Emodus, Believe me, as per my words above, I am as heart-broken as you are about the deaths of those innoccent, nameless, defencesless and poor Nepalis. This is NOT the first time the Maoists have killed innocent Nepalis, nor will this be their last time. Statistically, those Nepalis probably fall somewhere between 13000 and 14000 dead Nepalis so far. With so many dead, even tears do not come easily after a while! It's just that, having seen how Kanak's sort of GENERAL indigation has played out in public in the past, I am LESS swayed by it now than I used to. Let me make myself clear: It's NOT that I personally do not appreciate Kanak's journalistic efforts. I do. I really do. My cynicism here is NOT directed at Kanak per se. It's more toward the card-carrying members of the Nepali civil society, who are quick to look out for the members of their own, WHILE neglecting the poorest and the defenceless citizens to fend on their own. That is why, I can say that all the indigation of the world, no matter how passionate and heart-felt, will NOT: a) force our bus companies set up and carry out better, if any, insurance schemes for our bus-riding Nepalis in the event of deaths like this. b) make our bus companies stop from carrying 100+ passengers in a bus meant for 50 passengers. c) make the army sit up and apologize that it was/is utterly callous/stupid/unprofessional and irresponsible act on its part to INCREASE risks to civilains by having army personnel ride public buses in such a manner. d) make the Maoists renounce violence. In these sad times, it's easy to mourn the deaths of these Nepalis, who are, BTW, related to NO ONE influential and powerful and connected in Nepal. That is why, It's politically incorrect to ASK, well, what can we do in SPECIFIC TERMS so that we learn to use this terrible tragedy to DECREASE the likelihood of such accidents from happening next time, and even if they happen, we learn to mitigate the impact? My argument is this: If we, as a society are doing NOTHING about the nitty-grittyy glamorous work, but only protesting and writing sob-stories, then, no matter, how valid those sob-stories are, we WILL have failed to do real justice to the memory of those dead Nepalis. And that, to me, is the greater tragedy here. Please feel free to disagree, and call me names. I wish you well. oohi ashu