UNHCR
seeks funds for Sri Lanka
Noor Nizam
Sri Lanka Peace Activist and Political Analyst
Canada.
Will the donor countries give the $. 18.6 million needed to the Government
of Sri Lanka direct as “bilateral humanitarian aid assistance"?
Will the International Donor community provide SOCIAL JUSTICE to those
"REALLY" suffering vulnerable and deserving IDP's of Sri Lanka,
my country of birth?
The "begging bowl" attitude of the UNHCR selling the agony
and misery of the so-called internally displaced persons of Sri Lanka
who have been uprooted by decades of armed conflict has to stop once
and for all.
The internal conflicts of a very powerful NGO, “The NGO scams
of cozy funding deals” at the much-respected International Centre
for Ethnic Studies (ICES published in the media should be an eye opener
to both government bureaucrats and the International funding officials
in Europe, G8 countries, North America, the EU, Scandinavia and Member
UN States. The amount begged for by the UNHCR is a very big amount and
for UNHCR, this is the "right time" to make the appeal for
such a large amount of money, telling a "tearful story" of
the need to feed the IDP's. Why – because the “world press”
has been fed enough of false stories of the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka,
HR violations, Freedom of Expression/Press violations, demands for sanctions
against Sri Lanka, Security and Military excesses, corruption and bad
governance.
The visits of many UN VIP’s and HR personalities to Sri Lanka
to study the “real situation” has also been given wide world
coverage. But suddenly, like the cry of a kitten from the sack that
revealed the TRUTH that someone was robbing the cat, revelations of
corruption in the ICES has started to become public and open. If the
ICES supported by the powerful nations and the UN personalities is seen
corrupt, then there is a need now for the government of Sri Lanka to
immediately query the accounts and disbursement strategies of the UNHCR
in Sri Lanka immediately.
I challenge the UNHCR in Colombo to open up it's books for a "PUBLIC
AUDIT" and ask the Government to make the follow protocol to get
this expedited as a “public accounting" exercise, following
all "due process" as a UNO member/UNHCR member State. The
UNHCR – Colombo should tell the Sri Lankan Nation and the people,
how much of these funds allocated to UHNCR, Sri Lanka operations and
the funds as collected above ($.18.6 million) actually go for providing
FOOD for the "so called" IDP's or spent on humanitarian work.
UNHCR - Colombo should show (OVERHEAD COSTS) how much of FUNDS go for
the maintainance of their administrative and field staff as well as
payments made to their "inner club consultants" every year.
UNHCR – Colombo should also reveal the amount of FUNDS they have
been doling out to the NGO's over the last 5 years, as a public statement.
One may be surprised, that some of these 54 influential NGO workers,
many heading major non-profit organizations may have been recipients
of these funds too.
As a former official with an in depth insight of the functioning of
how these Mega NGO's and institutions such as the UHNCR, UNICEF, WFP
and WWF and NORAD has been functioning in the management of donor funding/grants,
I challenge the UNHCR to open up their books to the public, officially,
NOT through "proxies".
I respect the UNO and it's charter and fully support the objectives
of the UN, but I am of opinion that it is time that the "bunch
of crooks" who are living on the misery and agony of the deserving
and vulnerable, such as the IDP's in Sri Lanka, should be exposed and
brought to JUSTICE. This can also be a “cry for reforms” in
the UN which has been sidelined by the “inner club crooks”
of the UN till now.
As a Sri Lankan Canadian, I am proud to live in Canada to fight for
this Social Justice for the suffering, vulnerable and deserving IDP's
in Sri Lanka. I have lived, experienced and shed tears with the IDP’s
as a Tamil speaking citizen of the North eastern Province of Sri Lanka.
There is NO ICJ, or International Judiciary Review to bring the UNHCR,
before JUSTICE, in this case/instant.
The court of the PEOPLE of Sri Lanka and the World Community should
give the verdict, if UHNCR is found guilty of miss appropriation, mismanagement
and unaccountability of donor funds collected as above.
THE DONOR COUNTRIES SHOULD HOLD BACK ALL FUNDING TO THE UNHCR UNTIL
THE QUESTIONS RAISED IN THIS COMMENTS ARE ANSWERED OFFICIALLY THROUGH
AN AUDITED REPORT, NOT THROUGH JUST STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS.
The best alternate for donor countries IMMEDIATELY is to give the $
18.6 million to the Government of Sri Lanka or the Ministry Handling
Humanitarian activities with a "Public Committee" set-up to
monitor the operations and FUND managements.
No doubt that the Mega NGO's get together and talked about the need
for good governance and accused government ministries and institutions
of rampant corruption in the government sector, because - then all the
aid funds/donor contributions will be channeled to them under the convenient
"Multilateral Aid Programmes" and stop all "Bilateral
contribution" that the Government of Sri Lanka will otherwise get
from friendly supporting governments.
While these UN Agencies and Mega NGO's accuse the Governments of Corruption,
in fact, it can be proved that the UN agencies and the Mega NGO's are
the ones REALLY CORRUPT.
Will the UNHCR take up my challenge and response please? Will the Government
of Sri Lankan take my challenge seriously? Will the donor countries
give the $. 18.6 million needed to the Government of Sri Lanka direct
as “bilateral humanitarian aid assistance? Will the International
Donor community provide SOCIAL JUSTICE to those "REALLY" suffering
vulnerable and deserving IDP's of Sri Lanka, my country of birth?
This is NOT a cry in the wilderness. It is the TRUE STORY of humanitarian
assistance of the UNHCR in Sri Lanka.
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