Report: US-Funded Network Linked to September Coup Unrest in Nepal

By Staff, Agencies

An independent US outlet has reported that a US-backed regime-change organization helped orchestrate Nepal’s September turmoil, which led to the resignation of Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli at the height of the country’s violent Gen Z protests.

According to The Grayzone, leaked documents show that the National Endowment for Democracy (NED)—a US government-funded organization long accused of covert political interference—channeled hundreds of thousands of dollars into training Nepalese youth activists.

The protests, which left 77 dead and more than 2,000 injured, ultimately forced Oli from office.

A statement from the office of interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki, a former chief justice who replaced Oli, said the unrest caused over $586 million in economic damage to Nepal’s $42 billion economy.

The leaked files reportedly detail a clandestine program run by NED’s International Republican Institute (IRI), which sought to cultivate a politically active youth network explicitly intended to “support US interests.” According to the documents, the program provided training on organizing advocacy campaigns and protests.

The IRI has faced similar accusations regarding activities in Bangladesh.

Created in 1983, the NED is funded by the US State Department and publicly promotes “democratic initiatives” abroad. However, critics argue that it effectively conducts political influence operations once associated with the CIA, including efforts to destabilize or overthrow foreign governments.

The Center for Renewing America has separately accused the NED of directing tens of millions of dollars to Ukrainian political groups and anti-Russian initiatives, citing a pattern of interference consistent with the Nepal revelations.