Nepal protests an indication of regional discontent

Protests that toppled Nepal’s government last week echo uprisings across parts of Asia, where angry, unemployed young people are rising against entrenched elites.

From Sri Lanka’s 2022 economic revolt to Bangladesh’s student-led 2024 uprising, Nepal’s turmoil reflects a generational rebellion by tech-savvy jobless youths mobilised through social media.

All share a “youth bulge” population -- where the young vastly outnumber older generations -- with disenchanted protesters comparing their bleak prospects to the opulent lifestyles of longstanding ruling classes.

Nepal: Youth demonstrations began September 8 under the “Gen Z” banner -- referring to those under age 28 -- initially sparked by a social media ban but fuelled by frustration with the economy and corruption.

In Nepal, a fifth of people aged 15-24 are unemployed, with GDP per capita at just $1,447 -- underscoring the economic desperation driving protests.

Protesters borrowed imagery from Indonesia, waving a pirate flag from Japanese anime series “One Piece” -- a symbol adopted by anti-establishment youth movements in Jakarta.

Clashes escalated after deadly police crackdowns, forcing the veteran prime minister KP Sharma Oli to quit as parliament and government buildings were torched.

“There have been uprisings in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh,” said 23-year-old protester Amrita Ban.

“We exist within this geopolitical sphere, so it is obvious there will be an effect.”

Youth activist Nimesh Shrestha pointed to TikTok videos showing the lavish lifestyles of politicians’ children.

“That made many realise the scale of corruption,” he said.

Thousands later used group-chat app Discord to name 73-year-old former chief justice Sushila Karki as their choice of leader -- now interim prime minister until March 2026 elections.

Bangladesh: In Dhaka, where student-led protests toppled prime minister Sheikh Hasina in 2024, parallels with Nepal were quickly drawn.

Bangladesh’s protests were sparked by government job quota reforms, but anger was rooted in “severe unemployment, discrimination, and nepotism,” said Umama Fatema, who took part in the demonstrations.

“Students -- mostly Gen Z in both countries -- led the revolutions,” she said.

“In Bangladesh, political parties had long been protesting against Hasina’s rule and joined the students. In Nepal, Gen Z was entirely opposed to the political parties.”

Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka’s 2022 protests forced president Gotabaya Rajapaksa to resign after an economic crash.

The “hashtag generation” toppled Rajapaksa without mass casualties, though politicians’ homes were torched.

Former minister Dayasiri Jayasekara said Nepal’s violence showed how much worse things could have become.

“What happened in Nepal and Bangladesh showed that we too could have gone down a path of death and destruction,” he told AFP.

Rajapaksa’s successor, Ranil Wickremesinghe, said Nepali authorities could have acted sooner.

“Everyone was focused on day-to-day politics... without finding solutions to the acute problems. That caused great frustration among the younger generation.”

Indonesia: Deadly August protests over unemployment and lawmakers’ perks offered lessons for the region.

“Jobs are obvious challenges, both in Nepal and Indonesia,” said Human Rights Watch’s Andreas Harsono.

Amnesty International Indonesia’s Usman Hamid told AFP that economic despair was the common thread.

“With increasing frustration, they have no choice but to push back against a system they believe has failed.”

East Timor: The generational fury reached East Timor as well, with university students rallying in the capital Dili on September 15 and 16 against government plans to buy SUVs for dozens of lawmakers in a nation that ranks among Southeast Asia’s poorest.

Agence France-Presse