Nepal is reeling from its most violent and deadly civil unrest in decades after security forces killed 19 protesters on Monday. The shocking death toll has rocked the Himalayan nation, escalating a crisis that began over a government attempt to ban social media and is now threatening to topple the entire political system. The violence is considered even more severe than the 2006 uprising that led to the end of the country’s monarchy.
The protests began last week when the government enacted a ban on popular social media platforms and proposed legislation to increase state control over online content. This move was widely condemned as an assault on freedom of expression. Peaceful demonstrations quickly turned violent when security forces used lethal force against crowds, which included many teenagers and young adults, as they attempted to break through police barricades.
In response to the killings, public outrage exploded. Protesters retaliated by setting fire to the homes of several senior politicians, signaling that their anger was directed at the entire ruling class. The rapid escalation forced Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli to make a swift retreat; he resigned from his post and ordered the immediate reversal of the controversial social media ban.
Despite these concessions, the violence has irrevocably altered the situation. An injured 19-year-old protester, Nima Tendi Sherpa, blamed the violence on those who gave the orders to shoot, expressing a hardened resolve for systemic change. With protests spreading across the country, Nepal finds itself in a precarious position, as demands for accountability and true reform grow louder each day.
