KATHMANDU — The Nepalese Army is in charge of keeping the peace across the country until a new administration can be created. This is happening in the midst of scary scenes of death, damage, and arson. The deployment comes after rallies across the country that became violent and caused Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to step down. A stringent curfew is in place, and the military has said that any acts of destruction, theft, or violence will be dealt with harsh punishment.
General Ashok Raj Sigdel, who became Chief of the Army Staff last year, is in charge of this initiative. The 58-year-old General spoke directly to demonstrators on TV, asking them to come forward for talks and find a peaceful way to end the conflict. He said, “We need to make the current difficult situation normal and protect our historical and national heritage, as well as public and private property. We also need to keep the general public and diplomatic missions safe.”
General Sigdel also offered his sympathies for the deaths and damage that occurred during the unrest that started on September 8. He stressed the Nepalese Army’s long-standing duty to “protect Nepal’s independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, freedom, national unity, and the safety of the Nepali people.”
The military has verified that “some groups are taking undue advantage of the difficult situation and causing severe damage to ordinary citizens and public property,” which is why they had to step in. The unrest started with a dubious ban on social media, which led to police intervention that killed at least 19 demonstrators. It swiftly grew into a larger movement against government corruption and a lack of openness. The demonstrators, many of them are part of the “Gen Z” movement, have brought attention to the huge difference in income between the political elite and the rest of the population.
Prime Minister Oli first refused to step down, but he did so yesterday after protesters refused to talk to his government. President Ram Chandra Paudel is now going to meet with some demonstrators to talk about what to do next. He has told everyone to “stay calm, stop hurting the country, and come to the table for talks.” He says that in a democracy, the only way to meet the needs of the people is via conversation.
The Army has taken control of important places in Kathmandu, such as the main government building, Singhdurbar, and the international airport. The borders of the country are also closed. During the curfew, only essential service vehicles, like ambulances, are allowed to drive. The Army has made it clear that any protests, vandalism, or arson would be viewed as crimes that can be punished. To keep things from getting worse, citizens and journalists have been told to only trust official information and not rumors.