Nepal’s Prime Minister, KP Sharma Oli, resigned on Tuesday, a decision made as anti-corruption demonstrators defied an indefinite curfew and clashed with police. This followed a day of violent protests triggered by a social media ban that had resulted in 19 deaths.
Oli’s government lifted the ban after the protests intensified on Monday, with police using tear gas and rubber bullets on protesters who tried to storm parliament. The unrest on Monday killed 19 people and injured more than 100. However, the protests continued unabated on Tuesday, ultimately forcing Oli to step down and plunging Nepal into renewed political uncertainty.
This unrest marks the worst in decades for the impoverished Himalayan nation, which is wedged between India and China and has struggled with political instability and economic uncertainty since its monarchy was abolished in 2008.
In his resignation letter to President Ramchandra Paudel, Oli stated, “In view of the adverse situation in the country, I have resigned effective today to facilitate the solution to the problem and to help resolve it politically in accordance with the constitution.” An aide to Paudel told Reuters that the resignation had been accepted, and the President had initiated the “process and discussions for a new leader.” The army later posted an appeal on X, urging people to “exercise restraint” since Oli’s resignation had been accepted.
Oli, 73, was sworn in for his fourth term in July of the previous year, becoming the country’s 14th prime minister since 2008. Late on Monday, two of his cabinet colleagues resigned, citing moral grounds. Earlier on Tuesday, Oli had called a meeting of all political parties, stating that violence was not in the nation’s interest and that “we have to resort to peaceful dialogue to find solutions to any problem.” Oli also expressed sorrow over the violent incidents, which he attributed to “infiltration from different selfish centres,” but did not directly address the protesters’ complaints about corruption.
The anger against the government showed no signs of subsiding, as protesters defied the indefinite curfew and gathered in front of parliament and other locations in the capital, Kathmandu. They set fire to tires on some roads, threw stones at riot police, and chased them through narrow streets, while some onlookers recorded the clashes on their mobile phones. Witnesses also reported that protesters were setting fire to the homes of some politicians in Kathmandu, and local media said that some ministers were rescued by military helicopters. Reuters could not immediately verify this information.
Key Airport Shut Down
The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal announced that Kathmandu airport, the country’s main international gateway, was closed with immediate effect because smoke from nearby fires set by protesters could endanger aircraft safety.
Protester Robin Sreshtha told Reuters TV, “We are still standing here for our future… We want this country corruption-free so that everyone can easily access education, hospitals, medical (facilities)… and for a bright future.”
The organizers of the protests, which have spread to other cities in the Himalayan country, have called them “demonstrations by Gen Z,” driven by the widespread frustration of young people with the government’s perceived lack of action to tackle corruption and boost economic opportunities.
One protester, who signed an email to Reuters as ‘A concerned Nepali citizen’, explained that the protest was “intended, first and foremost, against the rampant corruption in government.” The email noted that young Nepalis had been posting on social media about the “luxurious lives of the families and children of corrupt politicians and civil servants,” and the government had responded by cracking down on social media platforms.
Neighboring India, which is home to hundreds of thousands of Nepali migrant workers, expressed hope that all parties would exercise restraint and resolve the issues through talks. A joint statement from the embassies of Australia, Finland, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK, Norway, Germany, and the U.S. in Nepal urged all sides to show “maximum restraint,” avoid further escalation, and protect fundamental rights.
