Letters: Help needed for hundreds who are suffering silently

AS a person who has worked with more than 400 victims of Forced Marriages in Scotland since 2001 I was pleased to read your article on the 'Capital's hidden numbers of forced marriage victims' (News, October 13) as this will help to raise the profile of this often misunderstood issue.

The Council of British Pakistanis (Scotland) has always been at the forefront of important and sensitive issues concerning the ethnic minority communities in Scotland and in our report on Forced and Incompatible Marriages published in 2004 we found that almost 40 per cent of forced marriage victims were male.

For real progress to be made we must see this as an issue which affects men and women and is not just seen as a form of domestic violence. It has far reaching implications for families, health, education, employment, race relations, integration and even radicalisation.

The Forced Marriage Bill sends a strong message about the unacceptability of this practice, but without a broad programme of education amongst communities and concerned bodies this Bill risks being a token gesture which will have minimal impact for the hundreds of men and women who are suffering in silence.

Huma Awan, Racial Equality Officer, Council of British Pakistanis (Scotland)

Inquiry required into trams fiasco

IF the buses are operated in conjunction with the trams I think that there is a good chance that both of them will end up in financial trouble.

Lothian Buses is not solely owned by Edinburgh City Council, the neighbouring councils are joint owners. This means that if the buses end up being sold to alleviate the financial trouble caused by the trams at a knockdown price, the neighbouring councils will stand to lose financially.

Services through West Lothian were withdrawn years ago. Thus it seems unfair to me to impose a further system, i.e. the trams, which again we will not be able to use. At the same time a merger would jeopardise our council's investments.

It is high time that some form of public inquiry be instituted to look into the whole tram business. That inquiry should have the broadest possible terms of reference. This would prevent anyone or body of people claiming that they had exceeded their terms of reference.

This tram fiasco is discrediting our public works system and has become a national disgrace.

It is time to kick the whole lot into touch before any further damage is done.

James Kirton-Vaughan, Broxburn, West Lothian

Honesty wanted on wind power

I WOULD like to remind MPs, MSPs and MEPs that they act on our behalf. It is inconceivable that not a single one disagrees with claims of human-induced global warming, yet none speaks out. Further, they allow it to be promoted as undisputed fact in our schools.

They have surely investigated such claims in greater detail than I, in which case some must have grave doubts. At a time of dire financial emergency they should be making doubly sure of their facts. Some of them must know that a large body of eminent scientists dispute the supposed consensus.

On wind-power, dominating Scotland's manic "green agenda", on what grounds do they ignore the opinion of Nils Gram, of the Danish Federation of Industries (Denmark being by far Europe's most experienced wind farmers): "Windmills are a mistake, and economically make no sense"?

We deserve honesty, not blind party obedience.

Robert Dow, Ormiston Road, Tranent

Ceasefire would boost economy

WHY are we subjected to the same old chestnut from politicians past and present about deficits, weak economy, necessary cutbacks in social services, and so on, when the country must be awash with money judging by our continued aggression in Afghanistan?

If the country is not awash with money, the authorities could invigorate the economy by discontinuing the hostilities.

William Burns, Pennywell Road, Edinburgh