Sunday, 28th September 2014
LENS
By J. Yogaraj
Are conspirators working under HR issue cover?
A Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) is an organization that is neither a part of a government nor a conventional for-profit business. Usually set up by ordinary citizens, NGOs may be funded by governments, foundations or businesses. Some avoid formal funding altogether and are run primarily by volunteers. The NGOs are highly diverse group of organizations. Some may have charitable status, while others may be registered for tax exemption based on recognition of social purposes. Others may be fronts for political, religious or other interest groups.
However, the NGOs that have political motives cannot be described as non-profit organizations. Profit does not mean only monitory terms. It also can accommodate intangible benefits to an organization or a group or some interested people.Some NGOs create Human Rights issues with the support of some opposition elements. One characteristics these diverse organizations share is that their non-profit status means they are not hindered by short-term financial objectives. Accordingly, they are able to devote themselves to issues which occur across longer time horizons, such as climate change, malaria prevention or a global ban on landmines. Public surveys reveal that the NGOs often enjoy a high degree of public trust, which can make them a useful - but not always sufficient - proxy for the concerns of society and stakeholders.
But the question remains that how many NGOs are established with these genuine objectives. Today we can see many NGOs created for petty political gains. Sometimes, these NGOs with different motives may create unnecessary problems in the country. These NGOs also talk about human rights and motivate innocent people to get involved in treason activities.
It is true that the NGOs enjoy a better public trust, and sometimes they misuse this trust for their own benefits.If a country is at a danger of de-establishment, taking precautionary action to avoid this situation is a mandatory task. “President Rajapaksa eliminated the 30 years-long terrorism giving a big prize, now the some opposition elements including foreign terrorist groups are trying on the same ground to topple President Rajapaksa’s regime by giving a big prize. But MR is lucky enough to convince the majority of the population that “Victory over Terrorism is the biggest challenge which none of the previous rulers won, As a result people in this country including Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims are living in a relatively peaceful atmosphere.MR made the people to feel, that this is the best possible peaceful environment and the country which you get in your lifetime. This message is well marketed among the minds of the people where the people of this nation (including even the enemies) will never ever forget what MR did for this country. For this reason, MR is will be considered as a savior of this country forever.
As a first step, it is important to draft a clear policy on NGOs and a procedure to scrutinize these organizations. According to accurate statistics, some of these NGOs are hindrance to reconciliation and peace. Interestingly most NGOs who called themselves as peace-makers are the real trouble-makers or peace-breakers.
Reconciliation and peace building
It is reported that the 2011 World Development Report estimates that 1.5 billion people live in ‘conflict affected’ countries. What are the multiple forms of insecurity that make a country ‘conflict affected’? How can populations – groups and individuals – improve their condition? We have largely focused on conflict as a violent phenomenon between and within states, and particularly on the relationship between states and citizens.
Sometimes conflict itself will lead to a good solution. A meaningful conflict is always appreciated provided it brings long lasting solutions. While conflict itself is inevitable, even creative and desirable, the desire to be secured drives much of human innovation, scientific or social. But militarization is only one response to perceived threat or insecurity. In this section, we now want to examine systematically the other ways.
Peace building between conflicting minds is the biggest challenge in the planet. Sometimes, it is the costliest matter to be resolved. ‘Peace building’ articulates a sprawl of activities, from government and international interventions to highly localized and informal practices. Political negotiations to end a war, the deployment of peacekeepers to maintain a ceasefire, truth telling commissions and memorials, arts and cultural practices that reach across sectarian boundaries – all qualify for inclusion in the Venn diagram.
Well, how do you look at Reconciliation? ‘Reconciliation’ is the transformation of conflict. To be reconciled to something – to a position, a state of affairs, perhaps to defeat – suggests passivity, acceptance. To be reconciled with an enemy, individual or group, is an active process of achieving a more productive relationship.
Tamil Diaspora
The mindset of the Tamil ‘Diaspora’ has changed a lot now. Not like in 90s and 2000-2005, majority of this population is becoming more balance minded. But there is a minority of this population is still actively involved in fund raising to revive the LTTE activities. But the fundraising also faced a severe blow with the recent developments in the UN and US.
Most of the Tamil Diaspora has changed their attitudes and approaches towards Sri Lanka. They feel and show more confidence in living in Sri Lanka. But unfortunately, they are helpless because there is no one to speak on behalf of them. As a result, they remain silent and in active in main political stream. Sri Lankan Government should tap this population and help them speak out their comments and share their experience. If the government wants to make a genuine long-lasting peace they should focus on this population, and they should speak to these members about the possible political solution.
The writer is a senior journalist
From: The Nation. http://www.nation.lk/edition/lens/item/33682-do-ngos-really-help-the-country-in-peace-building-and-reconciliation
