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