Nepal’s COVID-19 Protests End After Government Agrees to 12 Demands

Youngsters on a hunger strike against what they have described as the Nepal government’s poor response to the COVID-19 pandemic called it off on July 6, Monday, after the government promised to address their concerns.

In a statement, representatives of the Enough is Enough movement said that they had come to an agreement about 12 points, which the government has committed to carrying out in a week.

The government has committed to PCR testing for all entering the country and will stop using Rapid Diagnostic Tests, which have reportedly been less accurate. The protestors’ demand that the government expand testing has also been met: Nepal will now test even in cases where at-risk individuals are asymptomatic and will test everyone exiting quarantine.

Nepal, a country of 28 million people, is nearing over 16,000 cases of the novel coronavirus as of July 7. The Enough is Enough protests, first mobilised on social media, began June 9. It has since spread to various parts of the country.

The protest has been led by middle and upper class youth, and has faced its fair share of criticism for being “apolitical.”

On June 26, a few of the protestors went on to stage a hunger strike at the Patan Durbar Square - a popular tourist spot in the capital city, promising to fast unto death until the Nepal government met their demands. Two of the movement’s leaders - Iih and Pukar Bam - were moved to HAMS Hospital, Kathmandu on Friday on grounds of deteriorating health while fellow protestors Sudan Gurung and Subani Sijapat called off their strike.

Prior to the protestors reaching an agreement with the Ministry of Health and Population, Prime Minister KP Oli also paid them a visit over the weekend. He assured them that all their demands will be met.

The protestors said that while an agreement has been reached between the government and their side, “our campaign and various other initiatives will continue.”

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