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| LETTERS |
Landing In Controversy Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s proposal to impose ceilings on land ownership has invited controversy, with some political parties rejecting it outright ("Where Is The Land To Distribute?", SPOTLIGHT, August 24). Although the proposal sounds fine, it definitely demanded thorough homework. It is absurd to see the prime minister making such a crucial decision without fully weighing the pros and cons. The abrupt halt in land transactions is likely to throw the government’s ambitious revenue mobilization plan off the track. Besides, the people’s fundamental right has been trampled upon by a single decision, which is certainly not proper in a democracy. Suraj Shakya Rule By Decree Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s proposal to impose ceilings on land ownership and decision to freeze land transactions go against the basic spirit of the rule of law enshrined in our democratic constitution. ("Where Is The Land To Distribute?", SPOTLIGHT, August 24). The land freeze, in particular, has affected people’s daily life. There were so many people planning to sell or buy land for different purposes when the premier made the sudden announcement. Why are these people being denied their right? Land reforms are fine, but they should not come as bolt from the blue. Rabindra
Maharjan Laudable Effort The new land reform programs announced by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba deserve praise ("Where Is The Land To Distribute?", SPOTLIGHT, August 24). After a long time, Nepalis have been able to hear some good news from the government. In fact, all political parties should back Deuba’s decision and help him implement it. Thousands of landless squatters and small farmers will benefit from the redistribution of the land. Ritu Kumar
Pokharel Counterproductive Move The land reforms announced by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is nothing but a sugar-coated bitter pill ("Where Is The Land To Distribute?", SPOTLIGHT, August 24). At first glance, the decision appears to be in favor of the poor, but it turns out to be quite the opposite if one probes deeper. The government will definitely have to buy back the additional land from the landlords after implementing the land ceiling. It is neither proper nor possible for the state to confiscate such lands without giving owners due compensation. The state will need billions of rupees to buy back the land. Where will this money come from? Even if the government somehow manages to raise the money, isn’t it more logical to use it to build infrastructure and industries, which will ultimately benefit the poor people by giving them employment opportunities. Suresh Khatri Land Locked The Deuba government has succeeded in diverting the attention from the much-hyped government-Maoist talks by raising the issue of land reform ("Where Is The Land To Distribute?", SPOTLIGHT, August 24). It is still premature to conjecture how the government will handle the land reform issue but signs are clear that it will find it a hard nut to crack. Already the Terai-based Nepal Sadbhavana Party and Rastriya Prajatantra Party are objecting to the plan tooth and nail. While it should have been concentrating on the issue of talks with the Maoists, the government has unnecessarily brought up the issue of land reforms. Now it is locked up in a political battle to implement it. Krishna Dahal Population Jitters The rate at which the population is increasing in the country is alarming. In the last decade alone, Nepal’s population has increased by five million ("More But Not Merrier", SPOTLIGHT, August 17). This unbridled growth will have an adverse effect on a poor country like ours. The authorities must find the ways to check this trend and keep country’s population at manageable levels. More effective plans must be announced to promote small families and birth control. Baburam KC Disturbing Problem The fact that 16 percent of Nepal’s population below the age of 45 suffer from heart ailments demands greater attention of the authorities towards this disturbing problem ("Disheartening News" SPOTLIGHT, August 17). It would be fatal if the authorities dismiss the news. Better curative facilities are always welcome, but more important are preventive ones. The government and medical professionals must devise better ways of preventing heart diseases in the young and old alike. Om Thapa Kashmir The brief interview of Z.A. Butt -- a Kashmiri national by SPOTLIGHT (August 24) has done very little justice to expose the sufferings of the Kashmiri muslims. Butt seems afraid of speaking the truth the muslims in Kashmir have to face much greater danger and hardships from the security forces. If SPOTLIGHT Newsmagazine is really keen to expose the real situation existing in Kashmir, we are willing to cooperate with them. Ours is a small organization that ties to help rehabilitate the Kashmiris who come to Nepal being unable to bear the atrocities of the security personnel. Bashir
MehmoodJamil and others Unscientific Argument The cover story on land reforms was very in-depth ("Where Is The Land To Distribute?" SPOTLIGHT, August 24). Farmlands are undergoing natural fragmentation. The government should just have encouraged this trend and overseen the handover of the land in the right direction instead of announcing this outdated reform package. Did you see how the prehistoric creatures with underdeveloped brains that we have for our lawmakers thumped the tables in parliament when this plan to make our country still poorer was unveiled? Otherwise, how can they believe that breaking up farmlands into small pieces will increase productivity? If this were so, let us equally award each Nepali with small pieces of land; then we will not have any landless. Does not the hour call for green revolution, mechanization and large-scale agriculture for greater productivity? How can the communists who believe in large agricultural communes support small land ownership? Our lawmakers thump the tables whenever destructive laws are promulgated. They must have thumped even harder when they passed laws for pregnancy medication for all MPs to betaken while roaming the streets in their gleaming Pajeros. In the past decade, have they ever promulgated any law that could make Nepal richer? Instead their activity has reduced the country’s economy to tatters, tourists have stopped coming, industries are closing down, capital is in flight, etc. Even the MP who was a former professor asks the government to reduce the education budget by hundred rupees; last year he had asked for a reduction by one rupee. This clearly shows that his opposition is just for opposition sake, not at all constructive. It would have been more credible if he had said that the hundred rupees reduced from other heading should be added to education. How long will the Nepalese people be saddled with these pea-brained leaders as they take us to the brink on a suicide mission? Shukra Raj
Acharya |
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