KATHMANDU, Sept 8: The Bibeksheel Sajha Party said its serious attention has been drawn to the fact that the government has made final preparations to pass the controversial Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact Agreement without amending it.

The party has said that some of the terms of the MCC agreement are highly objectionable and against Nepal's national integrity and interests and should not be passed without amendment.

“It would be fatal to move forward without addressing the concerns of the MCC agreement as it has raised serious doubts among the general public,” the party said in a statement issued on Wednesday. “In Nepal, as in Sri Lanka, it would be appropriate to form a task force of independent experts to study the agreement and make recommendations to the government on whether to move forward or revoke the agreement.”

Stating that foreign aid plays an important role in the development of a country like ours, the party said, ‘but such an agreement cannot be accepted if it interferes with our sovereignty and undermines our national interests and independence’.

“Given that the MCC is part of the Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS), it is objectionable for the previous and current governments to present it as a general grant like other development projects, instead of bringing out the truth in time,” the statement read. The party has also condemned the culture of the political parties supporting MCC when in government and criticizing it when in opposition.

The party has warned to wage a fierce struggle if the MCC agreement, on which the political parties, intellectuals and experts in foreign aid are sharply divided, is passed by the government without listening to the voices of the people.

 
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