| Their arrival portends rising local
| |
| | The NGOs, the reformed multinationals and
|
| prices and a culture shock. Many of them
| |
| | enlightened rich-country governments
|
| live in plush apartments, or five star
| |
| | propose tough rules on third-world
|
| hotels, drive SUV's, sport $3000 laptops
| |
| | factory wages, backed up by trade
|
| and PDA's. They earn a two figure
| |
| | barriers to keep out imports from
|
| multiple of the local average wage. They
| |
| | countries that do not comply. Shoppers in
|
| are busybodies, preachers, critics,
| |
| | the West pay more - but willingly,
|
| do-gooders, and professional
| |
| | because they know it is in a good cause.
|
| altruists.Always self-appointed, they
| |
| | The NGOs declare another victory. The
|
| answer to no constituency. Though
| |
| | companies, having shafted their
|
| unelected and ignorant of local
| |
| | third-world competition and protected
|
| realities, they confront the
| |
| | their domestic markets, count their
|
| democratically chosen and those who voted
| |
| | bigger profits (higher wage costs
|
| them into office. A few of them are
| |
| | notwithstanding). And the third-world
|
| enmeshed in crime and corruption. They
| |
| | workers displaced from locally owned
|
| are the non-governmental organizations,
| |
| | factories explain to their children why
|
| or NGO's.Some NGO's - like Oxfam, Human
| |
| | the West's new deal for the victims of
|
| Rights Watch, Medecins Sans Frontieres,
| |
| | capitalism requires them to starve."NGO's
|
| or Amnesty - genuinely contribute to
| |
| | in places like Sudan, Somalia, Myanmar,
|
| enhancing welfare, to the mitigation of
| |
| | Bangladesh, Pakistan, Albania, and
|
| hunger, the furtherance of human and
| |
| | Zimbabwe have become the preferred venue
|
| civil rights, or the curbing of disease.
| |
| | for Western aid - both humanitarian and
|
| Others - usually in the guise of think
| |
| | financial - development financing, and
|
| tanks and lobby groups - are sometimes
| |
| | emergency relief. According to the Red
|
| ideologically biased, or
| |
| | Cross, more money goes through NGO's than
|
| religiously-committed and, often, at the
| |
| | through the World Bank. Their iron grip
|
| service of special interests.NGO's - such
| |
| | on food, medicine, and funds rendered
|
| as the International Crisis Group - have
| |
| | them an alternative government -
|
| openly interfered on behalf of the
| |
| | sometimes as venal and graft-stricken as
|
| opposition in the recent elections in
| |
| | the one they replace.Local businessmen,
|
| Macedonia. Other NGO's have done so in
| |
| | politicians, academics, and even
|
| Belarus and Ukraine, Zimbabwe and Israel,
| |
| | journalists form NGO's to plug into the
|
| Nigeria and Thailand, Slovakia and
| |
| | avalanche of Western largesse. In the
|
| Hungary - and even in Western, rich,
| |
| | process, they award themselves and their
|
| countries including the USA, Canada,
| |
| | relatives with salaries, perks, and
|
| Germany, and Belgium.The encroachment on
| |
| | preferred access to Western goods and
|
| state sovereignty of international law -
| |
| | credits. NGO's have evolved into vast
|
| enshrined in numerous treaties and
| |
| | networks of patronage in Africa, Latin
|
| conventions - allows NGO's to get
| |
| | America, and Asia.NGO's chase disasters
|
| involved in hitherto strictly domestic
| |
| | with a relish. More than 200 of them
|
| affairs like corruption, civil rights,
| |
| | opened shop in the aftermath of the
|
| the composition of the media, the penal
| |
| | Kosovo refugee crisis in 1999-2000.
|
| and civil codes, environmental policies,
| |
| | Another 50 supplanted them during the
|
| or the allocation of economic resources
| |
| | civil unrest in Macedonia a year later.
|
| and of natural endowments, such as land
| |
| | Floods, elections, earthquakes, wars -
|
| and water. No field of government
| |
| | constitute the cornucopia that feed the
|
| activity is now exempt from the glare of
| |
| | NGO's.NGO's are proponents of Western
|
| NGO's. They serve as self-appointed
| |
| | values - women's lib, human rights, civil
|
| witnesses, judges, jury and executioner
| |
| | rights, the protection of minorities,
|
| rolled into one.Regardless of their
| |
| | freedom, equality. Not everyone finds
|
| persuasion or modus operandi, all NGO's
| |
| | this liberal menu palatable. The arrival
|
| are top heavy with entrenched,
| |
| | of NGO's often provokes social
|
| well-remunerated, extravagantly-perked
| |
| | polarization and cultural clashes.
|
| bureaucracies. Opacity is typical of
| |
| | Traditionalists in Bangladesh,
|
| NGO's. Amnesty's rules prevent its
| |
| | nationalists in Macedonia, religious
|
| officials from publicly discussing the
| |
| | zealots in Israel, security forces
|
| inner workings of the organization -
| |
| | everywhere, and almost all politicians
|
| proposals, debates, opinions - until they
| |
| | find NGO's irritating and bothersome.The
|
| have become officially voted into its
| |
| | British government ploughs well over $30
|
| Mandate. Thus, dissenting views rarely
| |
| | million a year into "Proshika", a
|
| get an open hearing.Contrary to their
| |
| | Bangladeshi NGO. It started as a women's
|
| teachings, the financing of NGO's is
| |
| | education outfit and ended up as a
|
| invariably obscure and their sponsors
| |
| | restive and aggressive women empowerment
|
| unknown. The bulk of the income of most
| |
| | political lobby group with budgets to
|
| non-governmental organizations, even the
| |
| | rival many ministries in this
|
| largest ones, comes from - usually
| |
| | impoverished, Moslem and patriarchal
|
| foreign - powers. Many NGO's serve as
| |
| | country.Other NGO's - fuelled by $300
|
| official contractors for
| |
| | million of annual foreign infusion -
|
| governments.NGO's serve as long arms of
| |
| | evolved from humble origins to become
|
| their sponsoring states - gathering
| |
| | mighty coalitions of full-time activists.
|
| intelligence, burnishing their image, and
| |
| | NGO's like the Bangladesh Rural
|
| promoting their interests. There is a
| |
| | Advancement Committee (BRAC) and the
|
| revolving door between the staff of NGO's
| |
| | Association for Social Advancement
|
| and government bureaucracies the world
| |
| | mushroomed even as their agendas have
|
| over. The British Foreign Office finances
| |
| | been fully implemented and their goals
|
| a host of NGO's - including the fiercely
| |
| | exceeded. It now owns and operates 30,000
|
| "independent" Global Witness - in
| |
| | schools.This mission creep is not unique
|
| troubled spots, such as Angola. Many host
| |
| | to developing countries. As Parkinson
|
| governments accuse NGO's of - unwittingly
| |
| | discerned, organizations tend to
|
| or knowingly - serving as hotbeds of
| |
| | self-perpetuate regardless of their
|
| espionage.Very few NGO's derive some of
| |
| | proclaimed charter. Remember NATO? Human
|
| their income from public contributions
| |
| | rights organizations, like Amnesty, are
|
| and donations. The more substantial NGO's
| |
| | now attempting to incorporate in their
|
| spend one tenth of their budget on PR and
| |
| | ever-expanding remit "economic and social
|
| solicitation of charity. In a desperate
| |
| | rights" - such as the rights to food,
|
| bid to attract international attention,
| |
| | housing, fair wages, potable water,
|
| so many of them lied about their projects
| |
| | sanitation, and health provision. How
|
| in the Rwanda crisis in 1994, recounts
| |
| | insolvent countries are supposed to
|
| "The Economist", that the Red Cross felt
| |
| | provide such munificence is conveniently
|
| compelled to draw up a ten point
| |
| | overlooked."The Economist" reviewed a few
|
| mandatory NGO code of ethics. A code of
| |
| | of the more egregious cases of NGO
|
| conduct was adopted in 1995. But the
| |
| | imperialism.Human Rights Watch lately
|
| phenomenon recurred in Kosovo.All NGO's
| |
| | offered this tortured argument in favor
|
| claim to be not for profit - yet, many of
| |
| | of expanding the role of human rights
|
| them possess sizable equity portfolios
| |
| | NGO's: "The best way to prevent famine
|
| and abuse their position to increase the
| |
| | today is to secure the right to free
|
| market share of firms they own. Conflicts
| |
| | expression - so that misguided government
|
| of interest and unethical behavior
| |
| | policies can be brought to public
|
| abound.Cafedirect is a British firm
| |
| | attention and corrected before food
|
| committed to "fair trade" coffee. Oxfam,
| |
| | shortages become acute." It blatantly
|
| an NGO, embarked on a campaign targeted
| |
| | ignored the fact that respect for human
|
| at Cafedirect's competitors, accusing
| |
| | and political rights does not fend off
|
| them of exploiting growers by paying them
| |
| | natural disasters and disease. The two
|
| a tiny fraction of the retail price of
| |
| | countries with the highest incidence of
|
| the coffee they sell. Yet, Oxfam owns 25%
| |
| | AIDS are Africa's only two true
|
| of Cafedirect.Large NGO's resemble
| |
| | democracies - Botswana and South
|
| multinational corporations in structure
| |
| | Africa.The Centre for Economic and Social
|
| and operation. They are hierarchical,
| |
| | Rights, an American outfit, "challenges
|
| maintain large media, government
| |
| | economic injustice as a violation of
|
| lobbying, and PR departments, head-hunt,
| |
| | international human rights law". Oxfam
|
| invest proceeds in professionally-managed
| |
| | pledges to support the "rights to a
|
| portfolios, compete in government
| |
| | sustainable livelihood, and the rights
|
| tenders, and own a variety of unrelated
| |
| | and capacities to participate in
|
| businesses. The Aga Khan Fund for
| |
| | societies and make positive changes to
|
| Economic Development owns the license for
| |
| | people's lives". In a poor attempt at
|
| second mobile phone operator in
| |
| | emulation, the WHO published an inanely
|
| Afghanistan - among other businesses. In
| |
| | titled document - "A Human Rights
|
| this respect, NGO's are more like cults
| |
| | Approach to Tuberculosis".NGO's are
|
| than like civic organizations.Many NGO's
| |
| | becoming not only all-pervasive but more
|
| promote economic causes -
| |
| | aggressive. In their capacity as
|
| anti-globalization, the banning of child
| |
| | "shareholder activists", they disrupt
|
| labor, the relaxing of intellectual
| |
| | shareholders meetings and act to actively
|
| property rights, or fair payment for
| |
| | tarnish corporate and individual
|
| agricultural products. Many of these
| |
| | reputations. Friends of the Earth worked
|
| causes are both worthy and sound. Alas,
| |
| | hard last year to instigate a consumer
|
| most NGO's lack economic expertise and
| |
| | boycott against Exxon Mobil - for not
|
| inflict damage on the alleged recipients
| |
| | investing in renewable energy resources
|
| of their beneficence. NGO's are at times
| |
| | and for ignoring global warming. No one -
|
| manipulated by - or collude with -
| |
| | including other shareholders - understood
|
| industrial groups and political
| |
| | their demands. But it went down well with
|
| parties.It is telling that the denizens
| |
| | the media, with a few celebrities, and
|
| of many developing countries suspect the
| |
| | with contributors.As "think tanks", NGO's
|
| West and its NGO's of promoting an agenda
| |
| | issue partisan and biased reports. The
|
| of trade protectionism. Stringent - and
| |
| | International Crisis Group published a
|
| expensive - labor and environmental
| |
| | rabid attack on the then incumbent
|
| provisions in international treaties may
| |
| | government of Macedonia, days before an
|
| well be a ploy to fend off imports based
| |
| | election, relegating the rampant
|
| on cheap labor and the competition they
| |
| | corruption of its predecessors - whom it
|
| wreak on well-ensconced domestic
| |
| | seemed to be tacitly supporting - to a
|
| industries and their political
| |
| | few footnotes. On at least two occasions
|
| stooges.Take child labor - as distinct
| |
| | - in its reports regarding Bosnia and
|
| from the universally condemnable
| |
| | Zimbabwe - ICG has recommended
|
| phenomena of child prostitution, child
| |
| | confrontation, the imposition of
|
| soldiering, or child slavery.Child labor,
| |
| | sanctions, and, if all else fails, the
|
| in many destitute locales, is all that
| |
| | use of force. Though the most vocal and
|
| separates the family from all-pervasive,
| |
| | visible, it is far from being the only
|
| life threatening, poverty. As national
| |
| | NGO that advocates "just" wars.The ICG is
|
| income grows, child labor declines.
| |
| | a repository of former heads of state and
|
| Following the outcry provoked, in 1995,
| |
| | has-been politicians and is renowned (and
|
| by NGO's against soccer balls stitched by
| |
| | notorious) for its prescriptive - some
|
| children in Pakistan, both Nike and
| |
| | say meddlesome - philosophy and tactics.
|
| Reebok relocated their workshops and
| |
| | "The Economist" remarked sardonically:
|
| sacked countless women and 7000 children.
| |
| | "To say (that ICG) is 'solving world
|
| The average family income - anyhow meager
| |
| | crises' is to risk underestimating its
|
| - fell by 20 percent.This affair elicited
| |
| | ambitions, if overestimating its
|
| the following wry commentary from
| |
| | achievements."NGO's have orchestrated the
|
| economists Drusilla Brown, Alan
| |
| | violent showdown during the trade talks
|
| Deardorif, and Robert Stern:"While Baden
| |
| | in Seattle in 1999 and its repeat
|
| Sports can quite credibly claim that
| |
| | performances throughout the world. The
|
| their soccer balls are not sewn by
| |
| | World Bank was so intimidated by the
|
| children, the relocation of their
| |
| | riotous invasion of its premises in the
|
| production facility undoubtedly did
| |
| | NGO-choreographed "Fifty Years is Enough"
|
| nothing for their former child workers
| |
| | campaign of 1994, that it now employs
|
| and their families."This is far from
| |
| | dozens of NGO activists and let NGO's
|
| being a unique case. Threatened with
| |
| | determine many of its policies.NGO
|
| legal reprisals and "reputation risks"
| |
| | activists have joined the armed - though
|
| (being named-and-shamed by overzealous
| |
| | mostly peaceful - rebels of the Chiapas
|
| NGO's) - multinationals engage in
| |
| | region in Mexico. Norwegian NGO's sent
|
| preemptive sacking. More than 50,000
| |
| | members to forcibly board whaling ships.
|
| children in Bangladesh were let go in
| |
| | In the USA, anti-abortion activists have
|
| 1993 by German garment factories in
| |
| | murdered doctors. In Britain, animal
|
| anticipation of the American
| |
| | rights zealots have both assassinated
|
| never-legislated Child Labor Deterrence
| |
| | experimental scientists and wrecked
|
| Act.Former Secretary of Labor, Robert
| |
| | property.Birth control NGO's carry out
|
| Reich, observed:"Stopping child labor
| |
| | mass sterilizations in poor countries,
|
| without doing anything else could leave
| |
| | financed by rich country governments in a
|
| children worse off. If they are working
| |
| | bid to stem immigration. NGO's buy slaves
|
| out of necessity, as most are, stopping
| |
| | in Sudan thus encouraging the practice of
|
| them could force them into prostitution
| |
| | slave hunting throughout sub-Saharan
|
| or other employment with greater personal
| |
| | Africa. Other NGO's actively collaborate
|
| dangers. The most important thing is that
| |
| | with "rebel" armies - a euphemism for
|
| they be in school and receive the
| |
| | terrorists.NGO's lack a synoptic view and
|
| education to help them leave
| |
| | their work often undermines efforts by
|
| poverty."NGO-fostered hype
| |
| | international organizations such as the
|
| notwithstanding, 70% of all children work
| |
| | UNHCR and by governments. Poorly-paid
|
| within their family unit, in agriculture.
| |
| | local officials have to contend with
|
| Less than 1 percent are employed in
| |
| | crumbling budgets as the funds are
|
| mining and another 2 percent in
| |
| | diverted to rich expatriates doing the
|
| construction. Again contrary to
| |
| | same job for a multiple of the cost and
|
| NGO-proffered panaceas, education is not
| |
| | with inexhaustible hubris.This is not
|
| a solution. Millions graduate every year
| |
| | conducive to happy co-existence between
|
| in developing countries - 100,000 in
| |
| | foreign do-gooders and indigenous
|
| Morocco alone. But unemployment reaches
| |
| | governments. Sometimes NGO's seem to be
|
| more than one third of the workforce in
| |
| | an ingenious ploy to solve Western
|
| places such as Macedonia.Children at work
| |
| | unemployment at the expense of
|
| may be harshly treated by their
| |
| | down-trodden natives. This is a
|
| supervisors but at least they are kept
| |
| | misperception driven by envy and
|
| off the far more menacing streets. Some
| |
| | avarice.But it is still powerful enough
|
| kids even end up with a skill and are
| |
| | to foster resentment and worse. NGO's are
|
| rendered employable."The Economist" sums
| |
| | on the verge of provoking a ruinous
|
| up the shortsightedness, inaptitude,
| |
| | backlash against them in their countries
|
| ignorance, and self-centeredness of NGO's
| |
| | of destination. That would be a pity.
|
| neatly:"Suppose that in the remorseless
| |
| | Some of them are doing indispensable
|
| search for profit, multinationals pay
| |
| | work. If only they were a wee more
|
| sweatshop wages to their workers in
| |
| | sensitive and somewhat less ostentatious.
|
| developing countries. Regulation forcing
| |
| | But then they wouldn't be NGO's, would
|
| them to pay higher wages is demanded...
| |
| | they?
|
