Nepal: Uncertainty Continues As Army Tries To Stem Violence

(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, Sep 10 (IANS) Nepal continued to witness widespread violence on Wednesday while uncertainty continued over the appointment of an interim government.

To stem further violence, the Army has announced a nationwide curfew from 5 pm on Wednesday until 6 am Thursday, permitting only essential services after coordination with local officials.

On a positive note, some reports said that Gen Z volunteers in Kirtipur hit the streets early Wednesday morning for a cleanup drive. It was part of the youths' online call for a clean-up campaign.

Later in the day, agitating youth, terming the stir as Gen Z protest, proposed the name of former chief justice Sushika Karki as the head of the country's interim government in a virtual meeting on Wednesday.

Thousands of youth protestors attended the meeting online, according to reports.

Before that, the name of Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah emerged as the Gen Z protestors' choice. Popularly known as Balen, he is an engineer-turned-rapper-turned-politician.

Other names doing the rounds are those of the Mayor of Dharan, Harka Raj Rai alias Harka Sampang, renowned engineer Kulman Ghising, and former minister Sumana Shrestha, among others, according to Naagrik newspaper.

Meanwhile, the parliament, the Hilton Hotel, the Supreme Court, and several buildings housing government offices and political parties were ransacked and set on fire.

Inmates were reported to have escaped from Rajbiraj prison in Saptari district, bordering Bihar, after setting fire inside the facility on Wednesday afternoon.

In Parsa, also near the Bihar border, tension at Birgunj prison eased after an hour-long unrest on Wednesday, said a Kathmandu Post report. Inmates had attempted to escape by breaking a large hole in the southern wall of the facility.

Prison chief Khemraj Bhusal told the newspaper that the situation was brought under control after hours of effort by security personnel. Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, and the Nepali Army fired more than ten rounds of aerial shots and tear gas to disperse the unrest, it added.

Protesters also targeted media outlets, torching the Kantipur TV media group's headquarters and vandalising other press properties.

Reports indicate significant damage to public buildings and heritage sites, raising concerns about long-term cultural and economic repercussions if order is not swiftly restored.

“Kantipur's building was attacked today (Tues) and set on fire. As a result, our servers are down, so we are posting all our reporting and updates on our social media platforms. Thanks for supporting our work,” posted the Kathmandu Post on X (formerly Twitter).

According to its update, Nepal's Ministry of Health and Population officials have confirmed that 30 people have died and 1,033 others sustained injuries during the Gen Z-led protests on Monday and Tuesday.

Incidentally, a building of the Ministry, designed by world-renowned American architect Louis I Kahn, was also damaged after protesters set it on fire on Tuesday, it added.

India has stepped up security at the borders and has advised its citizens in Nepal to avoid travel and stay indoors.

Violence broke out on Monday with tens of thousands of youths taking to the streets in protest against the Oli government's ban on 26 social media platforms.

The youth were posting messages on such handles alleging corruption, nepotism, and adverse economic conditions under the Oli government. Though the ban was revoked, it could not stem the violence.

Since late on Tuesday, the Nepal Army has been managing security, including at Tribhuvan International Airport and Singha Durbar in the capital Kathmandu.

Built in 1908, Singha Durbar (Lion's Court), a palace in central Kathmandu, houses buildings of the Nepali Government and several ministries.

The main building was destroyed in the ongoing Gen Z protests, along with the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers.

Facing mounting unrest and political isolation, Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli stepped down from office on Tuesday evening. Since his departure, the Himalayan country has continued without a government, with the army currently in charge.

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