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LETTERS |
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LETTERS |
AIDS Panic The cover story “Ticking Time
Bomb” (SPOTLIGHT December 5) indicates that the country could slide into a disastrous
epidemic if efforts to curtail it are not undertaken with utmost speed and efficiency. The
country is at the same point where many African nations were during the early 1990s. Look
at them now. They are paying the price of complacency. We must learn proper lessons from
their experiences. Jeevan Gurung Concerted Efforts Required Thank you for highlighting the critical
need to reduce maternal mortality in Nepal in your cover story (“Unsafe
Motherhood” SPOTLIGHT November 14). One issue mentioned in the article that deserves
additional attention is the collaboration among agencies and organizations working in the
field of Safe Motherhood. As the article highlights, the underlying issues contributing to
maternal mortality are complex and go beyond the health sector. As such, a concerted
effort is needed to address these issues. Often terms such as "collaboration"
and "partnership" are grossly overused in development, but having been part of a
community of public health professionals working to improve maternal health in Nepal
for over the past three years, I have had the privilege of contributing to and seeing
initiatives to work together for the betterment of health. We are still struggling
to deal with these issues but are making a real effort to work together to address them.
Your article highlighted the work of some specific partners but I wanted to take
the opportunity to let your readers know that, together with government, there are many
NGOs, INGOs and donors committed and involved in making motherhood safer for the women of
Nepal. Anita Gibson One Dimensional View I agree with the idea that the Nepali press
has always depicted Girija Prasad Koirala as some nasty character (“Still
Reconciliatory” SPOTLIGHT November 21). He sure has made some blunder but that should
not be the only way of looking at him. He is the one who can really fight against any of
the problems that face our nation. He can urge the royal forces to correct their mistakes.
There are leaders like Bamdev Gautam who has no stand of his own. They are like candles in
the wind – blowing where the wind directs them. But Girija, being the brother of late
B.P. Koirala, has real guts to tackle with any of the force of the state and outside the
country. But for one thing he could have united the party. Because of his stubborn
stance the Nepali Congress party has been divided because of which the party does not
remain the biggest political outfit anymore. May be we can blame him on this matter. Krishna Sigdel Keen Observation I would like to thank Bipin Adhikari for
his article “An Eagle does not Catch Flies” (SPOTLIGHT Nov. 14) on human rights.
He has given an observant look at the developing situation of the military operation to
weaken the Maoists activities in the country. I fully agree with him. People are not at
ease after the military mobilization. In a very recent incident in the capital an innocent
civilian lost his life for no fault. Life is precious to all and the military are
duty-bound to protect the lives of the people. But the practice of security forces does
not seem too appropriate. As it is said, power tends to corrupt - both the warring groups
have inclined to abuse the basic human rights. When the offence is obvious to the public,
they defend the fact with some kinds of excuses. Confession does not diminish their
importance, it rather establishes them. It is a pity that neither of the side is ready to
realize this fact. Purnima Baidya Editorial Autonomy Your article “Question of
Supremacy” (SPOTLIGHT, November 21) pointed that media freedom in the country could
be in jeopardy. Although most senior journalists prefer to say that they enjoy full
editorial autonomy, the article suggests that not everything they say is true. The
resignation of three editors from the reputed dailies does indicate that there are
conflicts of interest. Yubaraj Ghimire has played a very important role to establish the
reliability of the Kantipur daily. Kapil Kafle had already served the Kamana Prakashan for
17 years. Likewise, many others have their own story to say. We have been practicing the
professional journalism after the popular movement of 1990. And surely the investment from
the private sector has been the milestone in the Nepali journalism. But what if the
speculation in the market is true that the corporate houses are only serving their own
interest? Should they be accountable to the public or not? Should it remain just a mean to
amass the wealth? There is a need to have a wide debate regarding this. Nirman Rai |
Send your feedback to the
editor: spotligh@mos.com.np |
