Disir
Platinum Member
- Sep 30, 2011
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Civil society activists in Paktika are warning that some local NGOs are nothing more than fronts for powerbrokers’ own business and political interests.
They claimed that some civil society organisations (CSOs) had no clear humanitarian goals, but only existed to allow their directors to be better able to pressure and influence local government decision-makers.
Other activists called for greater accountability to ensure each body was genuinely transparent.
Zarif Aminzoy, a resident of the provincial capital Sharana, noted that in developed nations civil society groups worked for the betterment of society as a whole.
But he said that in Paktika the opposite seemed to be true, as corrupt individuals sought only power, influence and higher salaries.
“Sadly, CSOs in Paktika province have taken the form of a business,” he told IWPR. “Often they support corrupt, unfit and incompetent officials in order to protect their own agendas.
“If their objectives are ever blocked or denied by government agencies they instigate protests - falsely claiming to be representatives of the people. They go after anyone who gets in their way.”
Abdul Malik Shafaq, director of Afghanistan’s Common Humanitarian Fund (CHF) - which helps NGOs respond to urgent relief work – said that he had received death threats for resisting repeated requests for nepotism.
Local Afghan NGOs Criticised
It is way past time to establish a criteria.
They claimed that some civil society organisations (CSOs) had no clear humanitarian goals, but only existed to allow their directors to be better able to pressure and influence local government decision-makers.
Other activists called for greater accountability to ensure each body was genuinely transparent.
Zarif Aminzoy, a resident of the provincial capital Sharana, noted that in developed nations civil society groups worked for the betterment of society as a whole.
But he said that in Paktika the opposite seemed to be true, as corrupt individuals sought only power, influence and higher salaries.
“Sadly, CSOs in Paktika province have taken the form of a business,” he told IWPR. “Often they support corrupt, unfit and incompetent officials in order to protect their own agendas.
“If their objectives are ever blocked or denied by government agencies they instigate protests - falsely claiming to be representatives of the people. They go after anyone who gets in their way.”
Abdul Malik Shafaq, director of Afghanistan’s Common Humanitarian Fund (CHF) - which helps NGOs respond to urgent relief work – said that he had received death threats for resisting repeated requests for nepotism.
Local Afghan NGOs Criticised
It is way past time to establish a criteria.
