SL government imposes restrictions on local NGOs in North, East

[TamilNet, Thursday, 23 September 2010, 03:25 GMT]
Local Non-government Organizations (NGOs) in North and East in Sri Lanka face the risk of becoming inactive due Sri Lanka government’s new restrictions on registering or renewing the registration of such organizations, NGO circles said. These NGOs should submit applications to register themselves or to renew registration to Sri Lanka President’s Action Committee and Sri Lanka Defence Ministry for their approval to function, according to the new procedure imposed on them. The local NGOs serve local people in need with the assistance of International Organizations. Securing the required approval of the above authorities is not easy as Sri Lanka government generally views the local NGOs as agencies of foreign elements opposed to it, NGO circles in Jaffna said.

There are more than fifty local NGOs in Jaffna peninsula and most of these have been assisting the Vanni uprooted families now resettled in Jaffna and Vanni.

The above resettled families depend entirely on the help of local NGOs as Sri Lanka government and its officials have failed to provide the needed assistance.

The local NGOs are unable to formulate their projects for the next year in order to get the help of International Organizations as they are uncertain of their survival due to the restrictions of Sri Lanka government.

Hundreds of persons employed by the local NGOs will loose their jobs if the organizations cease to function.