The burning of Nepal’s parliament following a social media ban marks a pivotal moment in the nation’s democratic struggle. What appeared to be a protest over digital censorship is in reality an expression of deeper frustration with corruption, lack of transparency, and declining trust in political institutions. Issues that threaten the very foundation of democracy.

The parliament is on fire

Smoke is rising to the sky

Flames are dancing between the arches

Reflecting in the glass of my eye

People believe it’s either left or right

When in reality it’s bottom vs top

They are stealing from us

We see our place in the flow of history

A space and a time of our own

We act now, we change

Around me

Hundreds of phones

Voices that crack

Someone whispers “wow this is history”

As I'm staring at our history burning down

It’s often forgotten

That our world is constantly changing

We’re living in the midst of events

Some will be forgotten

Just steps towards something else

The smoke is burning in my throat

And I’m wondering

Are we igniting the spark

Or just witnessing something fall to pieces

How would you react if our government suddenly banned all social media platforms? I can say with certainty that you, reading this, are using platforms like Snapchat and TikTok daily, what if somebody took that away from you? This is the reality for millions of people in Nepal. I read a news article about the protests in Nepal, sparked by the government ordering authorities to block 26 social media platforms for not complying with a deadline to register. The biggest of the protests led to the parliament burning down and the resignation of the current prime minister Sharma Oli. The news article says that "So far, the protesters have not spelt out their demands apart from rallying under the anti-corruption call. The protests appear spontaneous with no organised leadership". I want to explain how these protests are not just about social media– they are about corruption, transparency, and the demand for real democracy in Nepal. This ban was only a trigger, but the deeper cause lies in corruption. Many young people criticized the move as an attack on free speech. Sometimes repression backfires; unintentionally the government? had united people against them.

The protests in Nepal reveal that the nation’s political unrest stems less from the social media ban itself and more from a deep erosion of public trust caused by corruption and the lack of transparency in government. I read the study "Strengthening Democracy in Nepal: The Role of Trust, Transparency, and Anti-Corruption" published by "Perspectives on Higher Education". It talks about how democracy in Nepal depends on trust, transparency and anti-corruption. In many high-trust countries, like Sweden, it has been demonstrated that inclusive policy-making and transparent governance has led to greater political stability. However, in countries like Nepal the trust in political institutions has declined. I believe this lack of trust in the government is a reason for the many protests after the ban. It also helps to prove my point that the main reason for the protests have a deeper cause.

While people argue that the government justified the ban in the name of tackling fake news, hate speech and online fraud, there had to be a better solution than to ban what are vital spaces for free speech and political discussions. For this, I am not surprised by the way younger generations in Nepal reacted and acted. This censorship only deepens the distrust and fuels anger amongst people affected.

The truth is undeniably that the problem lies in the leadership of Nepal. If the consequence of the ban is hundreds of people setting the parliament on fire, the government is obviously doing something wrong. The lack of trust in the government will ultimately lead to movements and citizens taking action. If the leaders are not willing to change, I believe further movements, even bigger than these, will become inevitable.

I want you to not forget that even if we live on the other side of the world, we still share so much in our generation thanks to social media. These people, who are just like you and me, are slowly getting their rights taken away from them. This ban that was meant to silence citizens sparked the loudest protest in years. The protests also prove that young people are ready to demand change. Real democracy will only grow if corruption is tackled and transparency is prioritized. So let’s use our voices, both online and offline to stand for freedom wherever it’s threatened.

Written by Elsa Eliasson