Letters to the editor

Editor’s note:

Some readers have expressed concern that their eighth-series banknotes are now worthless. That is not the case: they can still be exchanged at the Swiss National Bank and its agencies. See: revue.link/banknotes

Priya Ragu conquers the music world

Thank you for your article on Swiss/Tamil artist Priya Ragu. Every success story involving an immigrant to Switzerland or their children, whether refugee or not, is another step towards more tolerance in our society. Ms Ragu’s story is particularly interesting for us.

Raoul Imbach, Swiss embassy, Sri Lanka

Advancing the cause of music is always a good thing, whatever type it may be. You will realise your dream of having a music festival in Jaffna. Here’s to making the most of your opportunities!

Didier Mehenni, Crans Montana, Switzerland

This is very beautiful in the journey she is on, the music, the positive forward movement, and all the inclusiveness. May we all see and encourage the merits in each of us, and the common humanity we have that binds us beyond all other differences.

Louise Gogel, Vermont, USA

The Swiss arms industry is on the defensive

Switzerland should think more about where it buys weapons for its own army and less about its arms exports. Switzerland’s military exports are somewhere between modest and insignificant. As you point out, Switzerland is not allowed to export arms to countries at war, or that occupy other countries and abuse human rights. But what about the arms imports? How can a supposedly neutral country like Switzerland buy Israeli drones and F-35 fighter jets from the US? And that’s not all, the F-35s technically remain under US control, although Switzerland has paid the full purchase price.

Walter Gasser, USA

I’ve always found it immoral that Switzerland sells arms, even after the easing of the rules governing exports to countries experiencing civil war, and each time a popular vote rejects a more restrictive proposal, I tell myself that every voter is responsible for deaths in different countries throughout the world. It’s totally unacceptable for a neutral country.

Serge Leuba, Altea, Spain

The golden jackal appears in Switzerland

Thank you for the great article. I always like to hear about a new type of animal appearing in Switzerland. It shows just how resilient some animals are. With so much agricultural land and construction everywhere, there isn’t much left for the wildlife. Unnatural living space in new developments means the animals are losing their habitat.

Ursula Doughty, USA

Switzerland’s paradoxical love affair with cash

Once again, we see the needs of the Swiss Abroad being completely overlooked. It would have been helpful if our National Bank would have come to an agreement with banking institutions in other countries about taking over the notes withdrawn from circulation. Many Swiss Abroad have not inconsiderable sums stashed away because Swiss banks dissolved their accounts. There are also other ways in which money could be exchanged in any given country. It is both impossible and unreasonable to expect the Swiss Abroad to travel to Switzerland with their money.

Hans Peter Steiner, Makotrasy, Czech Republic

Cash is freedom and independence.

Jiri Cettl, Switzerland

I read about the banknotes in “Swiss Review” on 15 December, but the banknotes were recalled in April. That wasn’t ideal. We still have some francs in cash, so we can make minor purchases on arrival in Zurich. But we haven’t been able to travel because of the Corona pandemic.

Lutz Venzlaff Irvine, California, USA

I am happily retired – I love life – however, I never make payments by bank card. I never make purchases on the internet. I have no faith in it with all these hackers and thieves with their knowledge of electronics. It also gives the authorities too much power. As for social media, what have they got to do with reality. The evolution of our computerised society is deplorable. If banknotes do become a thing of the past.... that’s when it will be time to leave this world.

Christian Tinguely, Brazil