Ethiopian parliament endorses controversial NGO law
APA: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (Jan 06 2009) - The Ethiopian parliament on Tuesday endorsed with majority votes a controversial new NGO law, with concern being expressed that it may affect the activities of many local and international NGOs in Ethiopia.
The law was endorsed despite concerns from many NGOs, both local and foreign that are operating in the country for decades.
The new bill seeks to prohibit foreign organizations and local charities from engaging in activities on human and democratic rights, promoting ethnic equality, conflict resolution and reconciliation, child rights and the right of the disabled people.
The law will also ban foreign NGOs from engaging in activities that seek to invest in the efficiency of the justice and law enforcement services.
Norway, Denmark and the Nordic states, seen among the world’s most generous donors, have recently concentrated their funding on justice reform, law and order in Ethiopia.
According to the new law, any local charity organization that draws more than 10 percent of its funding from abroad will be classified as foreign, and thus banned from working on issues mentioned above.
Many NGOs, particularly the local ones, are expressing fear that the endorsement of the law will affect their activities.
“Because the majority of local NGOs- over 80% of them- depend on foreign funding, or are getting a majority of their money from foreign funding, this has put them at a crossroad,” Mekuria Biru, head of one local NGO told APA.
Opposition parties in the parliament strongly opposed the law saying it will affect the livelihood of millions of Ethiopians.
However, the government said in various forums that the law is not aimed at restricting the activities of NGOs, but rather to ensure transparency and accountability.
The government is saying that the law takes into consideration the interest of the country.
The law was endorsed despite concerns from many NGOs, both local and foreign that are operating in the country for decades.
The new bill seeks to prohibit foreign organizations and local charities from engaging in activities on human and democratic rights, promoting ethnic equality, conflict resolution and reconciliation, child rights and the right of the disabled people.
The law will also ban foreign NGOs from engaging in activities that seek to invest in the efficiency of the justice and law enforcement services.
Norway, Denmark and the Nordic states, seen among the world’s most generous donors, have recently concentrated their funding on justice reform, law and order in Ethiopia.
According to the new law, any local charity organization that draws more than 10 percent of its funding from abroad will be classified as foreign, and thus banned from working on issues mentioned above.
Many NGOs, particularly the local ones, are expressing fear that the endorsement of the law will affect their activities.
“Because the majority of local NGOs- over 80% of them- depend on foreign funding, or are getting a majority of their money from foreign funding, this has put them at a crossroad,” Mekuria Biru, head of one local NGO told APA.
Opposition parties in the parliament strongly opposed the law saying it will affect the livelihood of millions of Ethiopians.
However, the government said in various forums that the law is not aimed at restricting the activities of NGOs, but rather to ensure transparency and accountability.
The government is saying that the law takes into consideration the interest of the country.
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