Hundreds of people crowded Nepal’s main airport in Katmandu on Thursday, 11, to board flights out of the country, while the confusion on who will rule the nation after violent protests overthrow Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli continued.
In Katmandu, residents rushed to buy basic foods such as rice, vegetables and meat on Thursday morning when the army briefly suspended the touch of collecting. Armed soldiers kept the streets, checked vehicles and offered assistance to the needy.
Nepal’s army took control of the capital on Tuesday night, 9, after two days of major protests that left the presidential residence and government buildings on fire and forced the prime minister to resign and escape.
Unique opportunity
Legacy Card: Far beyond a service
Many tried to leave the country after the airport reopened on Wednesday night, 10, and international flights resumed on Thursday.
“It was a very difficult time for us. We had difficulty arriving at the airport and returning to the hotel in the hope of flights, but I finally found a seat and I am leaving Nepal,” said chickens creator Raj Kumar Bika, who was trying to reach New Delhi, India, Business.
It is not yet clear who will take control of the government and the search for an interim leader continues.
Continues after advertising
Who is in charge?
When the protests led Oli to resign on Tuesday, the country’s ceremonial president, Ram Chandra Predel, asked him to lead a transitional government until a new one could be formed. But Oli ran away from her official residence and her whereabouts is not known.
Katmandu residents wondered who was in charge. “I think there should be an election as soon as possible and new leaders capable of working around the country should be elected,” said entrepreneur Sanu Bohara. “After all this, what we need is peace. I think there shouldn’t have been so much destruction, but that has happened.”
Retired civil servant Anup Keshar Thapa said it was unclear who would lead the country and if people would really hear these leaders. “If the protests had occurred in an organized way, it would be clear who was leading,” he said.
Continues after advertising
Protest leaders met with military army headquarters in Katmandu on Wednesday to discuss a transition leader.
Rehan Raj Dagal, representative of the protesters, said his group proposed to the military that former Supreme Court President Sushila Karki led an interim government. Sushila was the only woman to hold the position of president of the Supreme Court of Nepal. Other protesters opposed their appointment.
Blocking social networks was fuse
The demonstrations with thousands of people began on Monday, 8, after the Nepalen government temporarily blocked social networking platforms, including Facebook, X (former Twitter) and Youtube, which did not register with the authorities and did not submit to supervision.
Continues after advertising
The police shot protesters, and the clashes intensified on Tuesday with attacks on government buildings.
The ban on social networks was suspended on Tuesday, but the demonstrations continued, fueled by the anger caused by the death of 30 protesters.
The protests also intensified to reflect broader discontent. Many young people are angry with the “sons of daddy” from political leaders -called “Npo Babies” or “Npo Kids” -who seem to enjoy a luxurious lifestyle and numerous advantages, while most young people are struggling to find work.
Continues after advertising
Youth unemployment and fire
With youth unemployment by about 20% last year, according to the World Bank, the government estimates that more than 2,000 young people leave the country every day in search of work in the Middle East or Southeast Asia.
Protesters set fire to the parliament building, the presidential residence, the central secretary-which houses the offices of the prime minister and the main ministries-and at the official residence of the prime minister. The smoke still climbed these buildings until Wednesday, 10.
Nepal’s largest communication vehicle building, Kantipur Publication, was also set on fire and damaged. Automobile dealers were also targeted and burnt vehicles were seen on the streets.
Continues after advertising
“We are required to go abroad because there is no future for people like us in Nepal,” said Asmita Poul, who was waiting for boarding on a flight to Dubai. “If there were opportunities, we would all be in the country.”
Military assume control
The military is rarely mobilized in Nepal, and the soldiers initially remained in their barracks while the police lost control of the situation. Security forces began to mobilize on Tuesday night, stating that they were committed to preserving the law and order.
The total number of dead in violence reached 30, the Ministry of Health said on Wednesday, with 1,033 injured. The number increased as reports of victims arrived from other parts of the country.
This Wednesday, soldiers repressed an attempted escape from prison in the center of Katmandu. The main prison prisoners dominated the guards, burned down buildings and tried to escape. The soldiers fired in the air, arrested the detainees on the run and transferred them to other arrests. There were no reports of injuries. With information from the Associated Press
