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Peru's former president Alberto Fujimori seems to want us to believe that he is a victim of circumstance [WORLD, Dec. 11]. When he was President, however, he was preoccupied with consolidating and maintaining power from the moment he took office. He bullied through legislation to allow him to run for a third term, and his government has been responsible for human-rights abuses, the censorship of free speech and the oppression of the media. It has also been charged with corruption. Rather than being glad that Fujimori is doing well in Japan, we should be delighted at the restoration of democracy in Peru. VLADIMIR A. GOMEZ Edmonton, Alta.
Harrowing Tale of Corruption
I was horrified by your story about the acid attack on the Chinese woman Wu Fang and the corrupt officials who have blocked her attempts to obtain justice [WORLD, Dec. 11]. I have read it again and again. We are so fortunate to live in a society in which such acts are totally unacceptable.
I hope that this story has touched the heart of one of our more compassionate plastic surgeons who can care for this poor woman. We help other injured and sick people from abroad to come to our hospitals so that they can be treated. What about this poor woman? Thank you for reporting on such atrocities. We need to be reminded of what is really happening in the world. JAMES LATOUR Nanaimo, B.C.
It was unfair to imply, on the basis of one ugly episode, that corruption is rampant in China. Wu Fang's cause has been taken up by conscientious Chinese journalists before courts of law and other forums. In other cases, some senior government officials and politicians have already been executed or jailed on charges of embezzlement and bribe taking. The Chinese leadership is aware of the consequences of unchecked corruption. The situation is not so grim as your report would have readers believe. PARVEZ RAHIM Karachi
The cancer of corruption is endemic not only in China but also in India, Pakistan and most other Asian and African countries. The devastating effect it can have on a society is best illustrated by a comparison between Singapore and Indonesia. Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew was totally honest and placed the welfare of Singapore first. But in Indonesia, Suharto was primarily concerned with enriching himself, his sycophants and his family. Aid from the World Bank will not improve the abysmal living conditions in the Third World so long as the cancer of corruption exists. ARVIND P. DATAR Chennai, India
Even Trees Feel a Shock
I was amused by Moshe Alamaro's approach to reforesting depleted areas--dropping specially packaged saplings from a plane [INVENTORS & INVENTIONS, Dec. 4]. When I taught silviculture (the cultivation of forest trees) in the mid-'80s, I showed students a similar aerial delivery system developed by the Canadian Forest Service. I would ask students to imagine how they would respond if dropped out of an airplane from 100 ft. Numerous trials have shown that rough handling of seedlings can reduce their growth after field planting.
I can imagine that an aerial delivery system would depress seedling performance. In order to reforest, we need to plant billions of seedlings. But let's make sure we use proper silviculture practices that will ensure that high-quality seedlings are planted and able to grow into future forests. STEVEN C. GROSSNICKLE Brentwood Bay, B.C.