S'poreans advised to defer non-essential travel to Nepal amid protests & violence: MFA

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has advised Singaporeans to defer all non-essential travel to Nepal, amidst ongoing violence.

In a Sep. 9 travel advisory, MFA described the situation as "uncertain and volatile".

Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, has been hit by widespread protests, with reports of violence and wide-ranging curfews imposed across the city.

Due to the protests, the Tribhuvan International Airport has been closed until further notice, according to The Himalayan Times.

Flights, including on the Singapore Airlines carrier, have also been cancelled.

What's happening in Nepal?

The protests began after the Nepali government moved to institute a controversial social media ban on Sep. 4.

The ban, which would have affected 26 platforms, including Facebook and YouTube, led to accusations that the government was trying to "silence" the people, BBC reported.

It came shortly after images of politicians' children flaunting their wealth online went viral on social media, resulting in backlash against "nepo babies".

The "Gen Z protests", as they have been dubbed, have led to the deaths of at least 19 people and hundreds of casualties.

While the social media ban was the catalyst, the demonstrations were centred around frustrations felt by Nepali youth regarding a perceived lack of government action to fight corruption, according to Reuters.

Thousands of protesters, including students clad in their uniforms, took to the streets with placards reading: "Shut down corruption and not social media", and "Youths against corruption".

On Sep. 9, Nepal's prime minister Sharma Oli resigned.

The government also overturned the ban.

Attacks, resignations

The violence has not stopped though.

Protesters attacked and vandalised the residences of several high-profile politicians, including Oli's, and set fire to Nepal's Parliament building in Kathmandu and the Supreme Court.

The protesters also torched the house of ex-Nepal Prime Minister Jhalanath Kanal. His wife, Rajyalaxmi Chitrakar, was fatally injured in the fire.

Meanwhile, Nepal's Finance Minister was seen being chased through the streets and beaten up by angry protestors.

Four other ministers have so far resigned.

Top image from Reuters