Nepal’s government has made a stunning U-turn, rescinding a controversial social media ban and accepting the prime minister’s resignation, but only after a fatal crackdown on protesters left 19 people dead. The reversal is a clear admission of failure, but it may be too little, too late to pacify a public enraged by both the censorship and the state-sponsored violence.
The crisis was entirely self-inflicted, stemming from the government’s decision to ban social media platforms in an effort to stifle growing online criticism. This act of censorship ignited immediate protests, particularly from younger Nepalis who felt their voices were being silenced. The government’s response was not dialogue, but brute force, as police fired upon the crowds.
The bloodshed on the streets of Kathmandu became a national tipping point. The deaths of the protesters, many of them young, sparked widespread condemnation and led to an intensification of the demonstrations, with some protesters setting fire to the homes of political leaders. The government quickly lost control of the narrative and the situation on the ground, forcing it into a retreat.
Now, the government is trying to de-escalate, but the trust is gone. The memory of the 19 dead looms large, and for many protesters, justice demands more than just a new prime minister. The movement has taken on a life of its own, fueled by grief and anger, and is now pushing for a complete overhaul of the system that gave the orders to shoot.