NGOs cross swords over tsunami relief dollars
Arun Jayan/ Thiruvananthapuram
the pioneer
17.12.2005
http://dailypioneer.com/indexn12.asp?main_variable=KOCHI&file_name=KOCHI1%2Etxt&counter_img=1
Infighting among non-governmental oraganisations is becoming murkier.
Be it in the Adivasi community or among fishermen, or any other areas,
such as ecology, culture, herbs, rustic know-how or AIDS, the NGOs of
late are engaged in a pitched battle as they attach more importance to
the inflow of dollars and euros than to the cause they are projecting.
Literate Kerala had witnessed many such feuds
that led to splitting NGO groups, such as Mithra Niketan, Samskriti,
etc.
Even priests and nuns seem to be after big
money as is evident from the latest bickering in the World Forum of
Fisher Peoples. Fr Thomas Kochery, known as the champion of the
fisherfolks' cause, is very much involved in this forum as a special
invitee. The organisation is on the verge of a spilt if the
allegations and counter-allegations coming from within the WFFP,
Kerala chapter, are anything to go by.
The rift has reached such serious dimensions
that WFFP secretary Sr Cecily Plathottam, is under police protection.
Addressing newsmen in Thiruvananthapuram, Sr Cecily, who was
accompanied by two women cops, accused Fr Kochery of embezzling
tsunami funds. She also says her life is under threat ever since she
questioned his way of spending funds received for the welfare of the
fisherfolk.
She alleged that Fr Kochery had received more
than Rs 100 crore from various foreign funding agencies for the
rehabilitation of tsunami-affected fishermen. "However, he is not
ready to clarify as to what he did with this money," she said. She
added that Mr Herman Kumara, general secretary of WFFP, was diverting
the money to his personal account under the direction of Thomas
Kochery.
"Madurai-based NGO Muhil and a Redemptorist
community in Manavalakurichy in Kanyakumari and National Fishworkers'
Forum (NFF) are handling the fund but there are no specific records
for the money spent on the project. What I demand is that they should
clarify about the total money that was funded by foreign agencies and
how much had been spent and how it was spent," she said.
She added that since she was speaking about
the misuse of money flowing into these NGOs, she was facing threat
from many corners. However, an action council formed in defence of Fr
Thomas Kochery, having its office at Manavalakurichy, said that Fr
Kochery widely publicised the needs of the tsunami-affected people,
giving details of the extent of damages, as it was known at that time,
and a rough estimate of the amount of money that might be needed for
the rehabilitation work.
He did not send any project proposal to any
funding agency. In his appeal, he had given the addresses of some of
the NGOs and church organisations, both in India and Sri Lanka, who
had FCRA numbers and who were willing to receive funds and account for
them.
His intention in circulating the needs of the
time was not to collect funds himself, but to enthuse possible donors
to come forward and make their contribution to any agency or NGO who
had the facility to receive foreign funds and had the infrastructure
to do relief and rehabilitation work.
Further, they said that WFFP was an
international forum. Though Fr Thomas Kochery is acclaimed as a leader
of the fisher peoples all over the world, he is not the coordinator of
the WFFP as Sr Cecily mentions in the accusation, they added.
"The WFFP bank account is in France and that
is controlled by a treasurer who is French, two coordinators, one a
New Zealander and the other a Senegalese, and the general secretary,
who is a Sri Lankan. Thus, Fr Kochery will not be able to state as to
what exactly was the effect of the appeal he made," the action
committee said in the statement.
Fr Kochery, who was in Honk Kong, when
contacted by The Pioneer, was in full agreement with the action
council and clarified that people of goodwill would ignore the
malicious propaganda that some persons, for reasons known to
themselves, were going against him.
Meanwhile, Kerala Matsya Thozilali Fedaration
president T Peter said that he or his organisation had no role in the
controversies erupting over the misappropriation of tsunami fund and
that he wishes to keep off from the heated arguments made in this
regard. "KMTF is a political organisation working for the cause of
fisherfolk. We have not received any foreign money and we will not
accept any and as for the controversies regarding the tsunami fund, it
is their internal matter."
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"Ours is a battle not for wealth or for power.
It is a battle for freedom. It is a battle for the reclamation of
human personality."
- Dr BR Ambedkar
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