While looking back on the year 2016, it was really appalling as the year witnessed several terrorist attacks in many parts of the world, mostly in European countries including France, Belgium and Germany or natural disasters. So much so, even the election of Republican candidate, Donald Trump, as the next US president was taken as a matter of surprise as the US media had predicted a comfortable victory for Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. As a matter of fact, we also could not build back better from the devastating earthquake in April 2015 that left more than 9,000 people dead and over 23,000 injured and property worth billions of rupees damaged. Let’s hope that the year 2017 will bring us better opportunities in all sectors, including the implementation of the new constitution, which would help end the long-drawn-out political transition. We can make out the country prosperous and stable only after we are able to implement the constitution by holding three tiers of elections by January 21, 2018. Otherwise, we will be a failed state for not being able to put the constitution into action.

Pratik Shrestha, Baneshwor

Democracy

Apropos of the news story “Israeli police to question Netanyahu over alleged gifts” and “Daughter of South Korean leader’s friend arrested in Denmark” (THT, January 3, Page 7), this is how a real democracy should function, by besieging the top man and woman for even minor offenses and wrong-doings. The top and other public post holders must be subject to constant observation, investigation and scrutiny for spending on anything from ‘laundry to ice cream’ from the state funds, as was carried out against Netanyahu and his wife Sara. It speaks volumes about the Israeli democracy that their prime ministers who can strike terror into their foes could even go to jail for such offenses as breach of trust, bribery, illegal acts of their children, and allowing friends to influence and manipulate them as in the case of South Korean Park Guen-hye. Nearer home, Lokman has been crying hoarse that he has corruption dossiers of all the so-called big leaders without the latter being least concerned or scared (“Make public Karki’s list of abusive leaders”, THT, January 3, Page 5). In Israel and South Korea, the parliament would have stalled all other business, including constitution amendment or impending threats of war from neighbours, to first investigate such charges. Now that Dr. Shekhar Koirala has spoken out, our parliament must allow Lokman to present the dossiers for scrutiny and examination. If Israel can jail Olmert and South Korea can impeach Park and jail her friend, there is no reason why Nepali democracy cannot do the same. More importantly, any friend who seeks prime minister’s help to bring in money from abroad must be thrown into jail instantly. The prime minister should face consequences naturally. Until we do such things we are a democracy only on paper.

Manohar Shrestha, Kathmandu