Canada is urging citizens to exercise a high degree of caution in Nepal following deadly anti-corruption protests which began last week.
The Canadian government updated its travel advice to Nepal as intensifying clashes between demonstrators and security forces led to local authorities issuing curfews in several districts of the Kathmandu Valley, and closing and cancelling all flights out of the Tribhuvan International Airport.
Canadian officials are advising those in the country to avoid demonstrations and government buildings, expect heavy security measures and presence as the political unrest continues, and to continue to monitor local media for the latest information and instructions from authorities.
Nepali Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli resigned Tuesday as demonstrators took the streets again in the country’s capital, setting fire to the Parliament building despite the lift of the ban Monday night.
Protests erupted after the government implemented a ban on social media platforms, including Facebook, X and YouTube, escalating an already simmering view of what many believed to be rampant corruption.
At least 22 people have been killed and hundred injured as organizers behind the latest protests, who called themselves “Generation Z,” were met with live ammunition, water cannons, and tear gas.
In its announcement last week, the government said it was cracking down on misinformation and hate speech and threatened to block any social media companies that failed to register with authorities.
The proposal was met with wide criticisms calling it a tool for censorship and curbing freedom of expression.
Demonstrators say the protests are the result of not only the ban, but also what they describe as the government’s failure to address corruption and boost economic opportunities.
Nepal has held a long history of turbulent politics and has seen more than a dozen governments since it transitioned to a republic from a monarchy in 2008 following a decade-long civil war.
