- Dec 13, 2025
- Myind Staff
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Leaked documents reveal US role in Nepal’s Gen Z protests
Leaked documents have brought forward serious allegations about the United States’ involvement in funding and shaping Nepal’s violent ‘Gen Z’ movement, which reportedly led to regime change in the Himalayan nation. According to documents accessed by investigative outlet The Grayzone, the US secretly funnelled money through its agencies to organise, train, and mobilise young Nepali activists, allegedly to counter the growing influence of China and India in the region. The documents claim that the United States, through the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and the International Republican Institute (IRI), channelled $350,000 into a programme named “Yuva Netritwa: Paradarshi Niti” (Youth Leadership: Transparent Policy). On paper, the programme aimed to promote youth leadership, transparency, and democratic participation. However, the leaked files suggest that the real purpose went far beyond civic education. According to internal documents reviewed by The Grayzone, the programme was designed to train young Nepalis in “strategies and skills in organising protests and demonstrations.” The training manuals reportedly included lessons on public speaking, strategic political messaging, and mobilisation of resources, leadership development, and the use of digital platforms to broadcast dissent. The documents state that these activities were meant to create a coordinated and disciplined youth network capable of exerting pressure on the Nepali government. The programme reportedly ran from July 2021 to June 2022. Internal assessments described the initiative as a way to build a group of “vibrant youth” who could “become an important force to support US interests” by influencing policy decisions in Kathmandu. The documents explicitly stated that the goal was to steer Nepal away from the political orbit of its powerful neighbours, China and India, and align it more closely with Washington’s strategic objectives. The leaked files also reveal that the workshops were open to both political party members and unaffiliated youths. Each training session was reportedly recorded, transcribed, and analysed to assess participants for “leadership potential.” The documents claim that the organisers closely monitored individuals who showed the ability to mobilise crowds and influence public opinion. A key turning point highlighted in the documents was the Nepal government’s decision to block major social media platforms. According to the report, when the Kathmandu government ordered Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter to be blocked in September 2025 for failing to comply with new digital registration rules, the trained Gen Z activists were already prepared. Within days of the ban, large-scale protests erupted across the country. The protests quickly turned violent. Videos circulating online showed protesters carrying semi-automatic rifles and waving the Jolly Roger flag from the Japanese anime One Piece. The flag has previously appeared in youth-led uprisings in countries such as the Philippines, Indonesia, and Mexico. The leaked documents claim this symbolism reflected a shared protest culture promoted through international youth networks. The protests ultimately forced Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli to resign from office. Following his resignation, an interim leader was selected through an informal social media poll that reportedly received fewer than 10,000 votes, raising concerns about democratic legitimacy. Despite visuals showing armed protesters rampaging through cities, much of the Western media described the movement as a peaceful and democratic uprising against an authoritarian government. The leaked documents question this narrative and argue that the events were part of a carefully planned political operation rather than a spontaneous youth revolt. The documents also draw inspiration from Nepal’s “Enough is Enough” protests of 2020, which erupted over dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to IRI’s internal reports, those protests demonstrated the power of young people “to shape and play a significant role in Nepali politics” and to extract concessions from the government. The institute reportedly viewed this as proof that youth-led activism could be weaponised for political change. One document stated that the goal was to provide Nepali youth with “opportunities and platforms to develop extensive, sustainable networks to effectively advocate for common concerns and be successful champions for democratic change supported by the US.” The language used in the documents clearly linked youth mobilisation with advancing American interests in the region. Beyond the initial $350,000 programme, the leaked files point to a much larger funding trail. In May 2022, the US signed a $402.7 million development objective agreement with Nepal through USAID. Of this amount, $158 million was allocated for governance and civil society work by early 2025. Additionally, NED’s FY 2024 Asia grant list included a $65,000 grant titled “Promoting Youth Civic Engagement and Movement Building” and a $135,000 grant for “Strengthening Youth Participation in Advocacy and Reform Campaigns.” These funds were reportedly meant to establish youth centres and provide digital media training. Observers cited in the report warned that the US-backed youth network was not limited to organising protests. Instead, it was allegedly designed to groom future political leaders who could contest elections and embed US-aligned policies into Nepal’s governance system. Similar IRI-backed youth initiatives in Bangladesh were cited as having played a role in paving the way for a coup in August 2024. The leaked documents also clearly outline why Nepal holds strategic importance for Washington. Situated between China and India, Nepal is described as a key component of the US Indo-Pacific strategy. IRI’s internal reports reportedly referred to Nepal as central to America’s objective of encircling Beijing with friendly governments and potential US military footholds. The role of the National Endowment for Democracy is also highlighted. Since its establishment in 1983, NED has funded similar projects worldwide. Its own founder once openly admitted that much of what the organisation does today was previously done covertly by the CIA, a quote frequently cited by critics of US foreign policy interventions. According to the leaked papers, the violent unrest in Kathmandu in September 2025 may have marked the final stage of a Washington-backed effort to install leadership aligned with American geopolitical interests. The documents further claim that as India moves closer to China and Russia, the US national security establishment would prefer a more compliant government in Nepal. The revelations have raised serious questions about the United States’ self-proclaimed role as a global defender of democracy. If the allegations outlined in the leaked documents are accurate, critics argue that Washington did not merely fund civic education programmes, but actively helped mobilise and empower a generation of young Nepalis to overthrow an elected government, a move that directly contradicts the democratic principles it claims to uphold.- Dec 12, 2025
- Myind Staff
