Letters - Issue #382: POWER OF WATER

POWER OF WATER

I thank you for taking on the issue of trans-boundary water sharing (Editorial, 'The power of water', #381) and bringing it to the public's attention. A strong and united democratic state of Nepal is essential to protect our national interest. A weak and fragmented state on the other hand would have many players ready to sell out. The politics of water is vital for Nepal and is now also linked to climate change. The recent big water battle between three US states (Florida, Alabama and Georgia) is not unrelated to the global warming and drought.

Likewise, India has a 30 percent fresh water deficit, and the next big rush is going to be over water. Don't think that the politics in Nepal is completely for the sake of politics only.

Alok K Bohara,
University of New Mexico, USA

Being diplomatic, you've only hinted at the links between power, water and politics in Indo-Nepal relations in your editorial. My view is that water is the single most important issue and dominates everything else India wants from Nepal. New Delhi will do what it has to do to get a malleable government in Kathmandu. The sooner Nepali leaders come to terms with this, the quicker there will be political stability in Nepal.

Name witheld,
email

TARAI

Thanks a lot, Prashant Jha. I could not control my tears while reading 'The year of the madhes' (Tarai Eye, #380). Nepal is no more the same. I think the time has come for all madhesis to ask the questions that Prashant has raised and it is time for the media to bring these issues to the fore. Let people like Prashant and CK Lal speak clearly. We have already addressed the issue of federalism but now need more efforts to implement it.

Alok,
USA

In the article 'Tarai frontline (#381),' it seems like Prashant Jha is gloating about the actions of the militants. There is no sense of responsibility in his writing and not the slightest sense of remorse for the internally displaced. Is he really advocating the tit-for-tat attacks on madhesis in pahadi dominated areas? However, he does say that these are nothing but Bihari goondas taking advantage of the fluid situation. I hope experienced politicians like Mahanta Thakur will help ease tensions in the madhes, although I haven't heard one madhesi politician condemning the attacks on pahadis.

Sandeep Dhungana,
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NOT RAMAN

Although you have corrected it in your website, for the record I'd like to state that Raman is a friend of mine and he has never been a member in any armed force ('In search of reconciliation', #380). He has been actively working as an outdoor leadership trainer and facilitator to several team building programs.

Prabha,
Kathmandu

We have been working with Raman Bhattarai for more than 10 years in community service and peace and are distressed to see him misidentified in your caption. Mr Bhattarai is a genuine social reformer and has never been in any government, let alone in an army.

Yogendra Khatiwada,
Nodan Club

Re: 'In search of reconciliation'. One of the captions states, Kumar is currently 16 and joined the Maoists in 1993, he would have been a very young comrade indeed. Regardless of whether or not Kumar took up revolutionary politics when he was two years old, the CPN-M wasn't formed until 1995 in any case.

M Grassi,
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