Financial Times

People, civil society, NGO views ignored
Donors working to “own” agendas in Sri Lanka
A top Sri Lankan international executive and human rights campaigner last week slammed the donor community for ignoring the advice and needs of Sri Lankans and civil society and doing work here according to their own agendas.
“In the past, the donor community listened to the NGO’S, civil society and the people. I am sad to say that the donor community does not listen to us today,” said Radhika Coomaraswamy, Chairperson of Sri Lanka’s Human Rights Commission.

Speaking at a reception hosted by the President and the Board of Trustees, and the Country Representative of The Asia Foundation, she said that unlike in the past the donor community doesn’t listen to NGO’s, civil society and the people anymore.

“They come with their own agenda and programmes. The ideas are thought of in the west, and imposed in the south, and there is no real dialogue,” Dr Coomaraswamy, a respected international human rights campaigner and UN Rapporteur on Violence against Women, told 200 guests representing the Sri Lankan government, civil society and international organizations.

However she paid a glowing tribute to the Country Representative of the Asia Foundation in Sri Lanka, Nilan Fernando and the Foundation’s Assistant Representative Dinesha de Silva for listening to NGO’s and civil society before developing programmes and thanked them for giving Sri Lanka, programmes, which it really needs.

Dr. Coomaraswamy said her comments should be considered words of advice to other grant-providing organizations working in Sri Lanka, who need to realize that this is exactly what makes the difference in sourcing programmes.
“If the donor community listened to the voice of the people, maybe we would see many more successful programmes being implemented in this country,” she said during a toast to the visiting directors of the Asia Foundation.

Last week the chairman and directors of The Asia Foundation – a non profit organization devoted to Asia’s development since 1954 – shifted the focus to South Asia by holding its 2005 Annual Autumn meeting in Colombo. “I am honoured to bring our Board of Trustees to Colombo to showcase the Foundation’s diversified work in Sri Lanka,” said Doug Bereuter, President of The Asia Foundation in a statement.

“The Foundation is fortunate to collaborate with an effective group of Sri Lankan partners to build democratic governance, manage conflict and create a more open and just legal system. We are here this week to say that our commitment to Sri Lanka’s development and to the Sri Lankan people is strong.”

The Foundation celebrated its 50th anniversary last year as a private, non-profit grant-making institution. During its Colombo visit, the delegation discussed programmes with the Colombo office; met Foreign Minister Anura Bandaranaike and Jayantha Dhanapala, Secretary General of the Peace Secretariat and was given an overview of investment opportunities by the Board of Investment. They also visited Asia Foundation projects outside Colombo.

Foundation President Bereuter said the Foundation was fortunate to collaborate with an effective group of Sri Lankan partners to build democratic governance, manage conflict and create a more open and just legal system.
With a network of 18 offices throughout Asia, an office in Washington, D.C., and its headquarters in San Francisco, the Foundation was able to respond to the recent tsunami disaster, quickly and effectively.

The Foundation provided immediate relief, supported by generous financial contributions made to both the Asia Foundation and to its affiliate Give2Asia, which facilitates private philanthropy to Asia from individuals and corporations.
To date, more than $3 million has been contributed to Give2Asia’s Tsunami Recovery Fund, to support tsunami-related projects in the region. But it is in long-term recovery and reconstruction that the Foundation is making its most significant contributions.

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