Nepal’s Fragile Peace Shattered by Deadly State Response

The fragile peace and political stability that Nepal has strived for have been shattered by the state’s own actions. A deadly response to public protests over a social media ban has reawakened the specter of political violence and undone years of effort to build a stable, democratic republic, leaving the nation’s future hanging in the balance.
Since the end of the civil war and the abolition of the monarchy, Nepal has been on a long and difficult path towards peace and stability. While progress has been slow and often frustrating, the country had largely avoided the kind of state-on-citizen violence seen in the past. The killing of 19 protesters by security forces has tragically reversed this progress.
The event has re-opened old wounds and destroyed public trust in state institutions, particularly the security forces, who are now seen by many as instruments of political repression rather than protectors of the people. This erosion of trust is incredibly damaging to a young democracy and makes future reconciliation and dialogue much more difficult.
The prime minister’s resignation is an acknowledgment of this catastrophic failure, but the damage to the nation’s psyche and its political fabric will be much harder to repair. Nepal is now forced to confront the reality that its journey towards a stable, peaceful democracy is far from over, and the path ahead has suddenly become much more dangerous.