Why is Nepal’s Gen Z back on the streets? Squatter eviction drive sparks outrage

Kathmandu: Nepal is once again witnessing large-scale youth-led protests, with hundreds of demonstrators gathering in the capital to oppose the government's eviction campaign against landless squatters.

Protesters accused the authorities of forcing families out of their homes without offering proper rehabilitation or alternative housing.

The demonstration, organised by the Joint National Squatters Front, took place at Maitighar Mandala near the Singhdurbar Secretariat in Kathmandu. Protesters carried placards demanding an end to the alleged harassment of poor communities, respect for human rights, an end to illegal arrests, and permanent housing for displaced squatters.

Floods, police action add to tensions

The latest protests gained momentum after floods hit a government-run holding centre in Kathmandu's Kirtipur on Friday night, where around 150 displaced squatters had been living.

Security personnel shifted residents to safety, but tensions escalated the next day when Gen Z activists visited the site to assess the situation. According to reports, police baton-charged the activists and detained several of them.

One protester suffered facial injuries and was hospitalised.

The police action drew criticism from Nepali Congress President Gagan Kumar Thapa, who condemned the arrests and called for the immediate release of those detained.

In a separate protest on Sunday, police arrested 26 people outside the Morang District Police Office in Koshi Province after they staged a sit-in against the alleged mistreatment of Gen Z activists.

The controversy stems from the government's nationwide eviction campaign launched earlier this year. In April, authorities cleared settlements occupied by landless families across Kathmandu Valley and other parts of Nepal, impacting more than 15,000 people from around 2,600 families.

While hundreds were moved to temporary holding centres, the government directed residents to vacate those facilities by July 6.

However, dozens of families continue to remain there, citing the lack of a permanent resettlement plan.