Missing linkage

This refers to the news ‘DFID spends 12.4 pc of its budget’ published on THT’s Business page on March 3.

The article wrongly reported that DFID Nepal spent Rs. 3.930 million during 2005, representing only 12.4 per cent of the allocated funds for the year. This is far from the truth. We understand that this information is taken from the recently published DFID Nepal 2005 Annual Report. In this report we have given very clear information on the allocated funds and the duration for each project we support. The duration for each project varies from one year to several years. The figures on expenditure relate to what DFID spent in Nepal in 2005 only.

But unfortunately, the report did not make any link between these two points and published the news with a misleading title. We would therefore like you to publish the correction as follows: DFID’s expenditure of Rs. 3.930 million is equivalent to over 98 per cent of our

targeted expenditure in 2005.

Mark Mallalieu, Head of DFID Nepal

Don’t hide

This refers to the report “Experts fear tiger population on decline’ published in THT on March 4. Panthera tigris, a category 2 species ranked under the Global Vulnerable Species and an Appendix1(CITES), has put Nepal under an international obligation since 1975.

The 2000 census reports 365 species but the past data has come under criticism because of biased trappings and pugmark observation centralised around the safari trails. The data also shows 882 ha. of forest is being chopped every year. With dwindling habitats what do we expect? A publication of Resources Himalaya (Habitat Himalaya 2003) reports that currently

structured ecotourism benefits are little if any to the marginalised and the locals in Royal Chitwan National Park. Marginalised people around any Protected Areas are mere puppet poachers to metropolitan-based smugglers. The government must address core problems rather than hide it.

Asish Dhakal, via e-mail

Old trick

The agitating parties’ alliance is showing cracks, and Moriarty is hammering away hard at it while Deuba holds a hammer for him. The US goal is to distance the parties away from the Maoists. It’s an old trick.

Once the unity is broken, the King can pick and choose his puppet ministers, putting on a parody of democracy.

The same Deuba once claimed, while acting as reappointed PM in the absence of Parliament,

that “regression has been cured” by his installation. Only a compromise involving the King, parties and Maoists can bring about peace, and driving them further apart can lead to more war and authoritarian rule.

Kapil Prasad Bhattarai, Seattle, USA

Insincere

The Maoists are back in the limelight. Imposing a red dress and ‘people’s hymn’ on students in the west and continuing violence show that they are not sincere in their commitment to their 12-point understanding with the parties.

Dr Baburam Bhattarai’s remark about bourgeois democracy is hard to understand. GP Koirala and MK Nepal must be aware of the difference between the bourgeois and proletarian type of democracy.

Hemanta, via e-mail