| Their arrival portends rising local prices | | | | to pay higher wages is demanded... The NGOs, |
| and a culture shock. Many of them live in | | | | the reformed multinationals and enlightened |
| plush apartments, or five star hotels, drive | | | | rich-country governments propose tough rules |
| SUV's, sport $3000 laptops and PDA's. They | | | | on third-world factory wages, backed up by |
| earn a two figure multiple of the local | | | | trade barriers to keep out imports from |
| average wage. They are busybodies, preachers, | | | | countries that do not comply. Shoppers in the |
| critics, do-gooders, and professional | | | | West pay more - but willingly, because they |
| altruists.Always self-appointed, they answer | | | | know it is in a good cause. The NGOs declare |
| to no constituency. Though unelected and | | | | another victory. The companies, having |
| ignorant of local realities, they confront | | | | shafted their third-world competition and |
| the democratically chosen and those who voted | | | | protected their domestic markets, count their |
| them into office. A few of them are enmeshed | | | | bigger profits (higher wage costs |
| in crime and corruption. They are the | | | | notwithstanding). And the third-world workers |
| non-governmental organizations, or NGO's.Some | | | | displaced from locally owned factories |
| NGO's - like Oxfam, Human Rights Watch, | | | | explain to their children why the West's new |
| Medecins Sans Frontieres, or Amnesty - | | | | deal for the victims of capitalism requires |
| genuinely contribute to enhancing welfare, to | | | | them to starve."NGO's in places like Sudan, |
| the mitigation of hunger, the furtherance of | | | | Somalia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Pakistan, |
| human and civil rights, or the curbing of | | | | Albania, and Zimbabwe have become the |
| disease. Others - usually in the guise of | | | | preferred venue for Western aid - both |
| think tanks and lobby groups - are sometimes | | | | humanitarian and financial - development |
| ideologically biased, or | | | | financing, and emergency relief. According to |
| religiously-committed and, often, at the | | | | the Red Cross, more money goes through NGO's |
| service of special interests.NGO's - such as | | | | than through the World Bank. Their iron grip |
| the International Crisis Group - have openly | | | | on food, medicine, and funds rendered them an |
| interfered on behalf of the opposition in the | | | | alternative government - sometimes as venal |
| recent elections in Macedonia. Other NGO's | | | | and graft-stricken as the one they |
| have done so in Belarus and Ukraine, Zimbabwe | | | | replace.Local businessmen, politicians, |
| and Israel, Nigeria and Thailand, Slovakia | | | | academics, and even journalists form NGO's to |
| and Hungary - and even in Western, rich, | | | | plug into the avalanche of Western largesse. |
| countries including the USA, Canada, Germany, | | | | In the process, they award themselves and |
| and Belgium.The encroachment on state | | | | their relatives with salaries, perks, and |
| sovereignty of international law - enshrined | | | | preferred access to Western goods and |
| in numerous treaties and conventions - allows | | | | credits. NGO's have evolved into vast |
| NGO's to get involved in hitherto strictly | | | | networks of patronage in Africa, Latin |
| domestic affairs like corruption, civil | | | | America, and Asia.NGO's chase disasters with |
| rights, the composition of the media, the | | | | a relish. More than 200 of them opened shop |
| penal and civil codes, environmental | | | | in the aftermath of the Kosovo refugee crisis |
| policies, or the allocation of economic | | | | in 1999-2000. Another 50 supplanted them |
| resources and of natural endowments, such as | | | | during the civil unrest in Macedonia a year |
| land and water. No field of government | | | | later. Floods, elections, earthquakes, wars - |
| activity is now exempt from the glare of | | | | constitute the cornucopia that feed the |
| NGO's. They serve as self-appointed | | | | NGO's.NGO's are proponents of Western values |
| witnesses, judges, jury and executioner | | | | - women's lib, human rights, civil rights, |
| rolled into one.Regardless of their | | | | the protection of minorities, freedom, |
| persuasion or modus operandi, all NGO's are | | | | equality. Not everyone finds this liberal |
| top heavy with entrenched, well-remunerated, | | | | menu palatable. The arrival of NGO's often |
| extravagantly-perked bureaucracies. Opacity | | | | provokes social polarization and cultural |
| is typical of NGO's. Amnesty's rules prevent | | | | clashes. Traditionalists in Bangladesh, |
| its officials from publicly discussing the | | | | nationalists in Macedonia, religious zealots |
| inner workings of the organization - | | | | in Israel, security forces everywhere, and |
| proposals, debates, opinions - until they | | | | almost all politicians find NGO's irritating |
| have become officially voted into its | | | | and bothersome.The British government ploughs |
| Mandate. Thus, dissenting views rarely get an | | | | well over $30 million a year into "Proshika", |
| open hearing.Contrary to their teachings, the | | | | a Bangladeshi NGO. It started as a women's |
| financing of NGO's is invariably obscure and | | | | education outfit and ended up as a restive |
| their sponsors unknown. The bulk of the | | | | and aggressive women empowerment political |
| income of most non-governmental | | | | lobby group with budgets to rival many |
| organizations, even the largest ones, comes | | | | ministries in this impoverished, Moslem and |
| from - usually foreign - powers. Many NGO's | | | | patriarchal country.Other NGO's - fuelled by |
| serve as official contractors for | | | | $300 million of annual foreign infusion - |
| governments.NGO's serve as long arms of their | | | | evolved from humble origins to become mighty |
| sponsoring states - gathering intelligence, | | | | coalitions of full-time activists. NGO's like |
| burnishing their image, and promoting their | | | | the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee |
| interests. There is a revolving door between | | | | (BRAC) and the Association for Social |
| the staff of NGO's and government | | | | Advancement mushroomed even as their agendas |
| bureaucracies the world over. The British | | | | have been fully implemented and their goals |
| Foreign Office finances a host of NGO's - | | | | exceeded. It now owns and operates 30,000 |
| including the fiercely "independent" Global | | | | schools.This mission creep is not unique to |
| Witness - in troubled spots, such as Angola. | | | | developing countries. As Parkinson discerned, |
| Many host governments accuse NGO's of - | | | | organizations tend to self-perpetuate |
| unwittingly or knowingly - serving as hotbeds | | | | regardless of their proclaimed charter. |
| of espionage.Very few NGO's derive some of | | | | Remember NATO? Human rights organizations, |
| their income from public contributions and | | | | like Amnesty, are now attempting to |
| donations. The more substantial NGO's spend | | | | incorporate in their ever-expanding remit |
| one tenth of their budget on PR and | | | | "economic and social rights" - such as the |
| solicitation of charity. In a desperate bid | | | | rights to food, housing, fair wages, potable |
| to attract international attention, so many | | | | water, sanitation, and health provision. How |
| of them lied about their projects in the | | | | insolvent countries are supposed to provide |
| Rwanda crisis in 1994, recounts "The | | | | such munificence is conveniently |
| Economist", that the Red Cross felt compelled | | | | overlooked."The Economist" reviewed a few of |
| to draw up a ten point mandatory NGO code of | | | | the more egregious cases of NGO |
| ethics. A code of conduct was adopted in | | | | imperialism.Human Rights Watch lately offered |
| 1995. But the phenomenon recurred in | | | | this tortured argument in favor of expanding |
| Kosovo.All NGO's claim to be not for profit - | | | | the role of human rights NGO's: "The best way |
| yet, many of them possess sizable equity | | | | to prevent famine today is to secure the |
| portfolios and abuse their position to | | | | right to free expression - so that misguided |
| increase the market share of firms they own. | | | | government policies can be brought to public |
| Conflicts of interest and unethical behavior | | | | attention and corrected before food shortages |
| abound.Cafedirect is a British firm committed | | | | become acute." It blatantly ignored the fact |
| to "fair trade" coffee. Oxfam, an NGO, | | | | that respect for human and political rights |
| embarked on a campaign targeted at | | | | does not fend off natural disasters and |
| Cafedirect's competitors, accusing them of | | | | disease. The two countries with the highest |
| exploiting growers by paying them a tiny | | | | incidence of AIDS are Africa's only two true |
| fraction of the retail price of the coffee | | | | democracies - Botswana and South Africa.The |
| they sell. Yet, Oxfam owns 25% of | | | | Centre for Economic and Social Rights, an |
| Cafedirect.Large NGO's resemble multinational | | | | American outfit, "challenges economic |
| corporations in structure and operation. They | | | | injustice as a violation of international |
| are hierarchical, maintain large media, | | | | human rights law". Oxfam pledges to support |
| government lobbying, and PR departments, | | | | the "rights to a sustainable livelihood, and |
| head-hunt, invest proceeds in | | | | the rights and capacities to participate in |
| professionally-managed portfolios, compete in | | | | societies and make positive changes to |
| government tenders, and own a variety of | | | | people's lives". In a poor attempt at |
| unrelated businesses. The Aga Khan Fund for | | | | emulation, the WHO published an inanely |
| Economic Development owns the license for | | | | titled document - "A Human Rights Approach to |
| second mobile phone operator in Afghanistan - | | | | Tuberculosis".NGO's are becoming not only |
| among other businesses. In this respect, | | | | all-pervasive but more aggressive. In their |
| NGO's are more like cults than like civic | | | | capacity as "shareholder activists", they |
| organizations.Many NGO's promote economic | | | | disrupt shareholders meetings and act to |
| causes - anti-globalization, the banning of | | | | actively tarnish corporate and individual |
| child labor, the relaxing of intellectual | | | | reputations. Friends of the Earth worked hard |
| property rights, or fair payment for | | | | last year to instigate a consumer boycott |
| agricultural products. Many of these causes | | | | against Exxon Mobil - for not investing in |
| are both worthy and sound. Alas, most NGO's | | | | renewable energy resources and for ignoring |
| lack economic expertise and inflict damage on | | | | global warming. No one - including other |
| the alleged recipients of their beneficence. | | | | shareholders - understood their demands. But |
| NGO's are at times manipulated by - or | | | | it went down well with the media, with a few |
| collude with - industrial groups and | | | | celebrities, and with contributors.As "think |
| political parties.It is telling that the | | | | tanks", NGO's issue partisan and biased |
| denizens of many developing countries suspect | | | | reports. The International Crisis Group |
| the West and its NGO's of promoting an agenda | | | | published a rabid attack on the then |
| of trade protectionism. Stringent - and | | | | incumbent government of Macedonia, days |
| expensive - labor and environmental | | | | before an election, relegating the rampant |
| provisions in international treaties may well | | | | corruption of its predecessors - whom it |
| be a ploy to fend off imports based on cheap | | | | seemed to be tacitly supporting - to a few |
| labor and the competition they wreak on | | | | footnotes. On at least two occasions - in its |
| well-ensconced domestic industries and their | | | | reports regarding Bosnia and Zimbabwe - ICG |
| political stooges.Take child labor - as | | | | has recommended confrontation, the imposition |
| distinct from the universally condemnable | | | | of sanctions, and, if all else fails, the use |
| phenomena of child prostitution, child | | | | of force. Though the most vocal and visible, |
| soldiering, or child slavery.Child labor, in | | | | it is far from being the only NGO that |
| many destitute locales, is all that separates | | | | advocates "just" wars.The ICG is a repository |
| the family from all-pervasive, life | | | | of former heads of state and has-been |
| threatening, poverty. As national income | | | | politicians and is renowned (and notorious) |
| grows, child labor declines. Following the | | | | for its prescriptive - some say meddlesome - |
| outcry provoked, in 1995, by NGO's against | | | | philosophy and tactics. "The Economist" |
| soccer balls stitched by children in | | | | remarked sardonically: "To say (that ICG) is |
| Pakistan, both Nike and Reebok relocated | | | | 'solving world crises' is to risk |
| their workshops and sacked countless women | | | | underestimating its ambitions, if |
| and 7000 children. The average family income | | | | overestimating its achievements."NGO's have |
| - anyhow meager - fell by 20 percent.This | | | | orchestrated the violent showdown during the |
| affair elicited the following wry commentary | | | | trade talks in Seattle in 1999 and its repeat |
| from economists Drusilla Brown, Alan | | | | performances throughout the world. The World |
| Deardorif, and Robert Stern:"While Baden | | | | Bank was so intimidated by the riotous |
| Sports can quite credibly claim that their | | | | invasion of its premises in the |
| soccer balls are not sewn by children, the | | | | NGO-choreographed "Fifty Years is Enough" |
| relocation of their production facility | | | | campaign of 1994, that it now employs dozens |
| undoubtedly did nothing for their former | | | | of NGO activists and let NGO's determine many |
| child workers and their families."This is far | | | | of its policies.NGO activists have joined the |
| from being a unique case. Threatened with | | | | armed - though mostly peaceful - rebels of |
| legal reprisals and "reputation risks" (being | | | | the Chiapas region in Mexico. Norwegian NGO's |
| named-and-shamed by overzealous NGO's) - | | | | sent members to forcibly board whaling ships. |
| multinationals engage in preemptive sacking. | | | | In the USA, anti-abortion activists have |
| More than 50,000 children in Bangladesh were | | | | murdered doctors. In Britain, animal rights |
| let go in 1993 by German garment factories in | | | | zealots have both assassinated experimental |
| anticipation of the American never-legislated | | | | scientists and wrecked property.Birth control |
| Child Labor Deterrence Act.Former Secretary | | | | NGO's carry out mass sterilizations in poor |
| of Labor, Robert Reich, observed:"Stopping | | | | countries, financed by rich country |
| child labor without doing anything else could | | | | governments in a bid to stem immigration. |
| leave children worse off. If they are working | | | | NGO's buy slaves in Sudan thus encouraging |
| out of necessity, as most are, stopping them | | | | the practice of slave hunting throughout |
| could force them into prostitution or other | | | | sub-Saharan Africa. Other NGO's actively |
| employment with greater personal dangers. The | | | | collaborate with "rebel" armies - a euphemism |
| most important thing is that they be in | | | | for terrorists.NGO's lack a synoptic view and |
| school and receive the education to help them | | | | their work often undermines efforts by |
| leave poverty."NGO-fostered hype | | | | international organizations such as the UNHCR |
| notwithstanding, 70% of all children work | | | | and by governments. Poorly-paid local |
| within their family unit, in agriculture. | | | | officials have to contend with crumbling |
| Less than 1 percent are employed in mining | | | | budgets as the funds are diverted to rich |
| and another 2 percent in construction. Again | | | | expatriates doing the same job for a multiple |
| contrary to NGO-proffered panaceas, education | | | | of the cost and with inexhaustible |
| is not a solution. Millions graduate every | | | | hubris.This is not conducive to happy |
| year in developing countries - 100,000 in | | | | co-existence between foreign do-gooders and |
| Morocco alone. But unemployment reaches more | | | | indigenous governments. Sometimes NGO's seem |
| than one third of the workforce in places | | | | to be an ingenious ploy to solve Western |
| such as Macedonia.Children at work may be | | | | unemployment at the expense of down-trodden |
| harshly treated by their supervisors but at | | | | natives. This is a misperception driven by |
| least they are kept off the far more menacing | | | | envy and avarice.But it is still powerful |
| streets. Some kids even end up with a skill | | | | enough to foster resentment and worse. NGO's |
| and are rendered employable."The Economist" | | | | are on the verge of provoking a ruinous |
| sums up the shortsightedness, inaptitude, | | | | backlash against them in their countries of |
| ignorance, and self-centeredness of NGO's | | | | destination. That would be a pity. Some of |
| neatly:"Suppose that in the remorseless | | | | them are doing indispensable work. If only |
| search for profit, multinationals pay | | | | they were a wee more sensitive and somewhat |
| sweatshop wages to their workers in | | | | less ostentatious. But then they wouldn't be |
| developing countries. Regulation forcing them | | | | NGO's, would they? |