Hackneyed solutions

A prescription by Lynn Bennet, a US anthropologist on Nepal, to end structural barriers to poverty reduction in Nepal (THT, March 8) ends by repeating the hackneyed solutions of “strong implementation of state policies” and “change in the values and behaviour” of the people.

While Bahun, Chhetri and Newar communities have exerted their stranglehold on the socio-economic and political scene, Charla Danelle Britt, another anthropologist from the US, reported that “participation in discussions and decision-making” by all stakeholders “has mitigated caste-based socio-economic divides, creating a sense of common cause that has spurred collective action and broad-based organising” in community forests. While much still

remains to be done, the dramatic revival of forests in a mere decade beginning 1988 was achieved because of the universal empowerment of stakeholders and the resulting good governance in their management.

Therefore, donors like the World Bank where Dr Bennet is a scientist should be helping Nepal to empower the stakeholders for self-managed development across all sectors instead of forcing more loans down the throat of this impoverished nation which has generally failed to live up to their promises.

Bihari K Shrestha, Green Block, Patan Dhoka

Neglected

Thanks to the Bhutanese regime’s cunning schemes, the refugees in the UNHCR-sponsored camps in Nepal, have been languishing for almost a decade and a half now. Very few know that 15 per cent genuine citizens of Bhutan were cruelly evicted from the country as an ethnic cleansing drive. Despite being one of the most notorious rights violations of South-east Asia, the issue remains blissfully ignored by the self-styled champions of democracy. Such instances of disregard speaks volumes for the misplaced priorities of the US and India. It was no surprise that there was not even a passing reference to this issue during the Bush’s recent tour of India.

Yogesh Adhikari, Kalimpong

Unholy

Children have started throwing lolas or water-filled balloons at passers-by, especially ladies. Instead of stopping them, sometimes family members and those around encourage them. They laugh and derive pleasure when someone is hit. Women are not comic characters. It not only tortures us physically but mentally as well. So parents should convince their

children that Holi is not a festival of lolas but that of multiple colours which we celebrate with our family members, relatives and friends and not with strangers.

Anjani Shrestha, via e-mail

Inefficient

I was heading from Pokhara to Kathmandu recently when I was caught in a traffic jam at Naubise. A collision between a tanker and a truck caused the jam for more than nine hours. Had there been two or more accidents on the highway then I guess the queue would have stretched up to Pokhara. Passengers were forced to eat noodles, biscuits, etc. as hardly any shops were open at night. This exposes the inefficiency of Nepal’s traffic police who took so long to normalise the situation.

Bishnu Dhungana,

via e-mail