Nepal's Army Takes Charge Amidst Chaos and Protests

As protests in Nepal escalate, with protesters setting fire to Parliament, the Supreme Court, and the homes of former prime ministers, the country is left in a power vacuum. The Nepali Army, an internationally renowned fighting force, finds itself in an unfamiliar position as it takes control and negotiates with the self-declared Gen Z protest movement. With the country's existing power structures in shambles, the army is faced with a difficult transition, having never held power on its own before. The situation has raised questions about the army's ability to defend democracy, a role it was never equipped to fill.

Key Takeaways:

• The Nepali Army, known for its bravery and commitment to the nation, has never held power before, but is now faced with a difficult transition after the country's existing power structures were dismantled during protests.
• The army's deference to civilians is remarkable, as they have historically answered only to the king, even after Nepal became a multiparty democracy in 1990.
• The Nepali Army is an indispensable member of United Nations peacekeeping missions, with soldiers earning a reputation for courage by the end of the 18th century.
• The army's size doubled during the 1996-2006 civil war, forcing the Maoists to the negotiating table in 2005, but its transformation is still in progress, according to retired Indian General Ashok K. Mehta.
• The army chief, General Ashok Raj Sigdel, faces a "grim" situation, with the military occupying the pinnacle of political power for the first time in the nation's history.
• The army's response to the protests has been criticized for being slow, with some arguing that it could have spared lives and billions of dollars worth of destruction by taking control sooner.

Statistics:

• 19 people were killed in the clashes between the police and Gen Z protesters on Monday.
• 91 percent of Nepalis trust the army more than any other institution in the country, according to a 2022 poll conducted by the Asia Foundation.
• The Nepali Army has been involved in over 20 UN peacekeeping missions in Africa, the Middle East, and elsewhere.

Sources:

• "Nepal's Army Takes Charge Amidst Chaos and Protests" by Alex Travelli, citing no specific source but referencing a report from The New York Times. PHOTO: Army personnel standing guard at a road checkpoint in Kathmandu, Nepal, on Thursday. (PHOTOGRAPH BY Atul Loke for The New York Times)
• "Asia Foundation poll conducted in 2022 shows 91 percent of Nepalis trust the army more than any other institution."
• "Retired Indian General Ashok K. Mehta worked extensively with the Nepali military during the civil war."