Nepal’s army is set to resume talks on Thursday with “Gen Z” protesters to decide on a new interim leader, an army spokesperson said, following violent demonstrations that left 30 dead and led to prime minister KP Sharma Oli’s resignation.
Soldiers patrolled the quiet streets of Kathmandu, the capital, after its worst protests in years triggered by a social media ban that authorities rolled back after 19 deaths as police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to control crowds.
Initial Talks Ongoing
“Initial talks are on and would continue today,” Raja Ram Basnet, the spokesperson, told Reuters, referring to the discussions on a new interim leader. “We are trying to normalise the situation slowly.”
The death toll from the protests had risen to 30 by Thursday, Nepal’s health ministry said, with 1,033 injured.
Prohibitory Orders In Place
Prohibitory orders will stay in Kathmandu and surrounding areas for most of the day, the army said in a statement, while an airport spokesman said international flights were operating.
The demonstrations are popularly referred to as the “Gen Z” protests since most participants were young people voicing frustration at the government’s perceived failure to fight corruption and boost economic opportunities.
Ex-Chief Justice In The Reckoning
The protesters have called for former Chief Justice Sushila Karki as interim prime minister, said Raman Kumar Karna, the secretary of the Supreme Court Bar Association, whom they consulted.
“When they requested me, I accepted,” Karki told Indian television news channel CNN-News18.
The protests, in which government buildings, from the supreme court to ministers’ homes, including Oli’s private residence, were also set ablaze, only subsided after the prime minister resigned.
Business establishments set on fire included several hotels in the tourist town of Pokhara and the Hilton in Kathmandu.
Jobs, Corruption Key Issues
For years a lack of jobs has driven millions to seek work in countries such as Malaysia, the Middle East and South Korea, mainly on construction sites, so as to send money home.
Wedged between India and China, Nepal has struggled with political and economic instability since protests led to the abolition of its monarchy in 2008.
(With inputs from Reuters)
