"NGO Monitors Guide to Charities in the Tsunami Zone"
In response to requests for information on reliable charities and humanitarian organizations responding to the immense tragedy in South East Asia, NGO Monitor has prepared a short guide and ratings. The NGOs that devote their resources exclusively or primarily to humanitarian assistance are at the top of this list, while those who use funds to pursue political and ideological objectives receive lower ratings. (**** Indicates the highest rating; * is the lowest)
Detailed analyses and information sources on which these ratings are based can be found in the Infofiles section of the NGO Monitor website.
**** DIRECT RELIEF INTERNATIONAL
- This California based NGO deoted to "improe the health of people…who are ictims of natural disasters, war, and ciil unrest," is truly a humanitarian and apolitical organization. According the NGO Monitor’s assessment, this organization’s actiities indeed reflect a non-discriminatory approach, "without regard to political affiliation, religious belief, or ethnic identity."
**** CARE USA
- CARE implements its stated mission of sering indiiduals and families in the poorest communities in the world" without attempting to further a political agenda. The actiities of CARE proide an example of a humanitarian NGO carrying out its work under difficult circumstances in a professional manner for the benefit of those in need of its assistance programs. In contrast to many other NGOs that promote a political agenda, CARE fulfils its mission, concentrating on practical humanitarian actiities.
*** MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES (DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS)
- Although occasionally departing from its apolitical mission, MSF generally proides effectie assistance to populations in distress, to ictims of natural or man-made disasters and to ictims of armed conflict, "without discrimination and irrespectie of race, religion, creed or political affiliation." Howeer, in some cases, as documented by NGO Monitor, MSF personnel hae iolated the pledge to "respect their professional code of ethics and to maintain complete independence from all political, economic and religious powers."
** OXFAM
- Oxfam International (a loose confederation from 12 countries) collects a great deal of money to distribute annually in the effort "to find lasting solutions to poerty, suffering and injustice," and in response to humanitarian disasters. Howeer, some Oxfam branches hae engaged in highly politicized and ideological campaigns in the Arab-Israeli field, which hae contributed to the conflict.
- SCF is a broad international alliance that defines itself as a ‘children’s rights organization’ and works mainly in education, health and trauma counseling. Howeer, some of its actiities, including the ‘Eye to Eye’ project in Gaza, hae been exploited as a ehicle for pursuing a highly politicized agenda.
- This Christian relief and deelopment organization "conducting child-focused emergency relief, sustainable community deelopment and adocacy" is also ery actie in politics. World ision’s Jerusalem office has been engaged in anti-Israel propaganda, in iolation of its mission statement.
* CARITAS
- CARITAS is a confederation of Catholic relief, deelopment and social serice organizations, which uses its actiities to promote a biased ideological agenda, particularly in supporting Palestinian attacks on Israel.
* MENNONITE CENTRAL COMMITTEE (MCC)
- MCC claims to be the "relief, serice, and peace agency of the North American Mennonite and Brethren in Christ churches". Howeer, it also promotes anti-Israel propaganda and hatred through the "Peace Office Newsletter", abusing its humanitarian work for political incitement.
- Claiming to be "Fighting for a world without poerty", this explicitly political organization uses economic issues to further its agenda, including a "Palestine campaign" that promotes the demonization of Israel.
- Despite its stated goals "To further charitable purposes, which reliee or combat malnutrition, hunger, disease, sickness or distress throughout the world", Christian Aid’s extensie inolement in politics undermines claims to be primarily a charitable and humanitarian organization. The prominence of its political agenda was recently highlighted in the color="#003366">"Child of Bethlehem" campaign.
Click here for an update of major Israeli and Jewish charities assisting tsunami ictims.