Nepal's prime minister KP Sharma Oli has resigned, as anti-corruption demonstrators defied an indefinite curfew and clashed with police, a day after 19 people died in violent protests triggered by a social media ban.
"I have resigned from the post of prime minister with effect from today ... in order to take further steps towards a political solution and resolution of the problems," KP Sharma Oli said in a letter to the president.
Oli's government lifted the social media ban after protests turned violent, killing 19 and injuring more than 100 after police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters trying to storm parliament on Monday.
"We have withdrawn the shutdown of the social media. They are working now," cabinet spokesperson and communications and information technology minister Prithvi Subba Gurung said on Tuesday.
Earlier on Tuesday, Oli had called a meeting of all political parties, saying violence is not in the interest of the nation and "we have to resort to peaceful dialogue to find solutions to any problem".
Demonstrators condemned the social media prohibitions and corruption by the Nepali government. Source: AFP / Prabin Ranabhat
The protesters set fire to tyres on some roads, threw stones at police personnel in riot gear and chased them through narrow streets, while some looked on and shot videos of the clashes on their mobile phones as thick black smoke rose to the sky.
It came after protesters called for people to participate in condolence meetings in memory of those killed in Monday's protests.
Oli had earlier said the government would provide relief to the families of the deceased and offer free treatment to those injured.
"An investigation panel will be set up to find out the causes, assess losses and suggest measures within 15 days to ensure that such incidents are not repeated in future," he said in a late-night statement on Monday.
How the deadly protests unfolded
The unrest erupted after thousands of young people, many of whom were wearing their school or college uniforms, took to the streets on Monday.
Many carried flags and placards with slogans such as 'Shut down corruption and not social media', 'Unban social media' and 'Youths against corruption' as they marched through Kathmandu.
Young demonstrators gathered in the capital to demand an end to corruption and the lifting of the social media ban. Source: AAP / Narendra Shrestha/ EPA
Police then fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters.
"The police have been firing indiscriminately," one protester told the ANI news agency. "[They] fired bullets which missed me but hit a friend who was standing behind me. He was hit in the hand."
More than 100 people, including 28 police personnel, were receiving medical treatment for their injuries, police officer Shekhar Khanal told Reuters news agency.
What triggered the protests?
A government decision last week to block access to several social media platforms, including Facebook, X and YouTube, fuelled anger among the young. About 90 per cent of Nepal's 30 million people use the internet.
Officials said they imposed the ban because platforms had failed to register with authorities as part of a crackdown on misuse, including the creation of false social media accounts used to spread hate speech, disseminate fake news, and commit fraud.
Human Rights Watch said the Nepali government should utilise "nonviolent means" before resorting to force to pacify the protesters. Source: AAP / Narendra Shrestha / EPA
"This is the protest by the new generation in Nepal," another protester told ANI.
The international nonprofit organisation Human Rights Watch said the government of Nepal should avoid perceiving these protests primarily through a law enforcement perspective and recognise that demonstrators' mass outpourings of criticism reflect deep frustrations throughout Nepal with entrenched corruption, nepotism, and poor governance.
"Nonviolent means should be utilised before resorting to force," it said in a statement. "The use of force is only appropriate if other measures to address a genuine threat have proved ineffective."
Many people in Nepal believe corruption is rampant, and the Oli government has been criticised by its opponents for failing to deliver on its promises to tackle graft or make progress in addressing longstanding economic issues.
The Oli government said the economy is recovering due to the corrective measures it has taken.
Thousands of young Nepalis leave the country every year to pursue work and education abroad.
Nepal has been politically unstable since it abolished a 239-year-old monarchy in 2008. There have been 14 governments since 2008, none of which have completed a full five-year term.
Oli, 73, was sworn in to his fourth term last year.
— With additional reporting by Agence France-Presse
