Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli fled the country on Tuesday after resigning in the face of youth protests. Nepal has suddenly become abuzz with youth protests. Protests took place in at least seven cities in the country, including capital Kathmandu, on Monday, demanding an end to corruption and protesting a ban on social media.
According to agency reports, at least 19 people were killed in clashes between protesters and law enforcement. At one point, protesters tried to break through police barriers and enter the parliament building. In response to the situation, the government imposed a curfew in Kathmandu and deployed the army.
It is learned that following a recent court order, Nepal’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology gave social media companies a seven-day deadline to register. Bans were imposed on 26 social media and messaging apps, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and X, for not registering within that period.
This has put the young community in crisis. Many residents of the country, who are facing various economic crises including jobs, have chosen these platforms as a means of income. Many foreign tourists visit Nepal every year. Many tourism-related services rely on social media. Many tour operator groups also have developed around Facebook.
In addition to Facebook, many Nepalis run small businesses on popular platforms like Instagram. Naturally, the government’s ban on these platforms has sparked anger among students and the public. Many believe that corruption is the focus of attention rather than the social media shutdown.
Although the incident in Nepal generally highlights the issue of people becoming dependent on social media in various ways, it also has a bigger message, which is to say, the door to freedom of expression and the exchange of ideas must be kept open. Observers believe that people are expressing their concerns about freedom of expression in Nepal in recent times.
This was also seen in the fallen Sheikh Hasina regime in Bangladesh, which resulted in the fall of her government due to the student uprising. This is why the incident of the Gen Z protests in neighboring Nepal is similar. Similarities can be found with the Gen Z movement that took place in July-August last year in Bangladesh.
Nowadays, the indifference of governments to people’s problems or interests and attempts to suppress freedom of expression has become a source of anger among young people around the world. To avoid such a situation, the governments of other countries must give importance to the hopes and aspirations of the people, particularly the youth.
