LETTERS

Respect the right to live

More than 38 innocent civilians were killed and 72 people injured in the bomb-blast. It was one of the worst barbaric Maoist atrocities since the insurrection first began. Such inhuman activities sow fear in the minds of ordinary citizens. Security fears run high among the common people as those in higher positions are not much affected by the activities of the rebels. The security forces also apprehend the commoners only. As a result, life for the ordinary people is a nightmare. Whatever the intention of the rebels, it will help them know that people have the right to lead a peaceful life and the Maoists should leave them alone. Any action like the one in Madi is simply an unacceptable act of violence. It cannot be

condoned under any circumstance. The rebels need to respect life.

Nirmal Ale, Syangja

True colour

The United States leads the pack of countries whose emission levels of green house gasses into the atmosphere exceeds that of all others. It relies too heavily on fossil fuel because of which the levels of carbon dioxide and other similar gases that are behind the gradual rise in global temperatures. But a report that ExxonMobil influenced Bush against signing Kyoto treaty, (THT, June 9) is a testimony of industrial welfare overruling sanity and rationale of no less a man than the US president himself. It is no secret that giant corporations influence

governments and go to any extent to influence politicians or policy moguls. Kyoto protocol was a multilateral agreement for countries to cut down green house gas emissions by 2012. It does not take a scientist to understand that any human activity which is bad for environment has to be halted.

But the US, which is a leader in the field of science, has deliberately preferred to stay

unenlightened. As if that was not enough, the president himself has allowed himself to be influenced by outsiders who have a vested interest in ignoring the global warming alarm. If a corporation’s lobbying was behind the reason to ignore Kyoto Protocol, President Bush need not give lofty speeches on human values and democratic changes in the Middle East and former Soviet republics anymore. His true intentions have been revealed.

Pratibha Kaflay, Kalimati

Follow rules

Though traffic rules have been made for the safety of the people, they are not strictly followed. The use of seat belts is considered an unnecessary chore. Not all people travelling in taxis and other public vehicles use this safety devise. Another discarded rule is the failure to follow traffic signal while taking the left hand side of the road. Drivers do not wait for the green signals particularly in Koteswore, Tinkune and Thapathali. Ineffective monitoring by the traffic police is the major reason for violation of the traffic rules. The use of mercury visors in helmets was banned a few months back. Though it was not the first time such visors were banned, bikers continue to flout the rule. One can see plenty of riders moving on such

helmets even now. Even the pedestrians are happy to cross the road at random. This reflects our careless attitude and lack of safety concerns.

Pradhumna Dhungel, Kathmandu