Ethiopia moves to clip wings of NGOs
May 19th, 2008 | EthioPolitics.com |Argaw Ashine
The Ethiopian government is proposing a new law to restrict activities of the Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in the country. The law would allow a government agency to assign a police officer or an official to attend any NGO’s internal meetings without a court order.
Western diplomats and donor groups are preparing to request Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi, one of the architects and chairman of African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) forum, to reconsider this move which they believe is another attempt at crippling the country’s democracy.
The law will also authorise the seizing of property, conducting searches and removing NGO staff if their activities are believed to be unlawful.
The law excludes international and non-Ethiopian organisations from democracy, human rights, good governance, and conflict resolution activities.
Known as Charities and Societies Proclamation, the law restricts local NGOs to source more than 90 per cent of their funding from within the country.
Observers have protested the development, saying the funding clause was unrealistic for a country dependent on high amount of foreign aid.
Most NGOs depend on foreign aid, and local financing is negligible.
After the 2005 post-election crisis, Meles was seen defiant of Western pressure and he described their aid cut as “a shameful act”.
The government has alleged some NGOs affiliated to international organisations operating in Ethiopia have a hidden agenda.
Last year, the government expelled the International Red Cross Society from eastern Ethiopia claiming it was involved in “illegal” activities. The charity dismissed the allegations.
In the attempts to have the law reviewed, local and international NGOs have appealed to the government for further discussions.
Minas Hiruy, the head and founder of Hope— a local orphanage — has asked the authorities to reconsider the move. “It’s death penalty against us and we are appealing and crying to the government for dialogue before the law is sent to Parliament” Mr Minas said.
Getnet Assefa, a consultant with the European Union, said a government that receives the highest percentage of international aid lacks the moral stand to disqualify NGOs based on how they get the funds.
Executive director of Poverty Action Network in Ethiopian (PANE), Eshetu Bekele, asked the government to appreciate the role of NGOs towards attaining the Millennium Development Goals.
“The government must respect its commitment in various international conventions including NEPAD and African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM)” Eshetu said.
Five religious groups have aslo indicated they will be seeking audience with the authorities, saying the development would not only be limiting participation in development activities, but will also threaten religious rights.
Assefa Kesito, Minister of Justice, however, said the law would first be sent to the Cabinet before it goes to Parliament within a “short period of time.”
“We are running out of time to send out the law and they [NGOs] can forward their inputs in the coming days” Assafa added.
Assefa said Parliament had until the end of June this year to approve the law. There are more than 3,000 NGOs covering various sectors in the country. They are estimated to be controlling more than $1 billion.
2 Responses to “Ethiopia moves to clip wings of NGOs”
By Ototo Gormolo on May 20, 2008 | Reply
I see some people sound very naive when they find such evil measures of Woyane a surprise. Look what Woyane is doing now. This evil act of controlling and stifling NGO’s is tantamount to banishing them as the law doesn’t allow them the liberty of collecting and using funds in a manner that could best help the impoverished people of the country. Nothing can better manifest the fact that Woyane is the archenemy of the destitute people of our country as it is promulgating such a draconian law which fetters arms and legs of NGO’s in a time when their assistance is most needed by the poor as six million children are starving to death.
Woyane worries about nothing except its clinging to power everlastingly. Do you remember what Bereket simon said when he was asked as to whether they are ready to relinquish power? He said “The Japanese Liberal Democratic Party has been in power for 50 years”. So what ever it takes and no matter how many Ethiopians perish due to preventable drought and hunger, their worry is how to stick to power with their heavy handed and callous administration. How are they different from Myanmar’s Junta and Zimbawe’s Zanu PF. Their policy is kill and stick to power. NGO’s are their number one enemies because they are the ones who exposed their ballot rigging in the May, 2005 election. They are the ones who were the employers of the heroic Netsanet Demissie and Daniel Bekele the two young men who gallantly fought and exposed Woyane’s treachery to its core.
The Ethiopian people should relentlessly and bitterly keep on struggling to bring about the demise of Woyane and its running dogs in as short a time as possible. At this jucture, we call upon the army, the police and the security forces as they also have historical obligations to play a role in this regard as they are an integral part of the Ethiopian society.
God bless Ethiopia and damn Woyane.
OG
By daking on May 21, 2008 | Reply
You are so dumb creatures.