Kathmandu, 9 Sep: During the protest organized by the ‘Gen Z’ group, 19 people died on Monday. The police reported that the protest turned violent, resulting in two deaths in Sunsari and 17 in Kathmandu. The incident occurred when a protest organized by the ‘12 to 28 age group’ (Gen Z group) in Maitighar–New Baneshwar, which was intended to be peaceful, turned violent. More than two hundred protesters and security personnel were injured in the clash between the protesters and the security forces.
According to Kathmandu Valley Police Office spokesperson, Senior Superintendent of Police Shekhar Khanal, protesters and security personnel injured during the violent demonstrations are undergoing treatment at various hospitals in Kathmandu.
In protest against the decision to ban unregistered social media platforms in Nepal and demanding good governance, the “Gen Z” generation organized a peaceful, spontaneous symbolic protest at Maitighar in Kathmandu.
Most of the peaceful demonstrators were students from schools and colleges, but after unauthorized individuals joined the protest, the group turned aggressive, entered restricted zones, attacked security personnel, and began vandalism and arson. As protesters pushed towards the Federal Parliament building at New Baneshwar, breaking walls and setting fires, Nepal Police and Armed Police used tear gas and water cannons to control the situation. The situation escalated further when protesters entered the parliament premises, and police opened fire, causing heavy casualties among protesters.
The Kathmandu District Administration Office stated that force had to be used to bring the violent demonstration under control. Assistant Chief District Officer Muktiram Rijal said that force was necessary to maintain law and order. Security personnel and protesters who were seriously injured in the clashes are being treated at Trauma Center, Civil Hospital, TU Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu Medical College, and Everest Hospital. Following the violent escalation of the Gen Z protest, a curfew order was issued, and the army was mobilized in the areas around the Parliament building in New Baneshwar, Singha Durbar, the President’s Office, and the Prime Minister’s Residence in Baluwatar.
Meanwhile, the District Administration Office, Kathmandu, has issued a curfew order effective from 12:00 AM Monday night until 9:00 AM Tuesday morning for the areas around the Office of the President, the Office of the Vice President, the Narayanhiti Palace Museum, and the Singha Durbar premises.
What is Gen z?
The term ‘Generation Z’ or ‘Genji’ refers to people born between 1990 and 2010. This age group is also being called ‘Nepo Babies’ or ‘Nepotism Babies,’ a label given specifically to the sons and daughters of leaders or famous individuals. These youths are recognized for achieving success not solely through their own abilities but by leveraging the fame and influence of their parents. The Latin meaning of ‘Nepotism’ is ‘Nepos,’ which means nephew/niece (nephew/niece).
The term came into popular use in the context of appointing nephews, nieces, and other relatives to positions of state power. It gained significant traction after the New York Magazine published a cover story titled “The Year of the Nepo Baby” around the end of 2022. Last week, after the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology decided to implement a ban on unregistered social media platforms in Nepal, the ‘Gen z’ generation organized peaceful protests in opposition. Even a few days before the protest, the ‘Gen z’ group had started a photo campaign on social media, posting pictures of the sons and daughters of certain leaders and famous individuals alongside pictures of the children of poor citizens.
Vandalism at Chief Minister’s Office
Gen Z protesters vandalized the office of the Chief Minister of Gandaki Province in Pokhara, Kaski. According to local reporters, three people, including security personnel, were injured in the incident. Police have taken 29 protesters into custody. A teenager injured by police gunfire is undergoing treatment at the Western Regional Hospital.
Curfew in Rupandehi
The District Administration Office, Rupandehi, has issued a curfew order for the Butwal and Bhairahawa areas effective from 5:00 PM Monday until further notice. Issuing a notice, the administration has imposed the curfew for an indefinite period.
Similarly, in Dharan-2, protesters chanted slogans from Bhanu Chowk, moved through Chhatra Chowk, Chautara Line, past the office of the Dharan Sub-Metropolitan City, and via Putali Line before returning to Bhanu Chowk to demonstrate.
Likewise, according to a correspondent from Parsa, the local administration in Birgunj has issued a curfew order from 9:00 PM Monday night until 9:00 AM Tuesday morning.
Infiltration by Criminal Groups: Security Agencies
Before tendering his resignation, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak had sought information from the heads of all three security agencies regarding the protests turning violent.
The heads of Nepal Police (Inspector General Chandra Kuber Khapung), the Armed Police Force (Chief Raju Aryal), and the National Investigation Department (Director General Hutraj Thapa) informed him that the peaceful protest was infiltrated in a planned manner by criminal groups. This led to the protest spiraling out of control and resulting in significant casualties.
They informed Home Minister Lekhak that while they were confident in the commitment expressed by the organizers of the Gen Z protest, they were unable to foresee the infiltration by other groups in their name. This led to the protest turning violent and the situation going out of control.
National Assembly Meeting Affected
Monday’s meeting of the National Assembly has been postponed after a notice was posted. The Federal Parliament Secretariat stated that the meeting scheduled for Monday afternoon at 1:15 PM has been adjourned due to special circumstances.
Secretary-General of the Secretariat, Padam Prasad Pandey, mentioned that the next meeting of the National Assembly has been scheduled for Wednesday, Bhadau 25 at 1:15 PM.
