A ‘Secret Network’, A ‘New Leader’: Nepal’s Gen-Z Protest Wasn’t Spontaneous, Leaked Docs Reveal Who Scripted The Chaos | World News

Nepal Generation Z Protests 2025: A number of US-funded programs were allegedly implemented in Nepal for years before the violent “anti-corruption” Gen Z protest that toppled the country’s elected government in September 2025, allegedly leaked documents accessed by The Grayzone website reveal.

What is on record is a picture of a foreign-backed crackdown that emerged through workshops, grants, focus groups and digital preparation sessions long before protesters from Generation Z students, young citizens and activists armed themselves and took to the streets.

The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and its International Republican Institute (IRI) trained the groups in strategies and skills for organizing protests, political messaging and digital mobilization, according to the documents.

Allegedly, these activities were continuing long before the resignation of then Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and the clashes that resulted in the deaths of at least 76 people.

IRI’s internal documents allegedly describe a plan to build a political “network” of young people who would “become a significant force in support of US interests.” He highlights how the institute connects “vibrant youth… and political leaders” and provides “extensive training on how to launch advocacy campaigns and protests.”

Each protest theme will be aligned with “topics selected” by IRI and its local partners, according to the documents, so that “the United States will be interested in Nepal’s democracy.” [would] will be resolved”.

This method had precedent. A similar IRI-backed initiative in Bangladesh helped trigger the August 2024 coup mentioned in the leaks.

‘Generation Z’ Rage

The protests sweeping the country follow the government’s decision to block access to Facebook, YouTube and X (Twitter) until social media companies agree to register under local laws. Teens and young adults have filled public spaces with smartphones, livestreams, and in many cases, semi-automatic rifles.

In images circulating on social media, the Jolly Roger flag from the One Piece anime was seen waving over the crowd. The emblem has previously appeared in youth uprisings in Indonesia, the Philippines and Mexico. Each of these countries falls within the strategic interest of Washington and Beijing, a detail that has not gone unnoticed by regional observers.

Oli resigned a week after the violence. A few days later, Nepal’s interim leader took over via an anonymous online poll on Discord; fewer than 10,000 responses were recorded in this poll.

Western media described the explosion as a democratic awakening, but the leaked files point to a much more complex background; Allegedly external actors had spent years preparing restless young Nepalis for political confrontation.

Why Did Nepal Become a Priority Destination?

Washington’s interest in Nepal is written in the leaked IRI documents. The institute claimed that Nepal’s “strategic geographical location” between China and India makes the country the “core” of the US’s “Indo-Pacific” agenda. The program’s dubious designers allegedly believed that creating a politically emboldened youth class in Kathmandu could help steer Nepal toward a future desired by American policymakers.

The files describe initiatives that purportedly aim to mentor young citizens who will “use their power for policy intervention” and influence “national decision-making.” The alleged expectation was that their effects would extend “beyond the lifespan” of the projects. The alleged long-term vision went beyond protests. Allegedly this involved forming new political parties, nominating candidates, and eventually influencing the future government.

The “Enough is Enough” protests of 2020, which erupted against the country’s COVID-era restrictions, are claimed to be a case study for dubious IRI strategists. They saw these demonstrations as proof that young Nepalis had enough energy and organization to “shape Nepali politics and play an important role.”

The institute’s claimed mission was to “sustain” this momentum by giving young people “opportunities and platforms to develop comprehensive and sustainable networks” that would advocate for “democratic change supported by the United States.”

NED allegedly acknowledged over the years that many of its activities reflected covert interventions once carried out by the CIA. One of the founders of the organization even said: “Many of the things we do today were done secretly by the CIA 25 years ago.”

With India’s foreign policy tilting towards China and Russia in recent years, the files show that Washington sees Nepal, a geographically small but strategically located country, as a place where a friendly government could prove invaluable.

How a $350,000 Youth Project Created Political Foot Soldiers

One of the most important initiatives in Nepal allegedly funded by the United States was IRI’s Yuva Netritwa: Paradarshi Niti (Youth Leadership: Transparent Politics) program. It was reportedly in effect from July 2021 to June 2022 at a cost of $350,000. The goal, the documents state, was to “increase the opportunity for emerging leaders to step up youth activism and put pressure on Nepali political decision-makers.”

The program allegedly targeted between 60 and 70 young Nepalis. Allegedly, the focus was on raising a generation that could launch “defense campaigns and protests” that would bring to light “political turmoil, government corruption, and national policymaking.”

It was claimed that as soon as a sufficient number of young people who “affirm and defend” the “values” of the United States were identified, the plan called for mobilizing them into campaigns on issues “of concern to the United States”.

To support this alleged effort, IRI reportedly commissioned the Emerging Leaders Academy (ELA), an initiative designed to bring together activists and young political leaders. The institute allegedly boasted that similar efforts in Sri Lanka and Indonesia had been successful in preparing hand-picked young people for influential positions in their communities and parties.

It was claimed that the applications were made through political groups, non-governmental organizations and even the media. Participants were allegedly trained to use social media to create effective protests, craft messages and attract more young people.

The alleged long-term goal was to encourage young participants to “strive for higher positions in the relevant political parties”, ultimately creating a “youth network” with influence on national decision-making.

In 2021, IRI allegedly applied for another $500,000 to expand its civic education efforts. Allegedly, internal research has highlighted that 90% of young Nepalis are far from politics, despite making up 40% of the population.

This demographic weight allegedly made them indispensable to any plan compatible with the US Indo-Pacific strategy. It is unknown whether the funds were eventually released.

Workshops, Manuals and Parallel Training Machines

The organization’s reach is alleged to extend far beyond a single program. Leaked documents show how IRI has established a broader educational ecosystem that brings together young Nepalis, both politically active and apolitical, to “strengthen their capacity to create positive change.”

They were allegedly taught public speaking, strategic messaging, resource mobilization and management of advocacy campaigns and protests.

Participants are claimed to examine global examples of youth-led political change. They were given training to “lead” and trained in ways young leaders could drive political change “through protest.”

The alleged final training module introduced digital techniques for collecting data, tracking public concerns and transferring them to online campaigns, using tools recommended by experts at IRI’s Digital Democracy practice.

This alleged mechanism included an elaborate and professionally managed focus group operation. IRI allegedly hired Kathmandu-based firm Solutions Consultant to conduct seven focus groups from February to April 2022.

The claimed aim was to understand the barriers that prevent young Nepalis from entering politics. It is claimed that the company was paid $9,135 for this work. Participants aged between 18 and 35 were claimed to have been fully recorded, transcribed and indexed by name or number, as well as their age, education, city and occupation information.

The interviewees allegedly expressed their dissatisfaction with Nepal’s political class. A 24-year-old man said the Congress Party used “youth in demonstrations” and then ignored them.

A representative of the Bibeksheel Sajha Party said that “talented youth are being excluded from meaningful politics and are only used to support demonstrations and riots organized by older leaders.” These complaints reflected sentiments that the IRI allegedly aimed to channel into broader mobilization.

How Fault Lines Torn Kathmandu Apart

The dynamics revealed in the research have reemerged explosively in 2025. Patterns of mobilization have continued during Gen Z unrest, with young protesters erupting over unpopular policies, a political system unable to absorb their anger, and older leaders taking advantage of street-level disruptions.

The New York Times reflected this mood in its September 15 editorial, stating that “Nepalese from all walks of life are ready to reject the system they have fought for decades to achieve” but remain “lacking a clear idea of ​​what comes next.”

This uncertainty has since opened up space for pro-monarchy forces that once seemed to be consigned to history. During the turmoil, arsonists attacked the parliament, party offices and leaders’ homes. The army and the old royal palace were left untouched.

Former king Gyanendra Shah issued a statement supporting the protesters and the military has since invited pro-monarchist people to talks about the country’s political future.

The leaks now raise disturbing questions. If IRI’s training, youth mapping, and protest coaching helped shape the activists who filled the streets of Kathmandu, the United States may have helped pave the way for a political order better suited to its Indo-Pacific goals.

A new leader, allegedly chosen via an anonymous Discord poll, is at the center of this moment, symbolizing a country rocked by an insurgency fueled by smartphones, online symbols and years of secret training from a distant capital.

Time will tell whether Washington achieves the result it envisioned. What is clear is that the most transformative uprising Nepal has experienced in years was not allegedly spontaneous. The unrest bore traces of a long-running project that blended alleged foreign funding, youth discontent, digital culture and geopolitical calculations into a volatile formula that eventually exploded on the streets of Kathmandu.