Ethiopia adopts controversial aid agency bill
AFP
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January 6, 2009
Editor's note - A draft bill which Human Rights Watch, among many others, had warned as a threat to Ethiopia's civil society has been adopted as a law by the rubber-stamp parliament of Meles Zenawi. The act signifies one of several devastating Zenawi measures aimed at disenfranchising the Ethiopian people. Last week, a state-sponsored panel discussion over the draft bill was boycotted by Civil Society Organization (CSO) reps in Addis who already knew it was a publicity stunt. The old tactic on the part of the Zenawi regime was to use the participation of CSO panelists to justify that the bill was adopted as a law following "heated public debate."
ADDIS ABABA (AFP) –
Ethiopia's parliament on Tuesday adopted a controversial bill imposing heavy restrictions on foreign-funded humanitarian groups operating in the war- and famine-ravaged country.
Under the new law, any group that draws more than 10 percent of its funding from abroad will be classified as foreign, and thus banned from working on issues related to ethnicity, gender, children's rights and conflict resolution.
Almost all senior opposition members abstained during the parliament vote, which passed the law by 327 votes to 79, according to an AFP reporter who attended the session.
"As far as we're concerned, it's an attempt by the ruling party to banish all those it sees as a threat to its tight grip on power," opposition MP Temesgen Zewdie told lawmakers before the vote.
Another MP voiced similar concerns.
"It's a sad day when such a draconian law is passed. They (the government) don't want voluntary public organisations to play a role, the agenda is to stifle processes that are known to assist the public," opposition party leader Beyene Petros told reporters.
The new legislation also provides for the creation of a state-controlled agency that supervises the work of foreign aid organisations.
But government officials insisted that the law was not devised to hamper the activities of NGOs but to safeguard the rights and interests of citizens.
"Civil organisations will be able to function without hindrances. They won't face restrictions as long as they respect the country's laws," government whip Hailemariam Desalegn said.
Both the United States and Britain, key aid contributors to the Horn of Africa nation, have raised their concerns over the legislation, but Hailemariam voiced confidence that ties with the West would remain intact.
"We don't believe that the bill's passing will affect our relationship with key development partners. If so, we are willing to sit down and explain our position," he said.
Ethiopia, a poverty-stricken nation of 77 million inhabitants in east Africa, is among the world's top aid recipients.
New law on charities passed despite objections
ADDIS ABABA (IRIN) -
Ethiopia's parliament has passed a law to regulate charities, despite strong criticism from opposition politicians, international human rights groups and national civil society organisations.
The
Proclamation for the Registration and Regulation of Charities and Societies was passed by the government-dominated 547-seat parliament with 327 members in favour and 79 against. "The
non-governmental organisations [law] will redefine their areas of operation," Berahnu Adelo, an official in the Prime Minster's office, said in Addis Ababa. "Those that are working more on development
will continue with us." Meles Tilahun, a whip in parliament, told IRIN in December: "The law is needed to create a conducive environment for NGOs and CSOs and provide a separate legal framework
for them. It does not mean to shut them down." The bill was passed on 6 January during an ordinary session of the House despite strong objections by opposition politicians who are a minority.
Mesfin Nemera of the Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement party walked out. "I simply do not have [the] language to express what this law is [about]," Beyene Petros, chairman of the United
Democratic Forces party, told IRIN. "It is a scheme to stifle societal activity and voluntary initiatives which would assist both political and economic progress in this country." Critics argue
that the new rules, especially on foreign funding of local NGOs, would hurt human rights groups critical of the government and could disrupt aid operations by such groups. The government, however,
says charities have been used by political activists who are working on "other issues", not "catastrophes that required aid and assistance", according to a September 2008 statement. Eshetu Bekele,
head of the National Task Force on Enabling the Environment of Civil Society Organizations in Ethiopia, said the new law could restrict funding and the scope of charities' activities. "There are
organisations that are very fragile in their capacity and organisational structure," she told IRIN in Addis Ababa. "Those might close down." Former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary
Robinson, told IRIN: "I am very concerned about this legislation. It is regrettable to have legislation which might close the enabling space for civil society because it is actually part of the
development of a country." Oversight agency The law establishes an oversight agency, rules and supervision for the establishment of trusts and endowments, societies and charities. Rules
governing fund-raising, membership and governance are detailed. It also sets tough penalties and powers to investigate and oversee charities, and restricts activity in human and democratic rights,
gender or ethnic equality, conflict resolution, the strengthening of judicial practices or law enforcement. Only Ethiopian charities or societies with no more than 10 percent of their spending
coming from "foreign sources" would be able to work in those areas. The law has been criticised by Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the development committee of the European Parliament,
the civil society lobby group CIVICUS and the US government.
Ethiopia imposes aid agency curbs: BBC
Ethiopia's parliament has passed a controversial bill imposing tight restrictions on aid agencies.
Foreign agencies are prohibited from a number of areas including human rights, equality, conflict resolution and the rights of children.
Local groups that receive more than 10% of their funding from abroad are also banned from working in these areas.
Under discussion for months, the bill has already been considerably modified amid objections from aid organisations.
Parliament approved the legislation on Tuesday - Orthodox Christmas Eve - by 327 votes to 79, according to the AFP news agency, before members headed home for the holiday.
The BBC's Elizabeth Blunt in Addis Ababa says at the heart of the bill and causing the most fuss is a clause aimed at preventing foreign interference in issues which the government believes should be a purely Ethiopian affair.
She says some of the organisations affected, like the Ethiopian Human Rights Council, could be seen as political and have long been a thorn in the government's flesh.
But, she adds, if the law is rigorously applied it could also catch much less controversial groups which are doing valuable work but would never be able to fund their activities from purely local sources.
The bill bans international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) from five sorts of activity:
- The advancement of human and democratic rights
- The promotion of equality between peoples, sexes or religions
- Campaigning for children's rights or the rights of the disabled
- Conflict resolution and reconciliation
- Work on criminal justice issues.
The bill's provisions imposing the same restrictions on Ethiopian NGOs which receive more than 10% of their funding from foreign sources will affect many agencies, according to our correspondent.
She says this is because a number of foreign donors prefer to channel their aid through the voluntary sector rather than giving it to the government.
A defence of the bill published by the ruling party described this attitude as a neo-liberalist concept which sees African governments as obstacles to development.
The government denies the bill is intended to restrict aid work.
"Civil organisations will be able to function without hindrances. They won't face restrictions as long as they respect the country's laws," government whip Hailemariam Desalegn said.
'Very difficult'
But opposition MP Temesgen Zewdie was quoted by AFP as telling MPs before the vote: "As far as we're concerned, it's an attempt by the ruling party to banish all those it sees as a threat to its tight grip on power."
Madhere Paulos director of the Ethiopian Women Lawyers' Association told the BBC that 99% of its funding to provide legal aid to women currently comes from abroad.
She said her members would continue to give up their time for free.
"But when we think about the premises, when we think about the court fees that we pay for our clients, the transportation, the medical fees for those who are victims of rape and sexual violence, it's very difficult to think of only using voluntary contributions."
The US government in particular has protested loudly to the Horn of Africa nation about the proposals, but to very little effect, says our correspondent.
Ethiopia is among the world's top aid recipients.
