Nepalese youth clean Kathmandu streets after violent protests, turning chaos into hope (Image Credit: AFP photo)
Days of bloody riots in Nepal that killed at least 30 people and led to the resignation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, now the Nepal's youth have made a surprise move. Rather than fuelling more unrest, Gen Z protest marched to the same Parliament grounds not with slogans and stones, but with shovels and brooms.
The demonstrations, organized mostly by teenagers in their late teens and twenties, started initially in reaction to long-standing grievances against corruption, lack of employment, and inequality. Outrage fanned out further when the government attempted to shut down WhatsApp, Instagram, and X, an action largely seen as suppressing free speech.
What began as online outrage poured into the streets, resulting in fiery confrontations, blazes, and wrecking chaos across Parliament. Within a day, however, hundreds of students and volunteers organized via neighbourhood calls and social media messages appeared at dawn on September 10 to scrub the same areas that had seen violence.
Equipped with shovels, brooms, and trash bags, these young volunteers cleaned up trash, cleared burnt-out furniture, and towed broken glass from the streets of Kathmandu. Security personnel, who just a few days prior were clashing with protestors, largely sat back and every now and again lent a hand in the clean-up.
Govind, one volunteer, said, "We are here for the cleanliness drive throughout Kathmandu, where there were protests yesterday and the day before.
Authorities called the action "inspiring," and noted how such impromptu actions were critical to the emotional and physical healing of a city shaken by a tragedy.
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The demonstrations uncovered brewing resentment about so-called "generational injustice." Twitter campaigns, including #PoliticiansNepoBabyNepal, uncovered the nepotism of political dynasties while young Nepalis faced increased joblessness and emigration tensions. The recent resignation of Prime Minister Oli has put the nation in the midst of political divide, with new elections still uncertain.
But in the midst of uncertainty, the clean-up drive is one moment of resilience. Rather than recreating division, Nepal's youth decided to direct frustration into civic duty. The transition from destruction to reconstruction holds not just their anger, but also their hope for transformation.
