Letter to Gen Pyar Jung Thapa The Chief of Army Staff Gen Pyar Jung Thapa Army Headquarters Kathmandu Sir; We, the Association for the Welfare and Safeguarding of the Glorious History and Tradition of the Royal Nepal Army, are shocked and dismayed at the statements given by, Prachanda, at the premises of the Prime Minister's residence on the evening of Friday, 16 June. This has reference to the statements made by the above individual especially with regard to the way he presented a one-sided account of the activities of the Royal Nepal Army. Not only did he succeed in portray the Army as rapists, looters and murderers of the Nepalese people but also belittled the glorious traditions so far upheld by a disciplined, trained and dedicated Institution. Even more shocking to us is the manner and indifference with which you, your fellow officers and rank and file of the Royal Nepal Army have taken these statements lying down. The Army today, they say, has become spineless with no thought given to the lower ranks but the top brasses have become more conscience of their positions, perks and privileges only. When the Army had the opportunity of defeating the Maoists, people say, you chose to remain indifferent to the conditions in the country and only exercised a willingness to increase your strength with utter disregard for the welfare of the existing lower ranks, while professing logistical and material weakness or rather you chose to introduce and rely solely on technology with utter disregard of the one factor which was always within your reach manpower. People today complain that as your term of office is nearing its completion, you chose to retire without blemish on your record with indifference to the welfare of the glorious traditions of the institution that you lead. We are also shocked and saddened to learn that you bow down to the will of your political masters, who have no regard of the glorious history, traditions and welfare of the institution that you lead. Napoleon once said, "It is better to have an Army of deer that is led by a tiger, than an Army to tigers led by a deer." Sadly you have proven to be nothing less than a deer leading a force of tigers. We feel that you have no one to blame but yourself for the dire conditions that exist in the country today, where a terrorist has the audacity to speak in front of the camera defaming your institution. At the same time, we also urge you to have the courage to gracefully step down, if you feel you have to leave being 'an Officer and a Gentleman.' Your continued stay, in a state of limbo, spineless, without any boldness to dictate terms that are of vital interest to your Institution will do neither you nor your Institution any good at all. For and on behalf of the Members of the Association We urge you to be bold, show signs of courageous leadership and bring back the glory that existed in the Army once again. Bikash P Dewan Coordinator Dharan