News Report still identifies Watchtower Society as NGO

by nicolaou 10 Replies latest social current

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  nicolaou

  I've no doubt that this is just a bit of sloppy research on the part of the journalist concerned (maybe his NGO directory is a couple of years old) but it is interesting.....

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  Sri Lanka:Demand for Anti-Conversion Law Gains Momentum Champika Liyanaarachchi OneWorld South Asia 28 January 2004 COLOMBO, Jan 28 (OneWorld) - The issue of unethical conversions to Christianity is snowballing in Sri Lanka, with the country's leading Buddhist organization demanding the government ban all nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) engaged in anti-Buddhist activities, and introduce an anti-conversion law by the month end. Last week, a leading organization of Buddhist monks, National Bhikkhu Front (NBF) staged a large demonstration in the capital, Colombo, handing over a letter with the demand to President Chandrika Kumaratunga. Warns NBF secretary Venerable Galewala Chandraloka Thera, "We are prepared to take drastic steps if the government fails to keep the February-end deadline. It is bound to protect Buddhism by the provisions in the Constitution." Agrees the President of another key Buddhist monks' organization, Jathika Bhikku Sammelanaya (JBS), Venerable Ellawala Medananda Thera, who organized a fast unto death campaign last month, "This is a joint demand from Buddhists and Hindus to eliminate Christian fundamentalists whose activities have caused the biggest damage to religious co-existence here." On their hit list are around 37 NGOs who have alleged links with Christian sects said to be promoting conversions in Sri Lanka -- like the Assembly of God, Pentecostal Church and Jehovah's Witness. Interestingly, the list includes several prominent local and international NGOs. Most of them are involved in community development work in the country. Among them are World View International Foundation (WIF) and Save the Children Fund (Norway). Since last year, following the revelation of a major fraud by them, Norway has withdrawn all its funds to WIF. Also in the dock is the country's largest local NGO - Sarvodaya, which, ironically, was formed to promote the Buddhist concepts of loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity. Medananda Thera alleges that the failure of consecutive governments to monitor foreign NGOs operating in Sri Lanka has resulted in the poor falling prey to them. Adds NBF Secretary Venerable Kalavelgala Chandraloka Thera, "While we are alive to the fact that the government is trying its best to dodge the issue, we also feel laws alone will not help remedy the situation. It is mandatory for the government to identify and ban all NGOs engaged in anti-Buddhist activities." Declares a spokesperson for Sarvodaya, Neetha Ariyaratne, "There have been posters alleging we are involved in anti-Buddhist activities. But none of these elements had the courage to come forward and tell us precisely what they are." She adds in her defense, "We have been into community development for the last three decades, and serve all communities irrespective of their race and religion." Retorts the NBF secretary, "We are not saying Sarvodaya is promoting Christianity here. But the way they operate threatens the roots of the Buddhist civilization." Buddhist leaders point out that, "The government is bound to protect Buddhism by the provisions in the Constitution." Article 9 of the Sri Lankan Constitution gives prominence to Buddhism over other religions, holding the State responsible for its protection. The resurgence of the demand for anti-conversion laws followed last month's mysterious death of one of Sri Lanka's most widely respected Buddhist monks --Venerable Gangodawila Soma Thera, while in Russia to accept a doctorate. His death whipped up anti-Christian sentiments, resulting in a slew of attacks on Christian churches and prayer centers by unidentified groups. The latest such attack occured on the night of January 26 in the town of Mattegoda, about 12 kilometers from Colombo. A strident critic of unethical conversions, Hindu Affairs Minister T. Maheswaran alleged recently that nearly 7000 Hindus in the North and East and the Central province had been converted to Christianity by NGOs operating in these areas. He demanded that anti-conversion laws like those prevailing in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu should be introduced to curb the wave of unethical conversions in Sri Lanka. The Archbishop's House in Colombo too issued a statement saying the work of certain Christian sects was a major threat to religious harmony. The protests made the government promise to introduce anti-conversion laws within 60 days, but it has taken no steps to do so yet. Says Minister of Buddhist Religious Affairs, W.J.M. Lokubandara, "We are trying our best to introduce them as soon as possible." The discovery of an online pharmacy selling a drug called Gangodawila Soma, has further insulted Buddhist sentiments. It states that, "Soma relaxes the muscles and relieves pain and discomfort associated with strains, spasms or other injuries." Declares the Propaganda Secretary of the nationalist Sihala Urumaya (SU) party, Udaya Gammanpila, "We found it had been created on November 18, almost three weeks before the death of Soma Thera. It is obvious the website was created with the intention of insulting him, proving there was a major move to destroy him." For its part, the government says it is investigating into the offensive site. Says Lokubandara, "We are looking into this matter. It seems it was done by somebody with the intention of provoking the Buddhists. I request everybody not to fall prey to these elements." Given the communally surcharged environment, the Archbishop of Colombo has requested all Catholics to conduct special prayers on February 1 to pray for religious tolerance and harmony. Buddhists form 71 percent of the country's 19 million population, while Catholics comprise 6.4 per cent. On the other hand, Christian sects comprise a little less than 1 per cent.

  http://www.oneworld.net/article/view/77801/1/
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  Euphemism

  An NGO is simply a "Non-Governmental Organization." Any religious group, charity, etc is an NGO.

  The scandal had to do with the WTS' affiliation with the UN. It had nothing to do with the fact of its being an NGO.
• 

  FreeWilly

  Euph,

  The WTS's "affliliation" with the UN was through the NGO program that the UN offers to various interest groups. "Any religious group" is not automatically an NGO. They must apply and agree to support UN goals etc. There's alot of information about the NGO program on Freeminds.org.
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  Euphemism

  FreeWilly... the affiliation with the UN is not what made the Watchtower Society an NGO.

  The UN's NGO program is a way that an organization that is already an NGO can become UN-affiliated.

  From the UN's website:

  What is an NGO?

  A non-governmental organization (NGO) is any non-profit, voluntary citizens' group which is organized on a local, national or international level.

  From the same page:

  How do NGOs and DPI cooperate?

  The Department of Public Information and NGOs cooperate regularly. NGOs associated with DPI disseminate information about the UN to their membership

  So the Watchtower Society is, and always has been, an NGO. The hypocrisy is that they chose to voluntarily affiliate themselves with the UN, which included agreeing to support the UN's goals.
• 

  jst2laws

  Euphemism,

  I hope you are open to a little more information here. When speaking of NGO's in the context of a discussion of the UN we need to let the UN define the acronym.

  ANY institution that is not a government could be said to be a non-government-organization, even a family. The term becomes meaningless.

  On the UN web site under the Department of Information the term NGO is defined. It takes application and qualification to become accepted by the UN as an NGO. Just being a religion or a charity does not get that organization published in the UN's registry of NGO's as the Watchtower Society was.

  The UN has coined the phase to describe this branch supporting their efforts, established the requirements, accepts applicants and publishes their list of NGO's as part of the Department of Information (DPI) of the UN. This is the context of which the journalist cited the WT as an NGO, although erroneously.

  Steve
• 

  little witch

  An outdated un researched commentary. Nothing more or less

  What a lazy, uninformed "jounalist". Shamefully difficient in research. What a loser. No credibility at all.

  I would love to see an expose on jw influence in world politics. This was an example of missing the mark in intelligence.He should have checked his sources.
• 

  Euphemism

  jst2laws... pardon me, but with all due respect, I believe you are mistaken.

  First of all, my post above was copied directly from the UN's website. It is the UN, not I, who defined an NGO as "any non-profit, voluntary citizens' group."

  A family is not an NGO because they are not an organized group. However, if a family creates a charitable trust, or a group of families in a neighborhood band together for some neighborhood improvement project, that is an NGO, according to the UN's own definition.

  This is the context of which the journalist cited the WT as an NGO, although erroneously.

  Actually, I would recommend that you take another glance at the article. There is no mention whatsoever of the UN in the article. The article is concerned with "NGOs who have alleged links with Christian sects". There is no mention whatsoever of UN affiliation.
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  Eric

  Folks,

  Euph is right.

  This report has NOTHING to do with the UN whatsoever.

  The NGO label is from the viewpoint of the Sri Lankan Government, and any group claiming religious or chartitable status will be viewed by the local government as an NGO. Every government will have a list of NGO's that operate within its jurisdiction, whatis allowed to them and what is not.

  Nothing to see here, move along.

  Eric
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  jst2laws

  Euphamism,

  I apologize. I believe you and Eric may be right. I did not read the entire article nor did I read with a critical eye.

  Steve
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  Euphemism

  No problem, Steve!