Why Nepal’s communal tensions keep returning

Nepal’s latest communal violence did not emerge overnight. A familiar mix of provocation, online misinformation, political neglect, and heavy-handed policing has turned isolated disputes into recurring flashpoints across the Madhesh.

8PM on Thursday, July 30, five days after sectarian violence in Nepal’s Terai-Madhesh plains killed three, injured dozens, and saw mass arson and vandalism, Prime Minister Balen Shah finally addressed the nation . Reading gravely off a teleprompter, Shah was somber, expressing sorrow for the dead and injured and calling for calm. It was one of the few instances where Shah discarded any bluster and bravado, choosing instead a restrained address that called on the public to not blame or target any single community for what is happening. It took a national crisis for Shah to finally discard his dark sunglasses and address the nation.