By Teeka Bhattarai

Dear Editor:

Its late but not too late to review the connection between slained 12 Nepalis in Iraq and US President Bush. I am not a regular visitor to this forum and matter I am going to talk might well have been discussed amongst you. I wanted to appeal you all who are hurt by such incidences as Nepalis ever since I learnt that you were engaged in raising funds for those Nepalis killed in Iraq: it would have been a bigger contribution to campaign against Bush rather than spending your energy to raise funds. Of course, I appreciate it as a kind gesture of solidarity and compassion.

I am neither a communist nor a muslim. When stone were thrown in the mosques of Kathmandu on the 1st September, I felt that the point was diverted. Bush led, oil driven US war in Iraq is the main reason for the killing of our fellow countrymen. Obviously not the muslims of Iraq. We all know who and what makes them extremists. Its the price Nepalis paid for the war that Bush provoked.  Bush is trying to put the cost of the war in the heads of the people of the world as its becoming too expensive for US to continue it. I take that Nepalis were the culprits for anti-US Iraqis to warn the rest of the world not to work for Americans as cheap laborers. With the third world cheap laborers US can continue to assualt Iraqis or whichever country is not coming in terms with.

I don't know, how much the world would have changed with Kerry as US president. Removal of Bush from white house would have been logical and spiritual thing to have those 12 souls to rest in peace.

Let this be my homage to the killed fellows and those who still risk the same fate. I would welcome counter arguments - for my knowledge.

Teeka Bhattarai
Kathmandu
teekab@info.com.np