Lost Decade
It is very unfortunate that many communities have suffered a lot in the last one decade, whether during the period of Maoist insurgency or after the ceasefire. Your cover story Business Community: Under Siege (Mar 7-13) is a well written story. I agree with you that following a spate of attacks, abductions, extortion and even killings of members of their fraternity, the business community, as a whole, has been feeling the worst phase of insecurity and uncertainty. Although it was too late, the government has finally agreed to fulfill the demand of business community to have special force to deal with industrial insecurity.
Shivaram Shrestha
S. K. Trader Indrachowk
Via Email
Agitated Lot
Vice president of Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Kush Kumar Joshi, who has already announced to contest next elections for the presidentship of the federation, has rightly pointed out that the business community will not pay the tax, if the government doesn’t pay attention to our call. It is true that business community needs special security when they are under attacks. From Maoists to other extremists in southern plain, all of them are still demanding extortion. The government has been talking about the need to establish industrial security force; the time has come to set up it. Otherwise, the confrontation between the government and industrialists seems inevitable.
Jeevan Lama
Via Email
Election Saga
It was interesting to read your cover story on The Elections Process Begins: What Next? (February 29- March 6). Despite the claims of political parties to hold the elections on schedule, the uncertainty still persists. The candidates of Seven Party Alliance are still threatening the candidates of other parties. It was very amazing to read the hostile statements of Maoist leader Prachanda who says that his party will capture the power through force in case of defeat in the election. Similar threat is coming from other constituents of seven party alliance. The election is still uncertain not because of other forces but because of behavior of leaders of seven party alliance.
Sri Ram Bista
Sanepa
Too Much Pessimism
After reading your cover story on CA elections, I found that your views are too pessimistic and you seem to be biased against the election for CA. At a time when country’s large number of population are eagerly waiting to vote in the election for CA, I don’t think anybody can disrupt the poll this time. I am hopeful that the new constitution written by the CA will change the face of Nepal and end all kinds of discriminations. I hope you too will write articles showing the people that CA does not have any other alternative. By writing against the CA poll, you have been encouraging regressive forces who want to retain the power.
Avaya Nepali
Melborne Australia
Via Email
No Rights
At a time when the country is heading towards the election and the status of the government is reduced just to a government with very little power, this government has no right to take major decision with far reaching consequences. Unfortunately, this government is selling out country’s major power projects to the foreign companies. After selling out Upper Karnali project, it has recently decided to hand over another project Arun II. It is strange to see that none of the populist newspapers have shown any guts to write about the decision taken by minister of water resources Gyanendra Bahadur Karki and his team. Of course, Nepal needs more foreign investment and private sector investment is justifiable but why this government cannot wait for another few months to sign the agreements. Although water resource expert Ananda Bahadur Thapa has been exposing the deals, all other water resource experts, so called fanatic nationalist and communists, seem to be in no mood to raise the issue.
Rabin Kandangba
Dharan
Via-email
