Kathmandu (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli resigned on Tuesday, according to his aide, as anti-corruption demonstrators went on to clash with police in defiance of the indefinite curfew. This came just a day after protests over a social media ban turned violent, killing 19.
Earlier on Tuesday, Oli met with all political parties and reiterated that violence does not do any good for the country, stating that they must embrace peaceful engagement for any potential resolution.
However, anger towards the government remained intense, with protesters assembling in front of parliament and various locations in Kathmandu, despite an indefinite curfew enforced by authorities.
Oli’s government lifted the social media ban after violent protests that resulted in 19 deaths and over 100 injuries after the police used tear gas and rubber bullets against protesters who were trying to take over parliament on Monday. “The PM has quit,” an aide to Oli, Prakash Silwal, said to Reuters.
How did the violent protests escalate in Kathmandu?
Protesters set tyres on fire on some streets, threw rocks at police in riot gear, and pursued police through narrow alleyways. Some witnesses filmed the altercations on their phones as thick black smoke rose. According to reports, hundreds of residents from towns near the India-Nepal border had begun marching towards Kathmandu to support the protesters.
Protest organisers, which expanded to other cities within the Himalayan nation, have described them as “demonstrations by Gen Z”. These protests are fueled by widespread frustration among young people over the government’s perceived inaction in addressing corruption and improving economic opportunities.
What sparked outrage over the government’s social media ban?
The country, situated between India and China, is experiencing its worst unrest in decades. It has faced ongoing political instability and economic uncertainty since protests resulted in the abolition of its monarchy in 2008.
The protests in Nepal were mainly driven by the government’s ban on prominent social media platforms, including Facebook, X and YouTube.
The government claimed it was targeting misinformation and hate speech with what it described as a social media ban. This ban sparked outrage, especially among the youth (“Gen Z”), in Nepal’s cities. There was a further level of frustration surrounding government corruption and “nepo kids,” children of politicians who are always given preferential treatment – a symbol of nepotism.
