On Monday night, students from the Nepali Students Club held a candlelight vigil in front of Schewel Hall to honor those killed in demonstrations across Nepal. Over two dozen students, faculty, and community members attended the event, lighting candles and carrying Nepali flags.
Students spoke about the severity of the tragedy and the significance of supporting those a part of the “Gen Z Protest.”
“Although we are far from our country, we can show solidarity to the people who attended the protest,” said club president Prashant Karki, who is an international student from Nepal.
At least 19 people have been killed in protests across the country, with 17 of the victims killed in the nation’s capital of Kathmandu. According to The Kathmandu Post, over 400 protestors were injured after police began to use excessive force on crowds. Among them were mostly teenagers and young adults who were protesting the social media ban that the government announced on Sept. 4.
While many news outlets are painting the protests as a direct response to the ban of several social media platforms within the country, students say that the protests are a direct response to prolonged political corruption within the country.
“This revolution is something everybody was looking for for a long time now,” Karki noted. “This is the protest that feels kind of revolutionary, that could be a turning point in the history of Nepal’s political system.”
Sujan Lamsal, a Nepali immigrant who has lived in the United States for over a decade, said that he attended the vigil to show his support for Lynchburg’s Nepali students and those who lost their lives fighting for a better Nepal.
“I might not be in the Gen Z group, but I’m with them,” said Lamsal, who added that he left his home country in search of better opportunities for himself and his family.
“I’m 29-years-old and never ever seen a stable government,” Lamsal shared. “Corruption is very common, which is the main problem of Nepal.”
Recently, a viral trend on social media, labeled the “Nepo Kid” trend, has criticized the children of Nepal’s politicians for boasting about their lavish lifestyles. The trend has reignited discussions about wealth inequality within the country, where 20 percent of the population lives below the poverty line.
“If our generation doesn’t speak, no one else will,” said Samrachana Pandit, a sophomore nursing student from Nepal. “The government is not taking accountability for what has happened in our country.”
Late Monday night, the Nepal government stated that they would reverse its position on the social media ban and restore public access to multiple platforms.
But for many of the Nepali youth, the restoration of social media sites is just the beginning of what they hope to be a political transformation. Students encouraged protestors to continue the fight against injustice and corruption in Nepal.
“If you can write, write for the country. If you can speak, speak for the country. If you can sing, sing for the country. Whatever you can, wherever you are, do as much as you can for the country,” Karki said.
For more updates on the protests in Nepal, visit The Kathmandu Post.
