Gorkha Youth to Begin Hunger Strike at Manaslu Base Camp Demanding Stronger Action on Climate Risks

GORKHA, September 15, 2026: Young people from Samagaun in Chumnubri Rural Municipality–1 of Gorkha have announced an indefinite hunger strike at Manaslu Base Camp from September 18, demanding stronger action against the growing climate risks faced by Himalayan communities.

Local youth Dawa Norbu Lama has said he plans to begin the protest, while other young people from the area have also expressed willingness to join. The youths have submitted an eight-point memorandum calling for scientific assessment and regular monitoring of glacial lakes in the Manaslu region. Their demands include measuring lake depth and water levels, installing early-warning systems such as sirens, improving disaster preparedness and strengthening monitoring of glaciers and glacial lakes on both sides of the Nepal-China border.

The protesters have also called for climate-change education in schools in Himalayan areas, arguing that communities living in the mountains are facing serious climate threats despite contributing relatively little to global pollution. Their campaign focuses on climate justice, disaster preparedness and protection of Himalayan communities.

The concerns raised by the youths come amid long-standing risks linked to glacial lakes and changing conditions in the Manaslu region. Samagaun and nearby settlements have previously faced sudden increases in water levels linked to glacial-melt concerns, including around Birendra Tal, a glacial lake near Manaslu.

The demands also fit into Nepal's wider climate agenda. The Sagarmatha Sambaad 2025 called for science- and technology-based solutions to climate-related disasters and greater protection of glaciers and water resources, while stressing the role of local and Indigenous communities in climate action.

The Samagaun youths say their planned protest is not only about their own village but about the future of Himalayan communities across Nepal. They are urging the government and international community to take stronger steps to monitor climate threats, improve early-warning systems and provide greater support to communities living on the front lines of the climate crisis.