house destroys those of others’’. The government seems to be illustrating this.

Dinesh Bhandari, Samakhushi

Poaching:

This refers to the news ‘Bid to protect wildlife on Indo-Nepal border’ published in THT on March 12. It is good to hear about trans-border cooperation on anti-poaching activities as 12 of 16 of Nepal’s protected areas fall along the borders. According to Habitat Himalaya (2002), in 1996 an anti-poaching unit was made effective in Royal Chitwan National Park (IUCN Category 2) with financial support from WWF and ITNC. Despite this, 38 rhinos were killed between July 2001 and June 2002 (Yonzon 2002). Again the insurgency has been blamed. Some translocated locals of Padampur VDC have revealed that it was the traders from across the border who were behind poaching. This proves how Indian smugglers are benefiting from turmoil in Nepal.

Asish Dhakal, via e-mail

Cost-cutting:

Kathmanduites are distressed over load-shedding. This reminds me of a recent speech given by the NEA spokesperson in which he talked about NEA’s loss of Rs. 1.8 million per day and added that if there is no improvement then the NEA may lengthen the load-shedding hours. Obviously, it is expensive to operate a diesel plant, but what about the luxurious vehicles used by high-ranking NEA officials? If they think a little bit about this matter then the daily losses can certainly be brought down to a certain extent. Simply causing inconvenience to the public is not a good idea. It’s about time the NEA staff too thought about this problem and took some concrete steps.

Dipesh Dhakal, Old Baneswor