Nepal reels on day 3 as Army patrols streets
New Delhi, Sep 10: Nepal’s army has taken control of the streets of Kathmandu as the Himalayan nation grapples with its worst unrest in decades, following two days of violent protests that have left more than 20 people dead. On Tuesday, demonstrations against corruption and nepotism spiralled into arson and mob violence. Parliament was stormed and set ablaze, politicians’ homes and government buildings were torched, and several senior leaders were attacked.
Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli resigned under pressure, leaving a leadership vacuum as the military struggles to restore order.
On Wednesday morning, the capital remained tense. Regional media reported that smoke rose from gutted buildings, vehicles lay charred on major roads, and a nationwide curfew was extended until Thursday. Army troops fanned out across Kathmandu and other major cities from the early hours, enforcing restrictive orders in Lalitpur, Bhaktapur and elsewhere. The army, which assumed command of security operations nationwide at 10 pm on Tuesday, warned that groups were “taking undue advantage of the difficult situation” and causing “severe damage to ordinary citizens and public property.”
The unrest has also disrupted air travel as curfew and massive patrolling on the streets continue. The protests, led by Nepal’s “Generation Z”, were triggered last weekend when the government attempted to ban 26 social media platforms, including WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook. Though the ban was hastily lifted, the move tapped into deeper anger over corruption, nepotism and the lavish lifestyles of political elites. A “nepo kid” campaign that had gained traction online provided much of the fuel for the movement.
The violence has shocked the political class as well as the citizens, not only in Nepal but also in India too. The viral video of how unarmed family members of the political class were being beaten up sent anger amongst many citizens. Former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, Nepal’s most experienced politician, was beaten and bloodied by a mob along with his wife and foreign minister Arzu Rana Deuba. Former prime minister Jhala Nath Khanal’s home was also set on fire; his wife, Rajyalaxmi Chitrakar, later died of burn injuries sustained in the blaze. Finance minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel was chased and attacked by protesters, while properties belonging to President Ramchandra Paudel, former prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and several senior ministers were targeted.
But the student-led organisers have insisted they are not behind the violence. In a statement on Wednesday, the BBC reported that the protest groups said their movement had been “hijacked by opportunist infiltrators” and reaffirmed their commitment to non-violence. “Our movement was and remains non-violent and rooted in the principles of peaceful civic engagement,” they declared, pledging to help “responsibly manage” the situation and safeguard citizens. They also announced that no further protests were planned.
The protests erupted into deadly clashes on Monday when police opened fire on demonstrators in Kathmandu, killing 19 people. The death toll has since risen to more than 20. The military and security agencies have jointly appealed for restraint and dialogue, but with the prime minister’s resignation, flights grounded, and the parliament building reduced to ashes, Nepal faces a profound crisis of governance. The unrest has underlined the fragility of its political institutions, two decades after the end of a tough Maoist insurgency.
CPJ URGES NEPAL TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS AMID UNREST
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called on Nepali authorities to guarantee the safety of media workers covering the ongoing protests in the country. The appeal follows reports that the offices of at least two media outlets were set on fire and four journalists sustained injuries while reporting on the unrest. CPJ said attacks on journalists and media institutions undermine press freedom and the public’s right to information, urging the government to take immediate measures to protect reporters on the ground.
