From governance to tourism, how Gen-Z protests have damaged Nepal

There’s a hush across Nepal — an uneasy calm prevails in the Himalayan nation after Gen-Z protests brought it to a standstill for over two days. Gone are the country’s prime minister, KP Sharma Oli, and its president, Ram Chandra Poudel. Gone are the thousands of protesters from the streets. Gone are the cries of “revolution”.

After two days of intense violence, which saw deaths and destruction of public and private property, the Nepal army has taken control with troops patrolling the streets of Kathmandu, and enforcing a curfew.

According to reports, Nepal Army chief General Ashok Raj Sigdel has successfully persuaded Sushila Karki, former chief justice of Nepal, to step in as the interim chief executive of the country.

As the country picks up the pieces after the violent demonstrations that broke out on Monday and Tuesday (September 8 and 9), here’s exactly the high price that it has exacted from the nation.

Death, looting, destruction in Nepal

The Gen-Z protests first broke out on Monday with the immediate cause being linked to the government’s decision to ban popular social media apps such as Facebook, X and more. While critics called it an attempt at censorship, government officials insisted that it was a move to curb fake news.

The Gen-Z protesters began to march towards the parliament in Kathmandu demanding a reversal of the decision. What ensued was horror.

The police used bullets, tear gas, water cannon and batons when the demonstrators pushed through barbed wire and tried to storm into a restricted area near parliament. This led to 19 deaths and more than 200 others injured, causing anger to further escalate.

And on Tuesday, inflamed by the violence perpetrated against the protesters, coupled with political instability and resentment against corruption and rampant nepotism, the Gen-Z demonstrators went on a rampage, destroying government buildings, including the parliament and other structures within the Singha Durbar, a historic 1908 palace complex that has served as the administrative hub of Nepal’s government.

But the vandalism didn’t stop there. Houses of ministers, past and present, were also burnt down. PM Oli’s private residence was set ablaze as were the houses of the president, the home minister and Sher Bahadur Deuba and his wife, Arzu Rana Deuba. The home of the leader of the opposition Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) was also set ablaze.

Other properties across Nepal also fell victim to the anger of the Gen-Z protesters. One of the country’s tallest hotels, the Hilton Kathmandu was also reduced to a charred shell amidst the demonstrations.

Visuals show the five-star establishment appearing blackened and charred, with burnt windows, smoke stains, and structural damage.

Another iconic building set on fire by protesters was the building of the country’s Ministry of Health and Population in Nepal, which was designed by world-renowned American architect Louis I Kahn in 1965, according to the Kathmandu Post. Architecture students from all around the world would visit the site to study Kahn’s design and witness the architectural marvel.

Prisoners out, guns appear on the streets

Nepal’s Gen-Z protests have also resulted in the country’s law and order going to the dogs. According to officials, at least 13,000 prisoners were set free from jails in all 77 districts of Nepal during the violent anti-government protests.

Among those set free was Rabi Lamichhane, former deputy prime minister and chairman of the Rastriya Swatantra Party who was imprisoned at Nakkhu central jail in Lalitpur.

Officials said that inmates took advantage of the protests and tried to escape from jails, resulting in clashes across several prison facilities since Tuesday. “Five juvenile inmates died in a clash with security personnel at the Naubasta Correctional Home in Naubasta Regional Jail located in Baijnath Rural Municipality-3 of Banke on Tuesday night,” The Rising Nepal newspaper said.

The five juvenile inmates were killed and four were seriously injured when police opened fire during a clash that broke out when inmates tried to take over the weapons of security personnel of the correctional home, the newspaper said, quoting the Naubasta Juvenile Correctional Home office.

Meanwhile, MyRepublica newspaper reported that around 7,000 inmates across the country have escaped from various prisons.

The Gen-Z protests also saw a surge of guns being brandished and used. Young men were seeing wielding assault rifles in Kathmandu’s streets, shocking people within the country. When I saw youths carrying rifles, I realised this was no longer just a protest,” a shopkeeper was quoted as saying by Times of India, adding, “It felt like war could break out any moment.”

In fact, the Nepali army, as per Khabarhub, recovered 31 firearms and associated ammunition looted by unruly groups.

Now, the Nepal army is trying to restore law and order with soldiers guarded Nepal’s parliament and patrolling deserted streets.

Political instability

The Gen-Z protests have left the country in a political predicament. KP Sharma Oli has tendered his resignation as prime minister and his government is on the precipice of collapsing. Since Nepal transitioned to a republic in 2008, the country has seen 14 different governments, none of which have lasted a full five-year term.

Now, the Nepal army chief General Ashok Raj Sigdel is persuading former chief justice of the country, Sushila Karki, to take charge. As per an Indian Express report, General Sigdel held several rounds of talks with the Gen-Z protesters following which he informed Karki that she would be the most appropriate person to lead the interim government.

However, it took her more than 15 hours to agree to this request. Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah, whose name as a likely contender for interim chief had been floated by a section of the Gen-Z protesters, also endorsed Karki as the interim chief executive.

But there are also those who are calling for Nepal to return to monarchy and installing former King Gyanendra Shah on the throne. They are of the opinion that a monarchy is the way forward for the Himalayan nation and that Gyanendra would be able to reverse the country’s misfortunes — be it economic or political.

Tourism affected

The Gen-Z protests also hit tourism, which is one of the key sectors contributing to the country’s economy.

Earlier, amid the protests, the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu was temporarily closed after fires from nearby protests reduced visibility and raised security concerns. All domestic and international flights were suspended. Hundreds of tourists from across the world, many from India, were left stranded as a result, fearing for their lives.

An Indian woman even issued an urgent call for help, saying her hotel was set ablaze by a mob, forcing her to flee without her belongings.

Upasana Gill, who had travelled to Nepal for a volleyball tournament, said a large group of protesters attacked the hotel where she was staying and burned the place down. She said the mob did not even spare tourists and chased them on the streets with sticks in hand.

Economy, trade likely to be affected

The Gen-Z protests may only exacerbate Nepal’s dwindling economy. As a result of the demonstrations, several trade routes along India’s borders were shut down.

The Kakarvitta-Panitanki crossing, 34 km from Bengal’s Siliguri, saw protesters torching tyres, blocking roads and setting fire to a customs building. In light of such a situation, the Indian authorities blocked the routes, fearing a spillover of the violence on India’s lands.

There’s also fear that prolonged instability in the country could disrupt supply chains and affect exports. As Ajay Srivastava, co-founder, Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said, “Any disruption in transport routes, customs operations, or cross-border logistics could delay shipments, impacting both Indian exporters and Nepali consumers who rely on these goods.”

Now, it’s a wait and watch game to see how soon Nepal can rebuild after the violent protests.

With inputs from agencies

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