[That's rather extraordinary. To put it pretty mildly.] I/IV. http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/us-warns-of-chilling-effect-of-india-s-ngo-crackdown/article1-1344555.aspx
India's crackdown against foreign NGOs: US ambassador Rich Verma warns of 'chilling effect' AFP, New Delhi| Updated: May 07, 2015 09:37 IST US ambassador to India, Richard Verma, has expressed concern about press reports on challenges faced by NGOs operating in India.(Photo courtesy: Albright Stonebridge Group) The US ambassador to India Richard R Verma on Wednesday rebuked the government's crackdown on non-governmental organisations, saying it could have a "chilling effect" on civil society. After both Greenpeace and the US Ford Foundation were hit with funding restrictions, ambassador Verma voiced rare public criticism by Washington of Narendra Modi's administration, in a speech on India-US relations. "I read with some concern the recent press reports on challenges faced by NGOs operating in India," Verma said. "Because a vibrant civil society is so important to both of our democratic traditions, I do worry about the potentially chilling effects of these regulatory steps focused on NGOs." Verma said civil society organisations were an integral part of the struggle for advances in health, inclusive economic growth, environmental protections, human rights and the strengthening of democracy. The US ambassador's comments came amid reports that India is investigating the finances of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, as part of a growing crackdown on thousands of foreign funded charities and activists that has alarmed Washington. Indian government officials couldn't be immediately reached for comments. The criticism is particularly striking at a time of closer ties between the world's two largest democracies, exemplified by the warm reception that US President Barack Obama received on a visit in January. But it comes after the government barred the Ford Foundation from giving money to local organisations without its permission, placing it on a "watch list" to ensure funds are used for "bona fide welfare activities without compromising on concerns of national interest and security". The move late last month followed a complaint from the government of the western state of Gujarat over the foundation's grants to an NGO run by a longtime critic of Prime Minister Modi. The government also recently suspended Greenpeace India's foreign funding licence after accusing the environmental pressure group of hurting the country's economic interests. Greenpeace India warned on Tuesday that it may be forced to shut down its operations in the country within a month. Last week India's home ministry said it had recently cancelled the foreign funding licences of nearly 9,000 NGOs, claiming they had failed to file annual tax returns. II/IV. http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/antingo-action-could-have-chilling-effect-on-civil-society-us-ambassador/article7176804.ece Updated: May 7, 2015 02:23 IST Crackdown on NGOs worries US SUHASINI HAIDAR US Ambassador to India Richard Verma. The Hindu US Ambassador to India Richard Verma. This is the fourth time the U.S. government is taking up the issue of strictures against NGOs in the past couple of weeks. Accusing the government's actions to regulate Non-Governmental Organisations including the Ford Foundation and Greenpeace International of having a "chilling effect" on civil society, U.S. Ambassador to India Richard Verma, said that India and the U.S. must find an understanding over the issue. "I read with some concern the recent press reports on challenges faced by NGOs operating in India," Ambassador Verma told an audience at Delhi based think-tank Ananta Aspen Centre. Mr. Verma added, "Because a vibrant civil society is so important to both of our (Indian and US's) democratic traditions, I do worry about the potentially chilling effects of these regulatory steps focused on NGOs." Mr. Verma's remarks were from a prepared text, but he repeated them in a question and answer session that followed, adding that India and the US cannot avoid "hard questions" because of "political expediency". This is the fourth time the U.S. government is taking up the issue of strictures against NGOs in the past couple of weeks, ever since the Ministry of Home Affairs froze accounts of environmental NGO Greenpeace and directed Ford Foundation to submit all its funding for MHA clearance. Ford Foundation denies the charge that it funds organisations that lack clearance under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), and the Greenpeace management in India has told its staff to prepare for an imminent shutdown after strictures passed against it. U.S. not buying clarifications In April, the U.S. State department had criticised the decisions in a public statement, saying that it "was seeking clarifications from the government" over the actions against Ford foundation and Greenpeace. Last week Ambassador Verma had met his counterpart in the Ministry of External Affairs to express his concern, and subsequently visiting US Assistant Secretary of State Wendy Sherman raised the issue with Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar during her meetings with him in Delhi. Ambassador Verma's remarks on Wednesday, once again expressing "deep concern" indicate that the U.S. is not satisfied with the answers to the clarifications it had sought. In his speech, Ambassador Verma also seemed to defend the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation, which is reportedly under the government's scanner for funding a health NGO, in India. An MHA spokesperson denied the latest reports of action against the Gates foundation on Wednesday, but this isn't the first time such reports have appeared. Speaking at the event Ambassador Verma praised the Gates foundation's project in India to promote the 'Rotovirus Vaccine' that prevents diarrhoea amongst children as a "model of research collaboration". The Ministry of External Affairs declined to comment on Mr. Verma's latest remarks on action against NGOs in India whose views the government might found "objectionable". Last week, it had to issue a stern statement rejecting another body, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom's 2015 report that had been particularly critical of India's record on protecting minorities in the past year. III/IV. http://indianexpress.com/article/world/asia/chilling-effects-of-indias-regulatory-steps-towards-ngos-richard-verma/ THURSDAY, MAY 07, 2015 Steps against NGOs may have chilling effects: US Ambassador Richard Verma Steps against NGOs may have chilling effects: US Ambassador Richard Verma His comments come days after the US government had red-flagged the issue in its public comments. Written by Shubhajit Roy | New Delhi | Updated: May 7, 2015 9:37 am The US ambassador to India Richard Verma on Wednesday expressed "concern" on the "potentially chilling effects" of the regulatory steps taken against NGOs in the country. His comments came in the backdrop of the regulatory action taken against several NGOs, including the Ford Foundation. Verma said, "Both of our countries are home to vibrant and vocal civil society organizations seeking change in every conceivable area. India is home to a vibrant community of over 2 million legally registered non-governmental organizations. The United States also has a robust civil society community though I doubt the number is 2 million. With so many voices engaged in the debate, there are sure to be some whose views others find objectionable. That is part of the beauty of the vibrant, thriving democracies we have chosen. I read with some concern the recent press reports on challenges faced by NGOs operating in India. Because a vibrant civil society is so important to both of our democratic traditions, I do worry about the potentially chilling effects of these regulatory steps focused on NGOs." His comments, made in a prepared speech at a think-tank, come days after the US government had red-flagged the issue in its public comments. However, this is almost certain to create some controversy as the parliament is in session. IV. http://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/us-concerned-at-india-s-crackdown-on-ngos-richard-verma-115050600372_1.html US concerned at India's crackdown on NGOs: Richard Verma US Ambassador says it's important for a democratic country like India to understand NGOs' importance BS Reporter | New Delhi May 7, 2015 Last Updated at 00:08 IST The Narendra Modi-led government's recent actions on curbing activism might have "chilling effects" on charity organisations run on foreign funds, according to US ambassador Richard Verma. Expressing US' concern on the action against some well-known non-governmental organisations (NGOs) such as Greenpeace and Ford Foundation in India, Verma said it's important for a democratic country like India to understand NGOs' importance. "I read with some concern the recent press reports on the challenges faced by NGOs operating in India... a vibrant civil society is so important to both of our democratic traditions, I do worry about the potentially chilling effects of these regulatory steps focused on NGO," Verma said here on Wednesday while talking on the India-US strategic relationship. The Modi government has frozen the accounts of Greenpeace, which now faces the imminent danger of closing down owing to paucity of funds. The government has also come down heavily on Ford Foundation, a US-based NGO, by putting it on a security watch list. On Tuesday, Greenpeace said it had funds left only for a month to run operations in India. It said it was "strangulation by stealth" by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who was using "arbitrary penalties" and should "admit that he is trying to shut Greenpeace India down because of its successful campaigns". On April 9, the home ministry had passed orders freezing seven accounts of the environmental NGOs and suspended their licence to get funds from foreign sources. The ministry had cited several infringements of the law that regulates foreign funding of NGOs -- the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, or FCRA. The home ministry has already blocked foreign and domestic funding of Greenpeace and suspended its registration for six months. According to the government, the organisation was misusing the funds to block all developmental projects. Similarly, in the case of Ford Foundation, the home ministry has asked all banks not to allow the charity organisation to finance any person or institution without prior approval from the government. The ministry has already cancelled the registration of around 9,000 NGOs under FCRA. -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. 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