Best Letters of the Week

Oppressed Tibet
It is in reference to the special report on "Tibetans' immolation" (TSI, July 15). If Beijing officials thought their strong-armed crackdowns earlier this year would put an end to self-immolation protests, they’ve been proved wrong. Though the trend slowed in April, suicides as protests against Beijing’s oppressive rule have surged again, with three people lighting themselves on fire late last month. If Beijing wants a harmonious society, as it professes, the only path forward is to address the root causes of Tibetan antipathy: The government’s near-totalitarian controls on their religion and culture. Last month’s US government report on human rights in China cites ongoing "extra-judicial killings, torture, arbitrary arrests, extra-judicial detentions and house arrests" in Tibet. Blocking foreigners from entering will do nothing to improve the situation inside the region, neither would keep the truth about Chinese rule from getting out. As the Communist Party faces the worst political turbulence since 1989 on the eve of a national leadership transition, provoking unrest in Tibet is just one more sign that authoritarian rule is failing.
KS Padmanabha,
Secunderabad

Strategic information
The cover story, ‘Accounting for intelligence’, by Mayank Singh (TSI, July 15) puts forth the areas in the country’s intelligence framework which requires an overhaul. The November 2008 attacks in Mumbai have highlighted the need for a revamp of security imperatives. Reforms in the intelligence sector to improve efficiency have been making rounds for quite some time. Now it is high time for their proper implementation. For that better networking and effective co-ordination between the various agencies working for national security is important. Not only would it facilitate proper exchange of strategic information, but it will also check overlapping of areas of operation. Apart from modernisation of intelligence machinery, reforms are also needed in the process of recruitment, training and deployment of personnel based on proper evaluation of strategic risks and security challenges.
Rama Guha,
24 Parganas (North)

Injustice
In reference to the editorial Note on “Court for the rich.... who for poor Pinki?” (TSI, July 22), I would like to endorse the views expressed and like to add that it is a slur on the civilised world especially India to have behaved in a most uncivilised manner. As for the media and police, it seems that they lack general working ethics and sense especially when dealing with human being. Even so much that the concerned hospital too should not have supplied the video clippings of the gender test. In fact the media, hospital staff and police should feel ashamed for dealing with Pinki’s case in such uncivilised and beastly manner. All concerned should remember that Pinki is still in investigation stage hence she cannot be treated as criminal.
R Sinha
Kolkata