The youth of Nepal, of Nepal, a South Asian country, rose up against the government in the name of regaining freedom of expression on social media platforms. However, what unfolded were scenes filled with darkness. A large-scale unrest erupted. Bloody confrontations occurred between police and civilians. Roads were blocked, and damage was inflicted on public and private property. Buildings were set on fire and reduced to ashes. Homes of government officials and civilians were invaded and attacked. And inhumane acts of violence were carried out.
The dark cloud that engulfed Nepal last week has slowly started to clear. However, the confrontations ended with the loss of many lives. According to the latest statistics released by Nepal’s police, the death toll in the unrest has risen to 51. This includes 21 protesters, nine prisoners, three police officers, and 18 others. While. While the number of injured is believed to exceed 1,000, the exact figure is not clear.
A quick glance at Nepal’s political landscape
It would not be an exaggeration to say that Nepal has a turbulent political landscape. Nepal is known as a country where governments change rapidly. The transition from centuries of monarchy to a democratic system was seen only recently. Since the establishment of a republic in Nepal in 2008, power has changed hands between 14 governments. However, no government has been able to complete its full term. Even before that, after the first multi-party democracy was established in Nepal in 1990, the government has fallen twice.
The next challenge that Nepal’s political arena faced was the threat of an armed group called the Maoists. In the civil war started by the Maoists in 1996, more than 17,000 lives were lost. Since the end of that war, Nepal’s leadership has seen the same names, the same faces, the same people. People like KP Sharma Oli, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, and Sher Bahadur Deuba.
The result of power shifting to someone else’s hands after a few years was increased instability. Peace was lost, and public trust in the state and government eroded. Corruption and malpractice became commonplace. And instead of prioritizing public service and addressing people’s needs, the struggle for power intensified. The influence of external powers also seeped in. When the protests started by ‘Gen Z’ youth turned into unrest, even the most recent Prime Minister Sharma was forced to resign. With that, instability in the country has increased, according to those who analyze the situation.
Irreparable losses with unrest
The ‘Gen Z’ age group and youth of Nepal stood up against the government on September 8, claiming to defend social media platforms. The protests began as a voice against the government’s decision to ban some social media platforms. The government has reversed that decision in response to the protests. However, the unrest and confrontations did not stop.
The protests turned into unrest on September 9. Claiming to be against corruption and the privileged opportunities for children, family members and friends of senior government officials, the tone and current of the protesters’ activities changed. They began to direct their anger towards state and government property. They started attacking the parliament building, the prime minister’s residence, as well as the homes of ministers and senior government officials. They set fire to these buildings, causing massive damage. Among the buildings attacked by protesters were the homes of Prime Minister Oli, former Prime Minister Deuba and hisd his wife, as well as the homes of the Interior Minister and the leader of the opposition Communist Party of Nepal. In addition, protesters also set fire to one of the most famous buildings in the capital Kathmandu, the Hilton Kathmandu.
Moreover, similar scenes were seen on the streets as well. Public vehicles have been damaged. Among the items set on fire were private cars and trucks. And police vehicles. Some police stations now only have charred pillars left to be seen. In addition, highways or expressways built at a cost of millions of dollars have also suffered major damage.
From that unrest, a large number of dangerous criminals and prisoners serving sentences for various crimes were also freed. It is believed that the number of prisoners who escaped from Nepal’s prisons during the unrest will exceed 7,000. This includes youth and children serving sentences for various crimes. Another scene witnessed during the unrest was youth roaming the streets armed with weapons like guns.
The result of the losses is a shattered economy
Those who analyze the situation say that the consequences of Nepal’s unrest will last for many generations. The repercussions of what happened in that country will have to be paid for many years. The government has suffered a major shock. Tourism, one of the main sources of foreign currency for the country, has come to a halt. Those who analyze the situation do not believe that the country is even at a stage where it can start estimating the cost of the damage to the economy.
Looking at the political arena, Prime Minister Oli has resigned due to the pressure exerted by the protesters. With that, his government has fallen, and at this time Nepal has no government. What lies ahead is a very delicate situation before a new government is formed. The question is whether peace can be established in the country even if a new government takes power. At present, there is a temporary solution. Armed forces have taken to the streets to control the unrest in Nepal, maintain peace, and establish harmony. However, prolonging this for many days is an obstacle to democracy and establishing people’s rule.
With Nepal’s unrest, the country’s economy has also faced irreparable damage. With the unrest, the main airport in Kathmandu was seen being locked and forced to close. Tourists stopped traveling to Nepal, which relies on tourism. And hundreds of tourists who were in the country at that time became stranded. The emergence of a situation that endangers the safety of tourists is described by those who analyze the situation as irreparable damage to the country’s tourism industry in the future. They believe that even now the cost of the damage amounts to many millions of dollars.
From an economic perspective, it’s not just the tourism industry that has been damaged. Another consequence of the unrest is the loss of investor confidence. What was seen was investors starting to withdraw their invested money. And starting to take it back. And the amount of foreign currency entering as remittances from foreign countries began to fall. With the unrest, the prices in Nepal’s stock market also plummeted. And additional burdens were placed on Nepal’s currency.
The unrest also hindered bilateral trade relations. One example is the obstacle faced by land trade between India and Nepal. With some customs buildings set on fire and incalculable damage, the transport of goods between India and Nepal was hindered. The doors for transporting commercial goods were closed. With that, the supply chain was also disrupted. As a result, those who analyze the situation believe that ordinary individuals faced the biggest challenges.
The burden of rebuilding the country will be heavy
The most important task facing the people of Nepal at this time is the responsibility of starting work as soon as possible to recover from the damage caused by the unrest. The first step to start that is to form a new government and establish a system of governance. Or to give that opportunity. Discussions are currently underway between the protesters, the President’s Office, and the military regarding forming an interim government in Nepal and appointing a transitional prime minister.
Sources familiar with these discussions said that the protesters have proposed appointing Nepal’s former Chief Justice Sushila Karki as the transitional prime minister. “Sushila Karki will be appointed to the position of Prime Minister,” said a constitutional expert from Nepal. He said that President Ramchandra Paudel, military chief Ashok Raj Sigdel, and senior protesters are discussing her appointment to that position.
The 73-year-old Karki is the first and only woman to have held the position of Chief Justice of Nepal. She is considered by many to be an honest, integrity-filled person. And many see her as someone who will stand up and fight against corruption and malpractice. This is news that brings some hope to many of Nepal’s citizens. With a transitional prime minister and an interim government, as steps begin to be taken slowly forward, the streets of Nepal, which were in the midst of unrest, have started to become peaceful. Some shops have opened and started providing services, while those who analyze the situation say that some level of stability has started to be seen on the streets. The number of soldiers patrolling the streets has decreased, and the police have started to take over the responsibility of maintaining peace. However, those who analyze the situation believe that sensitive, unpredictable days still lie ahead.
