By Sita Planasari

Copyright tempo

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – The death toll from last week’s protests in Nepal, widely referred to as the ‘Gen Z revolution,’ has reached 72, according to Chief Secretary of the Nepalese Government, Eaknarayan Aryal, as reported by Antara.Aryal clarified that among the casualties, 59 were protesters, 10 were convicts, and three were security personnel. In addition, 134 protesters and 57 police officers sustained injuries during the clashes, according to the Khabar news website.Interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki has allocated a relief fund of 1 million Nepalese rupees (around Rp114.8 million) for the families of each deceased victim. Karki, the former Chief Justice, assumed the position of interim head of government on Friday.The government has also guaranteed free medical treatment for the injured protesters and police officers, as reported by The Kathmandu Post via NDTV.The Ministry of Home Affairs has been instructed to prepare a detailed report on the damages caused during the unrest, according to The Himalayan Times. Meanwhile, acts of vandalism during the protests are being treated as criminal offenses.Karki has ordered a full investigation into attacks targeting the parliament building, Supreme Court, business complexes, and private properties.Trigger for ProtestsThe unrest erupted after authorities blocked major social media platforms on September 4, citing the failure to register with the Ministry of Communication. However, many Nepalese perceived the move as a reaction to posts by the children of officials flaunting their wealth, which sparked public outrage.The ban was lifted, but mass protests continued. Demonstrators eventually stormed the parliament and set fire to the homes of several senior officials in Kathmandu, prompting the resignation of Prime Minister Sharma Oli on Tuesday.Clashes escalated when police used water cannons, tear gas, and live ammunition on the first day of demonstrations, resulting in the immediate deaths of 19 protesters within 24 hours. The army subsequently intervened to restore order in Kathmandu and other cities.Dissolution of Parliament Amid ProtestsPresident Paudel, in a national address on Saturday, called for all parties to collaborate on holding elections for the House of Representatives, scheduled for March 5 next year.His statement followed criticism from major political parties over the dissolution of the lower house on Friday night, a move seen as meeting a key demand of the Gen Z movement.Protesters had argued that the existing parliament was corrupt and incapable of implementing meaningful reforms. Acting on Karki’s recommendation, the lower house was dissolved prematurely, ending its term since 2022.Paudel described the decision as a difficult but necessary step to preserve Nepal’s Constitution, parliamentary system, and federal democratic republic.“A peaceful way-out has been achieved in an extremely difficult and frightening situation,” he said, calling it an opportunity “made possible because of tactful intervention.”However, the move drew sharp criticism from the political fraternity. On Saturday, eight political parties represented in the dissolved House of Representatives issued a joint statement condemning the action as unconstitutional.“It is against Article 76 (7) of the Constitution, precedents set by the Supreme Court, and constitutional tradition. Such unconstitutional action cannot be acceptable for us,” the statement read.Editor’s Choice: Nepal Appoints First Female Prime Minister to Serve Six MonthsClick here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News