Rajani Shrestha on National identity crisis, New! :
Very well written piece Rubeena ji...I wonder why so called Nepalese or Nepali whatever they call themselves are spreading hatred among each other in the name of ethnicity!!! They are not real Nepali I must say! It really sucks to see these educated illiterates supporting ethnic state rather than Nepali state...where everyone lives in peace and harmony!!! Federalism is good, for decentralization of power that Kathmandu has been enjoying all these years! But absolutely BIG-NO to ethnic federalism...I wish everyone understands what being Nepali actually means...Long live Nepali brotherhood!  ....

Sachin Joshi on National identity crisis, New! :
Dear Ms. Rubeena,Hats off to you for your amazing write-up. sp simple yet so powerful.I am a Newari. I am proud of my culture, my festivals, my language, my food, my music, my community BUT I do not want a Newar State for only me and my community in New Nepal. I strongly oppose ethnicity based federalism. I just wish for a Nepal which could be a common garden for all ethnic groups. Let not divide our county based on the ethnicity.We want peace. Not pieces.Kudos to you !!Jai Nepal,Sachin....

Heather on National identity crisis, New! :
Dear RUBEENA ~ You belong to those who are about progress and advancement for all people ~ we can maintain our culture and heritage and still 'belong'. Truly, you are amazing ~ I wish many others will embrace themselves and others with wisdom, caring, and integrity!  Thank you for being brave to share your voice & to ask everyone to also do the same! Namaste!!!  ....

BJ on I am Amrit Nepali :
@ #68 Easterngirl,Honestly, I do not know where Nepal is heading toward but one thing for sure, more than 90 percent of the people fighting in the street for federal Nepal don't have a clue into what they are getting into or maybe they really do, more than me actually. But one thing for sure no matter how many times we chant of unity and togetherness, there is always going to be a little voice in our heart rooting for our heritage, insisting that we will always be safe in our own little "group."The best and the most honest comment among all. Very well said! ....

shyam on I am Amrit Nepali :
i know that the debate on this issue & many other issues that have risen from it  will never end. the main issue being Federalism in Nepal . But with due respect to amrit dai's thinking, i assume that there is mixing up of many things that shouldn't be done in first place. federalism is one thing, identity based federalism is another thing, ethinicity is another thing. But we all are entangling these different terms into one like a knot that is really complicating & distorting the fact. For me, Firsti will go with federalism in Nepal, for a simple reason that we have already witnessed our past without federalism & no one can deny the fact that we have seen much whether it be country's working system, centralised policy, political atmosphere, lack of basic resources more to distant parts. No we cannot accept that some handful of opportunistic who dwell in centres are wasting country's resources for their personal cause due to abundance there but those common countrymen who reside in distant parts are craving for it.Above all advocating that only centre can have the grip to control everything in whole country isn't really a good opinion one may hold. Federalism is the only option now, cause it itself is not a division of the country but a pure revision in our system & policy, equal rights allocation to every capable citizen of each & every corner of country without discrimination.for ethinicity & identity, i will only say that many have misinterpreted it with communal division that is really creating a scenario now. though we nepalese are from different caste, religion, beliefs but we are so deeply interconnected in our cultures that we can repell any foul play against it. i kindly request that don't misinterpret federalism with communal division so that true motives of it might be lost that we can never revive it again.we all are always proud to be nepali.....

desh premi limbu on I am Amrit Nepali :
sahi article dai,maile pani mane...ma pani limbu ko choro hun...limbu ko bhasa/sanskriti bachaunu parcha bhanchu....school ma yo language padayios...tara teso garna jatiye sangiyeta nai hunuparch vanne jasto chai lagdaina...jatiya sangiyeta bina pani hami sabai milera aafno dharma/bhasa/sanskriti bachau na sakchum..hami sabai nepali hum...jatuya adharma sangiyeta lerauda hami bich ko sadbhav bigrincha...tehi vayera sangiyeta chai geographical adharma nai hunu parcha...jai nepal....

Citizen on I am Amrit Nepali :
We definitely deserve a good system, and it will happen because of so many creative ideas here. Nepal has good future.....

nepali keti on National identity crisis, New! :
thank you Rubeena, for bringing out in words what I had in mind. like many other Nepalis, i too find myself very confused these days. what do i call myself? where do i belong? how should i feel about this whole federal states based on one ethnicity? will i be hated in naya nepal because of my last name? the endless bandas and now yet another CA extention. I think about the mess we are in right now and i think about  all my smart, brilliant friends who went abroad to study and settled there permanently, and it's very obvious why none of them want to return. and as horrible as i feel to say this about my own country, sometimes i regret coming back as well. ....

selina on National identity crisis, New! :
Thanks Rubeena, human rights for all is what Nepalis should be fighting for: a decent education for all kids,  health, water and basic amenities for all. If the people unite -they/we hve the power -not the incompetent, corrupt and power lust politicans who use 'ethnic rights' as a divisive tool to keep citizens divided, and so in turn keep their own power.....

asha on I am Amrit Nepali :
To all brothers and sisters, everybody wants to call one Nepali but all these comments are telling it self where you are...we shouldn't be fighting for Amrit or Abhishek, they both are right on their point of view.For peace we all should be one Nepali and Nepal...Our leaders are not the right role models for our people and country!!! No body should treat differently, we all should have one law one regulation and one vision.........one doesn't look like you doesn't mean you have to make your own mind policy.....I am sure we all know....

Bipin Tripathi on The losing game:
A good read. Someone said that majority of our leaders are not leaders but led-ers. They are led. And what about us? Just cause we were born here does not make us a Nepali. What have we done for the sake of this country? What have we done for the sake of our society? Only those who have love for this land and act like they do, have the rights to call themselves Nepali. How would you like to call yourself a Nepali?....

Bhumika Ghimire on The losing game:
32 comments..guess 33rd won't be a big deal..anyway, yes the country should be united, strong and not be a card in the hands of politicians. but how do we get there? is a contentious issue. I believe that centralizing everything in Kathmandu is bad. We have to de-centralize, encourage local governance and involve the local population in decision. What you said in your post on community forests is a good one.Also, value of culture preservation can never be over stated. And I mean culture as a bond that binds us as Nepalis, not the religious/communal kind. Humans had culture before organized religion came into being. Number of experts have said that decline of local culture/ indigenous heritage in Africa hurting the continent is so many ways.So, let us preserve our national soul-Newa, Tamang, Magar, Tharu etc, these are all OUR heritage and we have to keep them alive. ....

Sigmund on I am Amrit Nepali :
By your line of thinking .... unity through language.... wouldn't it be better to just learn one international language and join the world community?  Doesn't Patriotic unity just provoke International division?   ....

b on I am Amrit Nepali :
well said amrit. we all are nepalese and talking about ethnicity in this 21st century should be of past. yes there should be recognistion of each other but not to that extent of dividing the country into single ethnic identity . in that case where will the rest of us fit in? we should take pride in our diversity and recognise it as a strength not to divide. there are certain classes which still command the state's apparatus, but ethnic groups have also come long way. we can see many influential figures of ethnic group occupying the highest position. so bottomline is we should treat and respect each other and indulge in creating a social stratification of distress, hate and anger...peace to all...  ....

Sigmund on National identity crisis, New! :
It was a great article, emphasizing the need for a National identity.  Our personsal identities have to go deeper than gender, skin color, race, trible, caste, country, physical appearance, etc.  In my country, the US, we also struggle with these issues, even though we call ourselves "the melting pot" of the world.  I wonder what people would say our National identity is?  Sigmund, the psychiatrist. ....