The group(s) claiming to be the stakeholder of the current regime change should also be accountable for the violation of child rights as well as devastation caused during the movement
After Gen-Z movement's momentary success, the so-called Gen-Zs are ecstatic, and various Gen-Z forums are emerging throughout the country. The self-proclaimed Gen-Z leaders were seen storming into government agencies and blatantly threatening the officials. A report revealed that a certain group of Gen-Z has forcibly secured a 10% share in a hydropower plant. These antisocial activities of the so-called Gen-Zs remind us of the atrocities that the Maoist Party staged in the name of Young Communist League following its transition to open mainstream politics two decades back.
Adding to the growing buzz, one of the signatories of the peaceful protest on September 8, Miraj Dhungana, has announced his plans to form a political party. Striding a step forward, a party named Gen-Z Centre has already applied for registration at the Election Commission. Moreover, several prominent figures from different walks of life are reportedly working to establish a political group that embodies the spirit of the Gen-Z.
Amid all these political developments, a thoughtful and intellectual discussion on what truly defines Gen-Z - and what does not - has yet to take place. A large section of the society is blindly chasing after this vaguely politicised term without critical reflection. Therefore, the so-called Gen-Z movement should be retrospectively analysed to understand what Gen-Z is and what it isn't.
In early September, scores of young people posted about elitism, state-sponsored corruption and what they termed 'nepo-babies' and called for a peaceful gathering at Maitighar Mandala on September 8. Just a couple of days before the scheduled protest, the government abruptly banned several social media platforms, citing their failure to register with the Ministry of Communication. This inaptly calculated governmental move further fueled the momentum of the protest. The movement got the name Gen-Z as most of the people involved in the protest belonged to this age group.
Although the scheduled demonstration was a one-day peaceful protest against government misconduct, it was reportedly infiltrated by external elements, suggesting a deliberate attempt to disrupt or redirect the movement. Investigative national and international reports clearly reveal an organised infiltration that transformed a peaceful protest into a ruthless mob.
It is clear that the Gen-Z had already called off the protest by midday on September 8 sensing unwarranted infiltration. After that, the intruders took charge on the ground that resulted in the death of scores of youngsters and unprecedented devastation of state and private property. The destruction on September 9 was so intense and coordinated that the country's property worth billions were turned to ashes within a few hours. Worryingly, it has set a harmful precedent that violence is an acceptable means to achieve one's goals.
At the moment, various groups claiming themselves to be Gen-Z are vying for a share of statutory power. The term 'Gen-Z' has been falsely interpreted as young individuals between the age of 13 to 28 years. Even many intellectuals and political leaders are claiming that they themselves were Gen-Z many years ago. However, Gen-Z refers to individuals born between 1997 and 2012 worldwide. Therefore, no one born before 1997 or after 2012 can be considered part of this generation. Regardless of their age in the coming years, only those born within this timeframe will always belong to Gen-Z.
Hence, we have to understand that Gen-Z is not an age group or a political forum. It neither has any common ideology nor is it bound to any particular region. The formation of so-called Gen-Z forums or establishment of a Gen-Z political party are largely superficial endeavours. In fact, many of the self-proclaimed Gen-Z leaders and activists actually belong to generations that preceded Gen-Z. Unfortunately, the concept of Gen-Z has been misinterpreted and is being mistakenly promoted as an ideology rather than recognised as a generational identity.
Likewise, during the so-called two-day Gen-Z movement, a crucial issue seems to be intentionally ignored –initiators of the Gen-Z movement and social influencers had invited all the Gen-Zs to hit the streets in their respective school and college uniform. We have to note that Gen-Zs born between 2008 and 2012 are still minors and involving underaged minors in a politically-motivated activity not only violates article 38 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child but also breaches article 39(5) of the Constitution of Nepal as well as section 66-67 of the Children's Act 2018. Therefore, the group(s) claiming to be the stakeholder of the current regime change should also be accountable for the violation of child rights as well as devastation caused during the movement. Concurrently, the use of excess force by the state on September 8 should also be impartially investigated, and the perpetrators should be unconditionally brought to book.
To summarise, Gen-Z is neither a political forum nor has it any ideology. Gen-Z is just a generation of youngsters born between 1997 and 2012. Genuine Gen-Zs have already alienated themselves from the current political chaos, but the political arena has been highjacked by the pseudo-Gen-Zs. This has unfortunately dragged the country into a dark tunnel of uncertainty. The established political parties and their leaderships are solely to be blamed for this mishap. Hopefully, the light at the end of this tunnel will appear very soon.
Dr Joshi is a senior scientist and independent opinion maker based in Germany
pushpa.joshi@gmail.com
