Révoltes au Népal : Le parlement en flammes, manifestations monstres... Les images choc d’un pays en chaos
Nepal has been plunged into an unprecedented crisis since Monday, September 8, with mass protests against social media blocking and corruption escalating into violent riots. On Tuesday, September 9, hundreds of angry protesters set fire to the parliament building in the capital, Kathmandu, as well as the government headquarters and the presidential residence, following a deadly police crackdown the day before that left 19 dead and more than 400 injured, according to official sources and AFP.
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli resigned in the aftermath, but street anger continues unabated, with a curfew imposed and public buildings engulfed in flames. The protests erupted after the Nepalese government ordered the blocking of 26 platforms, including Facebook, YouTube, X, and LinkedIn, for failing to comply with a 2023 Supreme Court ruling requiring their local registration.
Thousands of people took to the streets of Kathmandu, protesting against this perceived authoritarian measure and endemic corruption. Overwhelmed police opened fire with live ammunition, causing a tragic death toll: 17 deaths in Kathmandu and two more in the east of the country, with hundreds injured, including around 100 police officers. Amnesty International and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, called for an independent investigation into the violence. Despite Oli's resignation, announced to "allow for a political solution," the protesters continued their assault. "Hundreds of people stormed the parliament grounds and set fire to the main building," a spokesperson for the institution told AFP.
Shocking images showed plumes of smoke enveloping the complex, while the prime minister's home and the headquarters of the ruling Communist Party were also set ablaze. A group of protesters even seized weapons from police officers to escalate the clashes. President Ramchandra Paudel urged a "peaceful resolution," but the army was deployed to evacuate ministers by helicopter, and Kathmandu airport canceled flights due to smoke and tensions. These events, described by the UN as an "escalation of violence," underscore a deep divide in Nepal, a Himalayan country already economically fragile.
The initially peaceful protests were sparked by the blocking of social media, seen as an attack on freedoms, and widespread corruption. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemned the burning of the headquarters of the Kantipur media group, calling on protesters to spare the journalists.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed "dismay" and called for immediate dialogue. In the meantime, the situation remains volatile, with risks of contagion in other cities, threatening the country's stability as elections approach.
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