Soldiers guard Nepal’s Parliament, patrol streets after two days of deadly protests
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An armoured vehicle driving past the Parliament house which was set on fire by protesters, in Kathmandu, Nepal, on Sept 10.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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KATHMANDU - Soldiers guarded Nepal’s Parliament and patrolled deserted streets on Sept 10 amid a curfew in the capital Kathmandu, after two days of deadly anti-corruption protests forced Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli to resign.
The upheaval in the poor Himalayan nation was unleashed by a social media ban that was announced last week but rolled back after 19 people were killed
The death toll from the protests had risen to 25 by Sept 10, Nepal’s Health Ministry said, while 633 were injured.
Nepal’s army said relevant parties were coordinating to tackle the situation after the protests and resolve the issue.
The media also said preparations were being made for the authorities and protesters to hold talks, without giving details.
Reuters could not independently confirm the information.
Most of the protesters were young people voicing frustration at the perceived failure of the government to fight corruption and boost economic opportunities, leading to the demonstrations being dubbed the “Gen Z protests”.
The young agitators want former chief justice Sushila Karki as the interim prime minister, Mr Raman Kumar Karna, secretary of the Supreme Court Bar Association, told Reuters on Sept 10.
The group will meet the army chief with the proposal, said Mr Karna, who was consulted by the protesters.
Burnt vehicles and twisted metal heaps littered the area around Parliament, where army firefighters battled to douse a blaze in the main hall, while the exterior was charred after protesters set it ablaze on Sept 9.
Television footage showed young people cleaning up some damaged buildings and clearing debris from roads and the areas near Parliament.
Several other government buildings, from the Supreme Court to ministers’ homes, including Mr Oli’s private residence, were also set ablaze in the Sept 9 protests, with the unrest subsiding only after the resignation.
Armoured vehicles kept vigil in streets that were largely deserted, with shops and markets shut.
Firefighters were engaged at different locations, while the process of clearing roads was also under way, said army spokesman Raja Ram Basnet.
“We are trying to normalise the situation first. We are committed to protecting the life and property of people,” Mr Basnet said, adding that prisoners had set Kathmandu’s Dilli Bazar Jail on fire before the army controlled the situation.
The main airport in Kathmandu also reopened on Sept 10, a spokesperson for the airport said, more than 24 hours after flights were suspended.
Talks to defuse crisis
In an appeal on social media platform X, the army said prohibitory orders imposing a curfew would stay until the morning of Sept 11.
“Any demonstrations, vandalism, looting, arson, and attacks on individuals and property in the name of protest will be considered punishable crimes and strict action will be taken by security personnel,” the post said.
Former Supreme Court judge Balaram K.C. urged the protesters to set up a negotiation team, with the army helping to maintain law and order, and called for fresh elections.
“Parliament should be dissolved, and fresh elections held,” the constitutional expert told Reuters. “They should discuss forming the next caretaker government.”
For years, a lack of jobs has driven millions to seek work in countries and regions such as Malaysia, South Korea and the Middle East, mainly on construction sites, to send money home.
“If shedding blood is good for our future, then it was right for me to participate in the protests,” Mr Suman Rai, 20, who was injured during the demonstrations, said as he lay on a hospital bed with his head and left wrist heavily bandaged.
Wedged between India and China, Nepal has struggled with political and economic instability since protests led to the abolition of its monarchy in 2008.
King Gyanendra, the last of Nepal’s monarchs, said in a statement: “It is highly condemnable to kill and injure hundreds without addressing the genuine demands of the youth. This is against the values of the peace-loving Nepali society.”
In a post on X, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to Nepal’s citizens to maintain peace and order, while Beijing said it hoped social order and national stability would be restored as soon as possible. REUTERS
