Kathmandu, Sept 8: Former Prime Minister Sushila Karki has urged the government to ensure good governance, accountability, transparency and the rule of law, saying the country should not be pushed into a situation where youths have to return to the streets demanding change.
Issuing a message on the first anniversary of the Gen Z movement, Karki paid tribute to those killed during the protests and wished those injured a speedy recovery.
She said innocent youths lost their lives when authorities attempted to suppress their demands for good governance, accountability and a better future, while many others suffered serious injuries that left them facing lifelong disabilities.
Karki described the movement as a deep wound in the nation’s history, noting that it also caused extensive damage to public and private property as well as national heritage sites.
She called on all stakeholders to perform their responsibilities honestly, responsibly and vigilantly to ensure that such incidents do not recur.
Karki said the Gen Z movement had sent a clear message to the state and political leadership, arguing that a two-thirds parliamentary majority alone cannot guarantee political stability.
“Even a two-thirds majority in parliament cannot ensure stability in the absence of good governance,” she said. “Political stability is determined not by parliamentary arithmetic but by the character and working style of those in power.”
She said the government must take effective steps to strengthen governance, control corruption, uphold the rule of law and ensure respect for citizens.
Karki also noted that the country is facing another major crisis from the Bhotekoshi floods less than a year after the Gen Z movement and its heavy loss of life and property.
Urging national unity in the face of the disaster, she said, “Let us stand by one another, ease each other’s suffering and face the disaster together with unity.”
