Bureau targets non-complying foreign-funded NGOs
Saturday, 8 May 2010
FE Report
The government regulator concerned has launched the biggest ever crackdown, closing operations of more than 1000 foreign-aided NGOs for their non-compliance of licencing provision, official sources said.
"Over 1000 NGOs have to shut their operations in the country in the toughest ever action taken by the regulator against the foreign-aided NGOs operating in the country," a government official said.
The regulator, the NGO Affairs Bureau, under the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), has already cancelled operating licences of nearly 550 NGOs in the first phase, while the similar numbers of NGOs are also set to face the same action in the second phase, the official informed the FE.
"It is the biggest ever crackdown that the NGO regulator has launched since its inception in 1990," said an official.
Since its establishment, some 2400 NGOs have so far been registered with the NGO Affair Bureau -- of whom nearly 224 are foreign ones, officials said.
According to officials, the Bureau has taken the action under the country's Foreign Donations (Voluntary Activities) Regulation Rules 1978.
According to the Rules, NGOs registered with the NGO Affairs Bureau are obligated to get their operating licences renewed in every five years and they are also required to apply at least six months before the renewal date.
Another official familiar with the foreign-aided NGOs said the action has come against the backdrop of the regulator's fresh move to streamline the listing of both local and foreign NGOs.
A key objective of the drive is to ensure transparency and accountability both in the registration and operations of NGOs.
The operations of most of the NGOs have been shut mainly because of their failure to comply with necessary licensing criteria, they said.
Among the major reasons, the NGOs concerned had failed to renew their operating licences accordingly, the officials said, adding many NGOs did not apply for renewing their licences.
Before taking the action, the regulator of the foreign-aided NGOs served show-cause notice on the respective NGOs twice, but most of them failed to respond, they said.
The government regulator concerned has launched the biggest ever crackdown, closing operations of more than 1000 foreign-aided NGOs for their non-compliance of licencing provision, official sources said.
"Over 1000 NGOs have to shut their operations in the country in the toughest ever action taken by the regulator against the foreign-aided NGOs operating in the country," a government official said.
The regulator, the NGO Affairs Bureau, under the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), has already cancelled operating licences of nearly 550 NGOs in the first phase, while the similar numbers of NGOs are also set to face the same action in the second phase, the official informed the FE.
"It is the biggest ever crackdown that the NGO regulator has launched since its inception in 1990," said an official.
Since its establishment, some 2400 NGOs have so far been registered with the NGO Affair Bureau -- of whom nearly 224 are foreign ones, officials said.
According to officials, the Bureau has taken the action under the country's Foreign Donations (Voluntary Activities) Regulation Rules 1978.
According to the Rules, NGOs registered with the NGO Affairs Bureau are obligated to get their operating licences renewed in every five years and they are also required to apply at least six months before the renewal date.
Another official familiar with the foreign-aided NGOs said the action has come against the backdrop of the regulator's fresh move to streamline the listing of both local and foreign NGOs.
A key objective of the drive is to ensure transparency and accountability both in the registration and operations of NGOs.
The operations of most of the NGOs have been shut mainly because of their failure to comply with necessary licensing criteria, they said.
Among the major reasons, the NGOs concerned had failed to renew their operating licences accordingly, the officials said, adding many NGOs did not apply for renewing their licences.
Before taking the action, the regulator of the foreign-aided NGOs served show-cause notice on the respective NGOs twice, but most of them failed to respond, they said.