Nepal unrest: Gen Z-army talks stall over interim leadership

Nepal's youth-led Gen Z movement on Wednesday suspended its protests after two days of violence that left 30 people dead, 1,033 injured, and forced PM K P Sharma Oli to resign.

About 15 Gen Z representatives met army officials at Bhadrakali base in the morning. Delegates proposed names for a transitional civilian leadership, including former chief justice Sushila Karki, Kathmandu mayor Balendra Shah, ex-speaker Onsari Gharti Magar, lawyer Om Prakash Aryal, Dr Govinda KC, Brig Gen Prem Shahi, and former chief election commissioner Neel Kantha Upreti.



Talks hit a hurdle after delegate Raksha Bam walked out, saying the army had suggested including businessman Durga Prasai and Rastriya Swatantra Party in the dialogue. Prasai has supported restoring the Hindu monarchy and has led rallies calling for the dissolution of federal democratic structures.

RSP, a centrist party formed in 2022, has been accused by some youth groups of co-opting anti-corruption slogans while defending institutional status quo.

Delegate Bam said this undermined the integrity of the movement. "Since the army chief himself labelled them as stakeholders, we believe this undermines the sacrifices made during the Gen Z movement... therefore, we have rejected the proposal and walked out." Organisers of the protest on Wednesday initially issued a call for a nationwide clean-up, urging volunteers to "clean the streets, don't destroy them". However, they withdrew that appeal after the army advised against any gatherings under the emergency curfew. Army units continued to maintain checkpoints, broadcast curfew alerts through loudspeakers, and warned citizens of legal action for arson or looting. "We are mainly in the process of controlling elements who are taking advantage of the situation to loot, set fires and cause various incidents," said army spokesperson Rajaram Basnet.

Tuesday's protests saw Singha Durbar and Supreme Court torched, and brought the army onto the streets under curfew. The agitation had also shut down Tribhuvan International Airport, which resumed operations late Wednesday.

Protests began after the govt imposed a sweeping social media ban, blocking 26 popular platforms in what it said was a move to counter misinformation. The action triggered immediate outrage among urban youth, who viewed it as censorship amid worsening economic frustration and entrenched political nepotism. Demonstrators poured into the streets across multiple cities, waving pirate flags from anime fandoms and targeting official buildings. The ban was quietly lifted late Tuesday but the mobilisation had already spiralled beyond digital grievances. Officials also confirmed that former Nepal PM Jhalanath Khanal's wife Rajyalaxmi Chitrakar, who was inside her home when it was set ablaze, is under care at Kirtipur Burn Hospital and in stable condition. Early reports of her death were circulated on social media but not confirmed by authorities and have since been corrected.

The president's office, meanwhile, issued a brief statement urging "peaceful dialogue and national healing". No political party has yet endorsed the protesters' demand for parliament's dissolution, but backchannel talks were reportedly under way between former chief justices and Gen Z intermediaries. A senior army officer said the institution would support a constitutional process but would not "broker chaos".

Despite the curfew, small groups of young people continued symbolic gestures. "This corruption thing has been in Nepal since a very, very long time, and I think it is high time that the nation needs to change," said 14-year-old Ksang Lama, who did not attend the protests. Parash Pratap Hamal, 24, said Nepal needed "independent political figures", naming Balen Shah as a possible national leader. In eastern Nepal, 36-year-old Rakesh Niraula said, "People are hopeful now... this was a lesson for leaders to improve themselves."