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| Sunday, 14 August 2005 |
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Where are NGO tsunami dollars? by a staff writer Highest levels of Government have expressed concern about the non-utilisation of millions of US dollars received by several local and international NGOs for assistance to the tsunami affected people. While most of these NGOs were quick to request the Government to hand over reconstruction projects and pressurised it to sign MoUs authorising them to undertake reconstruction work some of them have shown no signs of even commencing work although 8 months have elapsed since the tsunami. OXFAM, which received US$ 60 million from donations sent by British citizens, has not yet started any reconstruction work. They have even failed to respond to government invitations for discussions with them on the issue. Likewise the Red Cross, which received another US$ 60 million from the same donations, had just started a few projects although they undertook to build 15,000 permanent homes for tsunami victims. World Vision, which collected US$ 20 million from the cricket match played in Australia to assist tsunami victims in Sri Lanka has not commenced any project. It had earlier signed MoUs with the government to build 5000 permanent houses and renovate some schools and hospitals. Meanwhile these NGOs have deposited huge sums in banks and are earning profit disregarding the fate of the tsunami victims. At the same time they are carrying on an international campaign, especially in the UK to discredit the government that it had misappropriated tsunami funds received from foreign sources. When questioned a government spokesman said that the government had not accepted any cash from any NGO or foreign government on the basis that all expenditure on reconstruction should be done by the NGOs or the government itself. Unfortunately Sri Lanka has no laws to monitor the activities of local and international NGOs operating in the country. The government spokesman disclosed that the government is taking a serious view of this situation and is drafting regulations for undertaking legal action against some of these NGOs. |
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