Nepal has seen widespread anti-corruption protests in recent days, led by young people.
Peaceful demonstrations turned deadly when security forces opened fire on crowds in the capital on Monday, killing at least 17. The death toll has since risen to at least 30.
The Prime Minister has resigned and protesters have set fire to the country’s Parliament.
Corruption
Nepal has faced political instability following the abolition of its monarchy in 2008.
When anti-corruption body Transparency International surveyed Nepalis in 2020, it found 84% believed “government corruption is a big problem”.
A recent viral TikTok trend has seen young Nepalis criticise corruption by highlighting government ministers’ “nepo kids,” who are seen to live in luxury in a country where the per capita income is just over $AU2,000 a year.
Social media
Last week, Nepali officials said a range of popular social media platforms had failed to register with the country’s communications body by a set deadline, and would be blocked.
The Government said the registration was intended to manage hate speech, fake news and online fraud, while critics said it was an attempt at censorship and controlling free speech.
More than two million people born in Nepal live overseas. Blocking platforms such as WhatsApp would have restricted millions of people’s communication with their families.
Monday
The ban ignited long-simmering anger over government corruption.
Demonstrations organised by a group called ‘Hami Nepal’ (We Nepal) began at 9am on Monday (local time) in the centre of Kathmandu, the nation’s capital. The group had official permission to hold the rally.
Thousands of young people gathered holding signs against corruption and calling for the ban to be lifted.
Crowds then moved towards the Nepali Parliament, where some demonstrators entered a restricted zone, climbed walls, and tried to enter Parliamentary buildings.
Police began using water cannons, tear gas and rubber bullets on the crowds.
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According to multiple reports and eyewitness accounts, police then fired live rounds on demonstrators, injuring hundreds and killing 17 people.
On Monday night, Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli called an emergency cabinet meeting.
In a statement, he said he was “deeply saddened” by what had happened but blamed the violence on the “infiltration by various vested interest groups”. He did not specify who the groups were.
He also said his Government was “not negative” towards the Gen Z protesters’ demands.
Initially, there was resistance within the Government to lift the social media ban, with some reports suggesting Oli was strongly opposed to reversing the decision.
Tuesday
On Tuesday morning, Communications Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung announced that the ban would not go ahead.
He told Reuters: “We have withdrawn the shutdown of the social media. They are working now.”
The Government promised compensation for the families of those killed and free medical treatment for the injured.
That day, protesters set the Parliament in Kathmandu on fire, as well as Oli’s house and other government buildings and political party offices.
International airports were briefly closed, and curfews were instituted around the country.
Videos have circulated online purporting to show protesters beating Nepal’s Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel and forcing him to walk through a river. TDA has not been able to independently verify the footage.
Prime Minister Oli resigned on Tuesday, citing the “adverse situation”.
World
A joint statement from international diplomats in Nepal said: “We are deeply saddened by the violence… We urge all parties to exercise maximum restraint”.
A UN Human Rights Office spokesperson said they have received “several deeply worrying allegations of unnecessary and disproportionate force” by authorities during the protests.
The office has called for an investigation.
