Gen Z wounded rejecting IDs in fear of retribution

By Raman Paudel,Kathmandu, Dec. 3: More than 2,000 out of 2,522 wounded in the Gen Z movement have yet to receive their identity cards and relief provided by the state, even though the new government has already completed two months of its tenure.

According to the government, only 460 wounded individuals have received their identity cards and medical relief. 

The other 2,062 people listed as wounded in the Gen Z movement are still left without benefits. In the last two months, the government has provided medical allowances to the wounded, in addition to free treatment and relief. 

However, many affected people are still deprived of relief and allowances, including identity cards, despite a series of government announcements calling on them to collect their cards and relief.

Some officials say that the government has distributed identity cards and allowances to all districts. 

In some cases, officials have even visited the actual locations of the wounded to provide them with identity cards and medical allowances.

Nevertheless, many affected individuals are still being deprived of the benefits provided by the government.

“We have made a series of public announcements asking people to receive identity cards and medical allowances. However, many affected people are still left out. Hopefully, they will come to receive their cards very soon,” stated Govinda Rijal, Chief of the Disaster and Conflict Management Division at the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Speaking to The Rising Nepal, Chief Rijal added that government officials, including local representatives, have frequently attempted to distribute identity cards. But they failed to complete the task of card distribution due to the additional demands of the Gen Z groups.

Despite the series of public announcements made by the government, many affected people have refused to come forward to receive their cards and allowances. Upon looking into the reasons, it was found that many are afraid that a possible new government formed by traditional political parties after the election might arrest them.

An official at the Ministry of Health and Population said that those who visit the administration office fear that a new government formed after the election could arrest them using video records.

“We have frequently made public announcements to distribute identity cards. But it has been reported that people are afraid that the traditional political parties, if they win the election and form a government, would arrest them,” stated the official.

Similarly, some Gen Z activists have said that many affected people have refused to accept identity cards and allowances due to their key demands not being addressed by the new government.

Dr. Hari Karki, coordinator of a group named Gen Z 2.0, said that many victims refused to receive identity cards because they have been protesting with several demands that remain unaddressed.

“There are more than five groups, including ours, placing demands before the government. However, the government has failed to address them. In fact, there are several confusions and contradictions that the government needs to clarify. We will not receive identity cards unless and until the government addresses our demands,” said Dr. Karki.

He also argued that many people above the age of 60 were involved in the protests. “That is why the protest should not be called only the Gen Z movement. Rather, it was a protest involving all age groups,” he said.

Speaking to The Rising Nepal, Dr. Karki said that Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal had committed that the government would release a package addressing the demands of various protest groups.

However, these groups have not only met frequently with different ministers, including the Prime Minister, to present their demands, but have also continued to stage regular protests in public places.