The NGO Trap

Would NGO a be more interested in promoting it`s work and protecting it`s staff members or would it prefer making sweeping statements concering this analysis you speak of and get shut down?

I am totally against the idea of NGOs and I want all of them to be thrown out of my country as soon as possible. They are like the trojan horses who on belf of their neo-imperialist masters not only provide information to our enemies about our weaknesses but also `soften us up` like termites when these neo-imperialists decide to attack us. They are damaging and corrupting the social fabric of our society slowly but surely. They have no roots in our society. It is pathetic to see these so called NGOs carryin out their `protests` for photo ops along wit their servants, drivers and maids posing as ordinary people etc. Isn`t it interesting that almost all of these NGOS are being run by ex-commies who have now converted to being nouvu-capitalist serving their new masters. They never could reach to the common people and convince them of their commie manifesto then and they surely cannnot reach to the people now with the agenda to change us from their new capitalist masters. But this time it is little different because capitalism does not have an ideology per se other than `give me your money or else` so they do not have to reach out to the people except just corrupting them which is much easier than converting someone to a new ideology and yet you can make a lot of money as well.

But there is a antidote that can sure not only detox us from their poison but it can also defang them. Government of Pakistan should pass a legislation that will mandate the government to only match the funds raised by these orgs through local resources and NGOS must also disclose their local financial resources as well. That is a hard job to do for NGOS. Half of the ex-commies have never done a hard job in their whole life, they will sure drop the idea of NGO and start looking for a decent job in Middle East or migrate to Canada and go on social assistance and disability allowance programs; the other half might be too greedy to let go of free money and still might stick to it, but then it wont be them who will be controlling masses, it will be their financial support base that will be controlling them. In other words they will be forced to integrate and build connection with the society. There is a slight chance that in the process they might start loving this country as well.

I am confused about the whole Concept of NGO which should read.
Non-governmental Organization

so does the defination includes only the foreign Funded Ones or does this includes the local initiatives too..
so if it includes the Local ones too..... Then..... Isn`t All these fundo Madrassas` s Also

NGO`s........

and then how would you reconcile that..

My own observation is that NGO are doing a lot of Data Collection and Analysis Jobs. They take issues and make reports, documentaries, annual statistics... But in the end this data analysis doesn`t get consumed for any beneficial purpose because they don`t have a link between government. So they have established local workplace which emphasize on people to take effective steps for improvement in basic issues.

So they get funding from foreign companies which they utilize in their projects. NGOs are not supported in remote areas as people have the ideas that these are modern people and will misguide our women. Like in Balochistan the women of NGOs had been victimized brutually.

I must say their training system is very appreciateable. As it is based on particular society level and volunteers and work induldge themselves in the community. Where there is nothing they do provide a hope.

But our minds always compare them with Government bodies. People want a permanent solution to their problems. Whereas Government has failed to do so. It is like a white elephant. I believe that if Government runs fresh blood and air then many problems can be solved.

NGOs are not a burden on economy as they are purely foreign aided. But on return they have to pay the price of providing them all data and situation. If NGOs were successful then we wont be having IMF debts. But thats not so....

And there are worst situations where their are Paper NGOs. Who are looting aids and just showing paperwork. They are just absurds.

NGOs` are basically a communal way to interact and set rules. IF they are given space to propagate and progress in a good manner than they can result benificially.
till our government is getting better started we could rely on these temporal institutes.

However I believe if `` Devolution of Power`` is seriously implemented and worked like an NGO it can give better results...

We now have the spectacle in India of some guy claiming to represent some Human Rights Organization demanding a judicial probe into the ``custodial killing`` of the notorious bandit Veerappan. His claim is that Veerappan`s rights were violated when he was shot dead.

I never heard a squeak from these guys when about 120 persons were killed by Veerappan. What happened to the civil rights of those 120?

PS. At least Veerappan was not named Mohammad Husain. In that case, we would have Urstruly, HP, KKKandK, and Mullah32 shedding crocodile tears over the unjust killing of yet another Indian Muslim.

Urstruly,

....... can you tell me what is wrong with ngo`s like ``the citizen`s foundation`` and many others like them who are providing an alternative to your cherished madrassas that breed suiciders and homiciders ?........

............. and how many children in pakistan have you helped to ``educate`` that did not end up dying a dog`s death in afghanistan or kashmir ?

............ stop ranting and put your money were your maswak-laden mouth is ...... send your contribution to: http://www.thecitizensfoundation.org ..........

...............however since you are a loyal american and want a tax refund from your favourite uncle you can send your money to: http://www.yespakistan.com/hdf/


jazak allah khair or whatever !

harimau

No cause to worry or get agitated.

Soon you`ll see, if Mulla Omar and / or Osama bin Laden get captured, these very people will start clamouring for the protection of their human rights.

Non-Governmental Organization or No Good Organization? it all depends on what they do, how they do it, and how much money they skim off doing it . . .

There are NGO`s in the UK such as Oxfam and Shirkatgah and WAF in Pakistan which have done and continue to do lot of good.

There are others which are just thinly guised scams, taking advantage of the legal loopholes in the definition of ``not-for-profit`` and ``charity`` which have served simply to fatten the bank accounts of scheming individuals.

Certain political parties in Pakistan have also set up so-called NGO`s which, obviously tout the party`s agenda of the moment, most often through pecuniary investment.

There have also been, and still are orgainzations taking advantge of the definition of NGO in Pakistan and spreading the most virulent form of sectarianism.

harimau

Plz take me off your list of bad guys, I have already sent my condolences the very day the dear departed us.

http://www.chowk.com/show_article.cgi?aid=00004221&channel=civic%20center&start=30&end=39&page=4&chapter=1&order=0#39

Cecil Messih # 5 aka Kaalay angraiz

The wrong with the NGOs is that they take money from Western neo-Imperialists and prepare ground work for their nefarious agenda to subjugate us physically and intellectually. In olden days there used to be missionaries to convert heathens and now in the days of secularism they have NGOs to convert subhumans into mindless subjects. It is simple 2+2; if I take money from Mr. X then I will safguard intersts of Mr. X and not of some Mr. Y, now wont I? In case you have a short memory, take the example of Afghanistan and Iraq, where NGOs first created a propaganda atmosphere where those socioeties were demonized to such an extent that when Imperialists committed acts of genocide in those countries not a single eye in those Imerpialist lands shed a tear for this dreadful loss of human life. And just look at yourself, what have you become after you received your `education` from them. You hate your own people more than anyone else, you belittle them and you spare no effort to shame them and humiliate them. people like you, whom they have created, are the reason enough to expell NGOs from our land so that we can stop our homeland from becoming an aparthied state, divided between superiors and inferiors. This is anti-human and we cannot just sit by and let that happen. Hasn`t enough damage been done by enligtened moderates (aka fornicators and drunkards) like Ayub and Yehya by losing half of the country due to their aparthied mindset? Enough is enough.

urstruly,

...... are you saying that people like asma jehangir, sttar edhi, sabeeh zaman, ansar burney and imran khan are agents of the imperialist crusaders ?........... these people are trying to do their best to save abdul from your bearded cohorts who want to him to become a suicider or a homicider .............. i know you think abdul will go to heaven and make love to forty buxom ladies and eat oodles of halwa for eternity, but what about his wife and kids .....

p.s. i know you fly off your handle when someone mentions asma jehangir but please try to watch your meems and noons - it is ramzan (or ramadhan) you know ...........

Urstruly,

I am ready to totally back you in this initiative but do you have any alternative to educate the masses, raise voice against injustices and environmental issues and provide other facilities some of the ``good`` NGOs do??? It is very easy to yell and shout obscenity and threaten to throw people out compared to role up Ur sleeves and get down and dirty and actually do something. Unfortunately most pakis chose the easy way out and blabber and talk and discuss in their drawing rooms of HOW things would change and bothering little to do anything about it.

Gimme an alternative dude before blabbering more!

hamidm

You are dragging wrong people into the argument to validate a point that cannot be validated. People like Burney, Edhi, and Asma had been doing what they do for a long time, way before when the word `NGO` was not even introduced in Pakistan. Imran has created everything from idigenous resources. Outsiders might have helped but that help was not from the ``genocide manufacturers`` like PEW research and RAND corporation; instead kind hearted people from across the globe helped him in his noble effort. These are the people who provide the proof positive that not only we have create our own institutions, but we can do it better, more efficiently, and with respect of not having to beg for handouts from countries who in fact want to harm us. Have you ever seen these people saying anything bad about Pakistan? Never. On the other hand there are ex-commies-turned-capitalists like hoodbhoy and his ilk who whenever they speak they speak against our country, our religion, our history and our culture. They always find faults with us to please their masters in hope for more morsels. I am against those NGOs who are trying to harm us. They are funded by those so-called ``think-tanks``, which in fact work to provide ideological and moral justification to kill innocent human beings in far away countries and find ways to justify to their own peoples while their governments and corporations loot and plunder and kill innocent human beings in other lands.

Urstruly #10: ``It is simple 2+2; if I take money from Mr. X then I will safguard intersts of Mr. X and not of some Mr. Y, now wont I?``

Just out of curiousity, isn`t this exactly what you are doing? You are taking money from the USA completely (unlike the NGOs, which only partially take money from the USA). You are also putting money into the USA`s coffers (unlike the NGOs, which do not do this). And you are using the facilities offered by the USA.

So according to your own formula, whose interests are you gaurding? Either your formula is incorrect, or you are only applying it on everyone, but yourself...........

Romair

The formula is absolutely correct. Personally, I do not work for US government and neither I get any compensation from it in any shape or form. I work for a corporation, who pay me for the consultation services I provide. As a part of work agreement I safeguard the interests of this corporation to the best of my ability. To the best of my knowledge this particular corporation is neither involved in any endeavor to maipulate helpless third world countries and neither does it fund or support any efforts of the government of this country that involves the murder of innocent human beings elsewhere in the world; nor does it do anything to extract obscene profits from local or foreign population. As a corporation it respects individual freedoms and believes and do not show a political leaning one way or the other. This corporation does not require me to bad mouth my country; neither does it require to reveal any state secrets; nor it requires me to manipulate the fellow citizens of my home country. I am fairly and justly compensated. The US government on the other hand take way more than 1/3rd of what I make instead of paying me anything; but that is the part of social contract that I accepted while I adopted this country. It was my choice and not that US government forced me to accept the contract so I think it is fair. But it is also the part of social contract that entitles me to inquire US government as to what it is doing with my money; if I find the use of this money as morally apprehensible then it is also my entitlement to express my dissent.

fahadist

As a matter of fact I did give an alternative in my first post.

But first we must understand the concept of NGOs and how they work. The concept of NGOs is the brainchild of United Nations where it was conceived to help developing nations build local institutions, which are otherwise not possible because of lack of funds from local sources. The idea was that instead of giving aid money, intended for health and education etc., directly to the local governments, which are usually despotic and corrupt in third world countries, give this money directly to ``people`s organizations``. But then due to the pressure of these regimes now this money goes to people`s organizations thru the government channels. These organizations are required to submit their annual reports to the UN, which sanctions the funding to the orgs for the next year. The concept was great, but due to the corruption of governments and some corrupt local people these organizations have turned moneymaking machines. The Western interest groups and corporations saw the potential in these organizations to influence local populations and to promote their interests in third world countries. Some of these Western interests groups have political, ideological, monetary, and religious objectives that go very well against the best interests of the host country at large. The funding for such NGOs now comes directly to the individuals running them, without the knowledge of local governments because of the lack of legislation, corruption, and gross negligence and incompetence. According to United States law, if a person receives money from a foreign country to spend in US with political and ideological interests, then he must declare himself as a `foreign agent`. You might remember when Col. Qaddafi offered 4 billion dollars to Louis Farakhan to spend it on the betterment of black people in US but then Farakhan was told bluntly that he may accept this money but he must then declare himself as a `foreign agent` and government do have the right to revoke his citizenship if it deems fit. You see how they protect their own integrity, with so much aggressiveness. Why can`t we have such control on our affairs? Why it is not our right as citizen of Pakistan to demand government to safeguard our interests. Just ask yourself this question, that if we do not control NGOs then would it be possible for enemy states like India to infiltrate us and put people on its payroll to gnaw on our ideological foundations? Unfortunately that is exactly what is happening. And that is why in my first post I suggested that government must pass a law that all NGOs are required to generate revenue from local sources as donations, whereas at the end of the year government will match these donations. Only in that way we will be able to develop and sustain our local institutions otherwise how long we can rely on foreign handouts for our most basic needs of education and health care? That is the only way then these institutions will have their roots in the local society; they will have no other choice but to safeguard the interests of local population.