KATHMANDU, Oct 12: Sudan Gurung, founder of "Hami Nepal", has strongly objected to attempts to discredit his campaign by linking it to the Free Tibet movement and foreign powers.
Responding via Facebook after a photo featuring the acronym "TOB" went viral on social media, Gurung accused an organized "cyber army" of deliberately spreading misinformation.
On Saturday, a photo of young people wearing black T-shirts with "TOB" written on them during a Gen-Z rally went viral. The acronym was interpreted by some online commentators as "Tibetan Origin Brotherhood," suggesting connections to the Free Tibet movement.
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Addressing the issue on Saturday, Gurung said, “This has gone too far. This culture of pulling others down never disappears from Nepali society. Now there’s a new trend where cyber armies are being used to defame us.”
He firmly denied any affiliation with foreign powers or international NGOs (INGOs) and challenged those making accusations to present evidence. “Show us even one dollar we’ve taken from foreign INGOs. Actually, forget that—just show one rupee. We’ve accounted for every single rupee. If needed, we’ll reveal all our financial records tomorrow,” Gurung stated.
He clarified that "Hami Nepal" is not a non-governmental organization (NGO), but a non-profit organization (NPO). “We don’t like the term NGO, so we registered as an NPO,” he said.
Gurung said that his organization prioritizes in-kind donations over cash. He also warned that they would no longer remain silent in the face of false accusations and would pursue legal action if necessary.
“From now on, we will file complaints—with proof—against those spreading fake news or trying to infiltrate our movement. If we are guilty, we should face consequences. But if not, then they should,” he said.
Gurung urged the public not to blindly trust such news and encouraged critical thinking. “We are educated people. Can’t we distinguish between truth and lies?” he said, “Just because something is trending on TikTok doesn’t make it true.”
