Nepal’s prime minister, KP Sharma Oli, has stepped down after more than a dozen people were killed and hundreds injured during youth-led demonstrations triggered by a social media ban by the
government, corruption, and a lack of economic opportunities.
Security forces used live ammunition, water cannons, and tear gas against protesters across several cities, with authorities confirming at least 19 deaths, according to Reuters.
The Himalayan nation of 30 million people has a history of political instability, havi
ng seen over a dozen governments since becoming a republic in 2008, when it abolished a 239-year-old monarchy following a decade-long civil war.The current wave of protests, led by young people between the ages of 13 and 28 — Nepal’s Generation Z — has been described as the most serious unrest the country has faced in decades.
KP Sharma Oli announced his resignation on Tuesday in a letter that cited “the extraordinary situation” in the country, according to a copy of the note shared online by a senior aide.
Despite a curfew imposed in central Kathmandu, crowds of protesters returned to the streets on Tuesday, shortly after the government lifted the social media ban.
According to CNN, images published by Reuters showed demonstrators setting a police booth and furniture on fire outside the office of the Nepali Congress, the country’s largest political party.
The international airport in the capital was also shut down as violence disrupted operations, Reuters reported, quoting the aviation authority.
In Chandrapur, south of Kathmandu, police fired warning shots as residents gathered in defiance of the curfew, a local official told CNN. Protesters also torched a police vehicle during the clashes, the source added.
Comments
Post a Comment