A high-level committee in Nepal has completed its investigation into the violence that occurred during the Gen-Z protests last year, specifically between September 8 and 9. The final report indicates significant security failures. Bigyanraj Sharma, a member of the commission overseeing the investigation, confirmed these lapses but did not go into detail about the findings. He pointed out that irregularities were noted in the establishment of barriers surrounding the federal parliament during the protests.

Background of the Gen-Z Protests

The Gen-Z protests, which emerged in September 2022, sought accountability from the government led by former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, alongside demands for transparency and the lifting of a ban on social media. The protests escalated into violence near the federal parliament, prompting police to employ various crowd control measures, including water cannons, tear gas, and live ammunition. Reports indicate that security forces fired from within the parliament building after protesters breached security and set fire to the entrance. The unrest resulted in the deaths of at least 77 individuals, with many protesters shot on a particularly violent day.

Political Changes Following the Unrest

In the wake of the turmoil, former Prime Minister Oli resigned, paving the way for Sushila Karki, a former Chief Justice, to serve as interim Prime Minister. While Oli has denied claims of instructing a crackdown on the protests, his administration faced significant backlash for its approach to managing the unrest. When questioned about the accountability of former officials during this period, Sharma refrained from discussing specific roles, although he mentioned that over 200 individuals had been interviewed for the report.

Commission’s Deliberations and Findings

On Sunday, the commission’s chair, Gauri Bahadur Karki, presented the report to interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers. Upon receiving the document, the interim Prime Minister acknowledged the effort of the commission and stated that she and the home minister would examine the report before its submission to the Cabinet. She expressed gratitude for the hard work the commission undertook, noting initial deadlines had to be extended due to resource constraints.

Details of the Report

The report spans over 900 pages, including various subsections. Sharma elaborated that when all evidence and documents are aggregated, the total could range between 8,000 and 10,000 pages. It meticulously analyzes the events from September 8 and September 9, detailing the incidents extensively. A separate panel was also established to evaluate the physical damage incurred during the Gen-Z protests, which handed in its report on December 11 last year. This report confirmed the same death toll of 77 and noted that 2,429 individuals were injured, including 17 children under 13 years old. It classified 1,433 of the injured as being between the ages of 13 and 28.

Assessment of Physical Damage and Losses

The economic report assesses the overall damage incurred during the protests at NPR 84.45 billion. It highlights that 2,168 government and public institutions were impacted, with 2,671 buildings sustaining damage, amounting to approximated losses of NPR 39.31 billion. The report further indicated that 12,659 vehicles were harmed, resulting in damages valued at NPR 12.93 billion. Cumulatively, losses in the public sector were around NPR 44.93 billion, while the private sector faced losses of NPR 33.54 billion, and community sectors experienced an additional NPR 5.97 billion in damages.

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