Nepal’s Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli has resigned and the South Asian country’s security chiefs are calling for calm and restraint as protesters, many of them young students, defied a curfew and continued to target government buildings and other symbols of the political elite.
The simmering anger spilled into the streets over allegations of decades-long corruption and nepotism, prompted by a recent social media ban implemented by the government that was quickly reversed — a move that did nothing to quell the demonstrations.
Protesters blocked roads for a second day and set fire to the parliament building and other administrative buildings in the capital Kathmandu, as well as homes of prominent politicians, while army helicopters were seen airlifting some ministers to safety.
Nepal’s military is sending in troops to restore order and try to contain the violence.
On Monday, police countered the large-scale protests with deadly force, leaving 19 demonstrators dead and more than 100 injured.
The United Nations human rights chief Volker Türk has called for an investigation into the killings and into reports of “disproportionate use of force” by Nepal’s security forces.
The ban blocking 26 social media platforms in the country, including Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and WhatsApp took effect on Thursday.
It was widely criticized as a means to stifle dissent, with many sharing anti-government messages online, but the Nepalese government said it was to tackle hate speech and misinformation.
“That was the trigger for the protests to spread quickly,” said John Sifton, Asia advocacy director for Human Rights Watch.
“But really this is about deep-seated frustration, especially among the younger generation, [over] deep-seated corruption and nepotism and poor governance.”
‘Nepo kids’
When the ban came into effect, many from Nepal’s younger generation were already outraged after a viral online movement called out “nepo kids” — children of politicians posting videos online of their fancy cars and lavish lifestyles.
The posts were shared using hashtags such as #NepoKids, #NepoBabies and #PoliticiansNepoBabyNepal, highlighting the disconnect between how the children of politicians live, while alleging the use of taxpayer money, and the lives of most Nepalese.
Many young people in the country can’t find work, with the unemployment rate hovering around 20 per cent, according to the World Bank. The overall unemployment rate rose to 12.6 per cent in 2024, according to Nepal’s National Statistics Office.
Large numbers of people leave Nepal to find work abroad because of a lack of opportunities at home.
The economy relies on money sent back to families in Nepal from an estimated two million workers overseas, and the brief social media ban sparked fears in many trying to keep in touch with loved ones living far away.
“Every one of us has had enough,” 26-year-old student Safal Andolankari told Agence France-Presse on Tuesday, as he spoke about a frustration that had been building for “over two decades, fuelled by corruption.”
“These thugs have troubled us time and again, and what you see now is just a spark ignited by social media.”
Nepal has a dismal ranking from Transparency International, coming in at 107 out of the 180 countries ranked for perceived corrupt practices. That makes it one of the most corrupt in Asia, according to the non-profit organization.
Verified social media video showed Nepal’s parliament building in flames after protesters stormed the building to celebrate the resignation of the prime minister. The resignation followed unrest over government corruption and a social media ban.
‘Purely driven by Gen Z’
The protesters have embraced the term “Gen Z,” and are focused on a better future for Nepal’s younger generation.
One young demonstrator, Taya Chandra Pandey, told the Kathmandu Post that she was hopeful when she looked at the protest movement and what it had achieved.
“This is not being done by any political party, it’s purely driven by Gen Z,” she said.
After Monday’s violence, clashes between police and demonstrators continued, even after the government announced it was rolling back the social media ban.
The parliament building was torched after Oli, 73, declared he was resigning as prime minister.
Many protesters told reporters his ouster was not enough.
“They could easily form another coalition [tomorrow], with all the national parties gathering around the same table once again,” said Andolankari. “But we are here to break this cycle.”
Merina Maharjan, a 30-year-old student told Agence France-Presse that she was shocked at the police’s heavy-handed tactics.
“They should have used rubber bullets,” she said.
Oli’s resignation “is not enough,” she added, saying she wants him held accountable for the violence.
It’s unclear who holds power in the country, with the violent protests still not under control.
Nepal is the third South Asian country to have widespread, student-led protests that have toppled the ruling government in recent years.
In Bangladesh last year, students took to the streets for several weeks and ended up loosening then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s grip, forcing her into exile.
The same scenario happened in Sri Lanka three years ago with students playing a key role in months of protests over failed economic measures. The mass movement dismantled a longtime political dynasty and sent the country’s then-leader Gotabaya Rajapaksa packing.
The turmoil in each country was fuelled by economic frustrations and a sense that long-entrenched political leaders were willfully ignoring corruption allegations.
Both Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have since struggled to implement reforms.
In Nepal on Tuesday, one of the most prominent protesters, activist Sudan Gurung, congratulated his fellow demonstrators in a video recorded while walking along a street in Kathmandu and posted to Instagram.
“The youth has won the protest, won over the country,” he said. “The future is ours.”
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