Nepal, Asia – The tranquil streets of Kathmandu turned violent on Monday as thousands of young people, part of the Gen-Z movement, protested against the government’s decision to ban 26 social media platforms.
The demonstrations, which began peacefully, escalated into clashes with law enforcement officers, resulting in the deaths of at least 19 protesters and hundreds more injured.
Pabit Tandukar, a 22-year-old university student, was among those injured. “We were there for a peaceful protest. They were initially firing tear gas at us and we were pushing back. Suddenly, I was shot,” Tandukar recounted to newsmen describing the chaos that unfolded outside the parliament building.
The government, led by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, responded to the protests with force, deploying security forces and imposing a curfew.
Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak resigned on Monday evening, citing moral responsibility for the deaths. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Oli also resigned, but the protesters are demanding more – the dissolution of parliament and new elections.
“We need to kick these old leaders out of power. We are tired of the same old faces,” said Yugant Ghimire, a 27-year-old artificial intelligence engineer who participated in the protest. “The government is on a power trip, there is rampant corruption, no one is accountable.”
The protesters have released a set of “non-negotiable demands,” including the dissolution of parliament, mass resignation of parliamentarians, and immediate suspension of officials who issued the order to fire on protesters.
The government, however, had imposed the social media ban to regulate the use of fake online identities and prevent the spread of rumors and cybercrimes.
“We planned a peaceful protest with cultural events and fun,” said Anil Baniya, one of the organizers. “During the first few hours, it went as planned, until some external forces and political party cadres joined in the protest and agitated the armed forces and pelted stones.”
The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and Amnesty International have condemned the killings and called for transparent investigations into the events of Monday.
Nepal’s communications and information technology minister, Prithvi Subba Gurung, announced the lifting of the social media ban, but the protesters remain resolute in their demands.
“We now have more of a duty to live up to the expectations of our friends who were murdered by the state,” said Baniya. “We need to topple this government, we demand mass resignation and we want them out. This is our country.”
The situation in Nepal remains tense, with protesters defying curfew restrictions and clashing with security forces. The government faces a significant challenge in addressing the protesters’ demands and restoring stability to the country.
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