Young anti-corruption protesters oust Nepal PM Oli
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People stand near burning barricades during protests in Kathmandu, Nepal, on Sept 9.
PHOTO: EPA
Follow topic:
- Nepali protests, driven by youth frustration over corruption and economic issues, escalated, resulting in severe unrest and property damage.
- Prime Minister Oli resigned "to facilitate the solution to the problem" amidst widespread demonstrations and violence; the president seeks a new leader.
- The army urged calm while the US called for non-violence, as protesters celebrated Oli's resignation, though significant tensions remain.
AI generated
KATHMANDU - Nepali Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli was forced to resign on Sept 9 by angry young anti-corruption protesters who defied a curfew and clashed with police a day after 19 people died in a first day of protests.
The outrage was sparked by a social media ban, the 19 dead.
But there was no let-up in the protests
The unrest is the worst in decades in the poor Himalayan country, which is wedged between India and China and has struggled with political and economic instability since protests led to the abolition of its monarchy in 2008.
Young Nepalis have for years been frustrated at the lack of jobs, and millions have gone to work in the Middle East, South Korea and Malaysia, mainly on construction sites, from where they send money home.
“In view of the adverse situation in the country, I have resigned effective today to facilitate the solution to the problem and to help resolve it politically in accordance with the constitution,” Mr Oli said, in his resignation letter to President Ramchandra Paudel.
An aide to Mr Paudel told Reuters the president had begun the process of finding a new premier, but also summoned protest leaders for talks.
Army chief Ashok Raj Sigdel, in a video address, urged the protesters to end the unrest and avoid further loss of life and property, and come for talks.
In a separate statement, the army said it was firmly committed to protecting people’s lives and property.
The US urged all sides to refrain from violence.
A State Department spokesperson said the US remained a “steadfast partner of Nepal, committed to our shared interests in stability, prosperity, and democratic governance”.
Jubilant youths entered the Parliament complex on Mr hearing that Oli had resigned, waving their hands and shouting slogans as smoke rose from sections of the building.
“We won,” one wrote in huge orange letters on the wall of the Parliament building.
Although many protesters remained on the streets, there was no more violence as security forces kept their distance.
PM’s house ransacked
Mr Oli, 73, was sworn in for his fourth term
Early in the day, Mr Oli had summoned all parties, saying violence was not in the interest of the nation and calling for peaceful dialogue. He did not respond directly to the complaints of corruption.
But protesters continued gathering at Parliament and elsewhere in the capital, defying an indefinite curfew.
They set fire to tyres on some roads, threw stones at police in riot gear and chased them through narrow streets.
Witnesses also said protesters had set fire to the homes of some politicians in Kathmandu, and local media said some ministers had been plucked to safety by military helicopters.
A woman gesturing in front of policemen during clashes with protesters in Kathmandu, Nepal, on Sept 9.
PHOTO: EPA
The Singha Durbar area, which houses the Prime Minister’s Office and other ministries as well as Parliament House, and Mr Oli’s private residence were also set on fire, they said.
Footage circulating on social media showed former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and his wife Arzu Rana, foreign minister under Mr Oli, and Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel being attacked by protesters.
Reuters could not immediately verify the information.
Airport closed
Kathmandu airport, Nepal’s main international gateway, was closed because of smoke from fires set by protesters.
Organisers of the protests, which spread to other cities, have called them “demonstrations by Gen Z”, driven by young people’s frustration with a perceived lack of action to tackle corruption and boost economic opportunities.
“The protest was intended, first and foremost, against the rampant corruption in government,” a protester said in an email to Reuters, signing off as ‘A concerned Nepali citizen’.
Demonstrators during a protest in Kathmandu, Nepal, on Sept 9.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Young Nepalis had been posting on social media about the “luxurious lives of the families and children of corrupt politicians and civil servants” until the government clamped down on the platforms, the email said.
Last week, Mr Oli’s government blocked access to several online platforms for allegedly failing to register, saying social media was being used to spread disinformation and commit fraud. REUTERS
