Youth Rallies in Nepal: Uncovering the Causes of the Youth-Led Uprisings
In a surprising turn of events, Nepal has witnessed widespread protests led by its young generation, with thousands of people, many of them students, taking to the streets in Kathmandu and other cities. The demonstrations, dubbed as "demonstrations by Gen Z," were sparked by the Nepal government's decision to block access to several social media platforms after the companies missed the deadline to register under new regulations.
The platforms affected by the ban include Meta's Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, Alphabet's YouTube, China's Tencent, Snapchat, Pinterest, and X. The Nepal Telecommunications Authority was directed by the government to deactivate unregistered social media accounts, but no details of which platforms faced action were given.
The government claims that social media users create fake IDs and use them to spread hate speech, fake news, commit fraud, and other crimes. However, the young protesters expressed their widespread frustration over the social media ban, voicing concerns about their freedom of expression and the impact of the ban on their daily lives.
The violent protests in Kathmandu saw protesters breaking through a barricade, setting fire to an ambulance, and clashing with police who used water cannons, batons, and rubber bullets. At least 19 people died and dozens were injured during the protests on Monday. Following the violence, the army was deployed and a curfew was imposed in Kathmandu.
The government, however, maintains that the services will be restored once the platforms comply with its order. The organizers of the protests include a broad alliance of peace initiatives and organizations, as well as groups like BUND Naturschutz (BN), Verkehrsclub Deutschland, and Green City for climate and mobility-related demonstrations.
The government of Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli has been criticized for failing to tackle corruption and make progress in addressing longstanding economic issues. The current situation has further intensified the criticism, with many questioning the government's decision to impose the social media ban and the subsequent violent response to the protests.
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