Nepal Lifts Ban on Social Media Platforms after Protests where Police Killed 19 People

The Government of Nepal lifted its ban on social media platforms Tuesday a day after police opened fire on mass street protests against the ban, killing 19 people.

The district administration ordered an indefinite curfew in the capital and schools were closed. A curfew was also imposed in other cities too.

Small protests erupted on Tuesday violating the curfew orders. Police quickly tried to push back the protesters but appeared to be not using any force.

“Punish the murders in government. Stop killing children,” the protesters chanted while police used loudspeakers urging them to return home.

The protesters’ anger was turning toward the government led by Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli, who has increasingly becoming unpopular.

“We are here to protest because our youths and friends are getting killed, we are here to seek that justice is done and the present regime is ousted. K.P. Oli should be chased away,” said Narayan Acharya, who was among the protesters outside the battered wall of the parliament building Tuesday.

“We need to protest the killings of so many young ones and students aiming directly at their head by this Hitler-like K.P. Oli’s government. As long as this government in in power, the people like us will continue to suffer,” said Durganah Dahal, another protester. “They killed so many youths yesterday who had so much to look forward to, now they can easily kill us all. We protest until this government is finished.” -- AP/RSS