Nepal approves contentious US$500 million aid grant despite protests

Name: Nepal police fire tear gas to disperse pro-Beijing protest over US$500m aid grant from the US
Uploaded: 2022-02-27T18:18:10.000Z
Duration: 2 min 19 s
Description: Nepal police fire tear gas to disperse pro-Beijing protest over US$500m aid grant from the US

Protesters claim conditions in the grant agreement will prevail over Nepal’s laws and threaten the country’s sovereignty

On Sunday, riot police responded to demonstrators with tear gas and water canons and beat protesters with bamboo batons

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Nepalese police baton charge a protester outside the parliament in Kathmandu, Nepal on February 27. Photo: AP

Associated Press

Published: 2:18am, 28 Feb 2022Updated: 7:50am, 28 Feb 2022

Nepal’s parliament on Sunday approved a contentious US$500 million aid grant from the United States despite protests both inside the legislature and on the streets.

The government was able to convince enough lawmakers to approve the proposal following a brief debate. Parliament Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota announced there was support of a majority of members through a voice vote.

Opposition to the aid package, which was initially sought by Nepal, comes mainly from communist parties, two of which are part of the coalition government.

For several days, protesters have violently clashed with police.

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Nepal police fire tear gas to disperse pro-Beijing protest over US$500m aid grant from the US

On Sunday, demonstrators chanted slogans, pelted police with stones and pushed barbed wire and metal barricades that were blocking the streets leading to parliament. Riot police responded with tear gas and water canons and beat protesters with bamboo batons.