Unrest has spilt over into its second day in the South East Asian country of Nepal, with violence escalating. The protests were triggered by the Government’s decision last week to ban 26 social media platforms, including WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook, for failing to meet a registration deadline. Now, Nepal’s prime minister, KP Sharma Oli, has announced his resignation.
In a statement, Mr Oli – who has served intermittently since 2015 – said he was standing down in light of the crisis engulfing Kathmandu. Anti-corruption demonstrators rebelled against an indefinite curfew and clashed with police on Monday, September 8 and again on Tuesday. During the protests, the capital’s Parliament building has been targeted, along with the homes of several high-ranking politicians. At least three people are reported to have been killed on Tuesday, bringing the total to 22 since the unrest began. Earlier today, Mr Oli withdrew the social media ban and called an all-party meeting.
He said: “We have to resort to peaceful dialogue to find solutions to any problem”.
However, the anger towards the Nepalese government has thus far shown no signs of weakening.
One eyewitness revealed that amid protesters setting fire to the homes of politicians, ministers have been forced to escape to safety via military helicopters, reported The Independent. Mr Oli’s private home in Balkot, Bhaktapur, east of Kathmandu, was also set alight after police failed to hold demonstrators back from the compound.
The demonstrators identify as Gen Z, and the term has become a rallying symbol for the movement. While the Government claimed it had banned social media platforms for missing a registration deadline, the move has been widely seen as an effort to crack down on anti-nepotism memes. It has since quickly expanded into a broader revolt against political leaders accused of corruption and misrule.
Among the rallying calls of protesters – armed with national flags – have been: “Stop the ban on social media” and “Stop corruption, not social media”.
Even after the ban was lifted, demonstrators said they would continue to protest: “We are still standing here for our future […] We want this country corruption-free so that everyone can easily access education, hospitals, medical [facilities] […] and for a bright future,” protester Robin Sreshtha told Reuters TV.
The director of the Civil Service Hospital said that 209 people were admitted during Tuesday’s protest. According to the BBC, Dipak Poudel added that 186 have been discharged.
“Many of them [the wounded] are in serious condition and appear to have been shot in the head and chest,” said Dr Badri Rijal from Kathmandu’s national trauma centre.
Flights from Tribhuvan International Airport, the capital’s main airport, located close to the city centre, were cancelled this morning. A few hours later, the civil aviation authority announced the complete closure of the airport with immediate effect.