Sikyong Warns Tibetan Refugees to Exercise Caution Amid Gen Z Protests
By Tenzin Chokyi
DHARAMSALA, 10 Sept: Sikyong Penpa Tsering, the political head of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) today urged Tibetan refugees in Nepal to exercise caution amid the student-led Gen Z protests against widespread corruption, nepotism and unemployment among others in Nepal.
Speaking before the 10th session of the 17th Tibetan Parliament in exile, which opened today, the Sikyong said that the CTA, through its Home Department and the Tibetan Refugee Welfare Office, Kathmandu, which functions as the representative agency of the CTA in Nepal, has reached out to Tibetan Settlement Officers and the Tibetan community in Nepal, advising them to refrain from going out or becoming involved in the situation.
“Since the movement is driven by strong emotions of the masses, Tibetans must be extremely cautious. We have urged Tibetans in Nepal to avoid unnecessary outings and to remain vigilant so as not to become targets during the unrest, which could further complicate the situation for refugee Tibetans,” he said.
He further noted that the Tibetan representative to Nepal was unable to travel on Wednesday due to the shutdown of Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport, which remains indefinitely closed amid the unrest.
However, he confirmed that no Tibetan settlements in Nepal have been affected so far, as the protests have largely remained confined to specific areas of Kathmandu city.
Meanwhile, Nepal itself remains in a precarious state following the resignation of Prime Minister K.P Oli Sharma and collapse of the government. Although the protest movement has been largely Gen Z –driven in its stand against corruption, opportunistic groups have exploited the unrest, leading to prison breaks and incidents of vandalism across parts of the country.
Nepali citizens, especially Gen Z users on social media, have been urging youth and protesters to cooperate with the Nepal Army as security threats grow.
Gen Z voices online have also condemned the escalating destruction of public property, jailbreaks from multiple prisons, and the actions of opportunists attempting to hijack the movement.
Declaring victory in their demands, many young protesters have called for peace, while stressing that opportunists should not be allowed to fill the political vacuum.
“The Nepal government has no law right now. And vultures like Durga Prasai, Rabi Lamichhane, other political parties, and the monarchy are circling the throne like hungry dogs,” read one Instagram post widely shared among Gen Z users in Nepal.
Another viral post stated: “We don’t support Rabi Lamichhane, we don’t support the Rastriya Swatantra Party, we don’t support Monarchs, we don’t support populists, we don’t support opportunists.” More than 53,000 Instagram users have reposted this on their Instagram stories.
Rabi Lamichhane, chairman of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and former Home Minister, had been jailed on fraud charges in April 2025. He was among those freed when protesters stormed the Nakkhu Prison complex near Kathmandu during the recent riots. Despite his release, Gen Z activists on social media have strongly distanced themselves from him, with viral posts explicitly rejecting Lamichhane, his party, and other opportunistic political forces.
The events of 8 – 9 September have left Nepal in a state of both triumph and turmoil. While the successful overthrow of a corrupt government has been hailed as a victory, the resulting political vacuum has plunged the nation into deep uncertainty and vulnerability.
