Tear gas and other crowd control tactics were employed.
Hundreds of protesters have been demonstrating in Nepal’s capital of Kathmandu last weekend, showing the public objection to the U.S. agency Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) providing $500 million in grants to the Nepalese government. The grants are for a 187-mile electrical transmission line and road improvement. Protesters say that accepting the grants undermines Nepalese autonomy, and have concerns over the possibility of strings being attached.
The U.S. Embassy in Nepal has emphasized that the grant is “a gift from the American people” and will not need to be repaid. “This project was requested by the Nepali government and the Nepali people and designed to transparently reduce poverty and grow the economy of Nepal,” the embassy stated.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For wisdom for the president and secretary of state as they send grants and aid to foreign countries.
- For discernment for officials in the president’s administration as federal spending continues to increase.
- For the Treasury secretary and members of the Federal Reserve as they monitor the nation’s financial position.
Sources: The Hill, NBC News
