Local NGOs Criticised for Not Engaging With Parliament
Local NGOs Criticised for Not Engaging With Parliament
After parliamentarians in Tajikistan criticised non-government organisations for being too passive and for failing to get involved in the lawmaking process, NBCentralAsia observers agreed that NGOs are poor at engaging with legislators and do not work from a common agenda.
Members of the lower house of parliament passed a law on public associations at the end of April, following heated debates in the media and civil society. The bill, which introduces stricter registration procedures for NGOs, was sent back by parliament’s upper house in February 2007 so that it could be amended. This was a reaction to controversy over provisions banning Tajik citizens living abroad from working for local NGOs in a management or supervisory controlling capacity, and requiring the regional offices of NGOs to register with the justice ministry.
After the law was adopted, Muhiddin Kabiri, a member of parliament who leads the Islamic Rebirth Party, accused local NGOs of being too passive and unprepared to defend their interests in parliament. Kabiri told the Avesta news agency on April 27 that local NGOs stood back and did nothing as the law went through parliament. On contrast, he said international organisations were able to get the law amended to make their lives easier, thanks to foreign diplomats who lobbied on their behalf.
The law was changed so that although international organisations still have to register with the justice ministry, they do not have to submit their documents separately to the foreign ministry. In addition, they only have to inform the ministry to obtain accreditation, instead of having to apply for special permission.
Political scientist Parviz Mullojanov says most local NGOs have distanced themselves from parliamentary debate and have no influence in the legislature.
“The local third sector hasn’t behaved like an organised public force, Tajik NGOs, in contrast to international organisations, haven’t worked out a common stance on the new law,” he said.
But, Viktor Kim, a member of the Public Council, an umbrella group of NGOs, insists local groups have been vocal in expressing their views. He said the council did a detailed analysis of the proposed law and submitted its findings to parliament, and its members made their views on the law known to legislators in an article published in the newspaper Fakty i Kommentarii.
Kim accepted, however, that his organisation may not have put its arguments forcefully enough.
“The Public Council approached parliament informally, without going through all the bureaucratic procedures,” he said. “And as a result, our analysis of the law passed unnoticed.”
Political scientist Shokirjon Hakimov does not agree that NGOs activists failed to seek to influence the debate on the law. They held several roundtables and seminars in Dushanbe on the issue, with the National Association of Political Scientists, for example, running a two-day seminar that was attended by people from parliament, the justice ministry and civil society.
The Legal Consortium submitted an alternative version of the bill, but did not get any reaction back. Parliamentarians also ignored proposals made by local NGOs to hold on hearings on the law, said Hakimov.
However, he acknowledges that close ties have yet to be built established between parliament and NGOs, and the latter have not learned how to organise themselves to defend their interests collectively.
(News Briefing Central Asia draws comment and analysis from a broad range of political observers across the region.)
Members of the lower house of parliament passed a law on public associations at the end of April, following heated debates in the media and civil society. The bill, which introduces stricter registration procedures for NGOs, was sent back by parliament’s upper house in February 2007 so that it could be amended. This was a reaction to controversy over provisions banning Tajik citizens living abroad from working for local NGOs in a management or supervisory controlling capacity, and requiring the regional offices of NGOs to register with the justice ministry.
After the law was adopted, Muhiddin Kabiri, a member of parliament who leads the Islamic Rebirth Party, accused local NGOs of being too passive and unprepared to defend their interests in parliament. Kabiri told the Avesta news agency on April 27 that local NGOs stood back and did nothing as the law went through parliament. On contrast, he said international organisations were able to get the law amended to make their lives easier, thanks to foreign diplomats who lobbied on their behalf.
The law was changed so that although international organisations still have to register with the justice ministry, they do not have to submit their documents separately to the foreign ministry. In addition, they only have to inform the ministry to obtain accreditation, instead of having to apply for special permission.
Political scientist Parviz Mullojanov says most local NGOs have distanced themselves from parliamentary debate and have no influence in the legislature.
“The local third sector hasn’t behaved like an organised public force, Tajik NGOs, in contrast to international organisations, haven’t worked out a common stance on the new law,” he said.
But, Viktor Kim, a member of the Public Council, an umbrella group of NGOs, insists local groups have been vocal in expressing their views. He said the council did a detailed analysis of the proposed law and submitted its findings to parliament, and its members made their views on the law known to legislators in an article published in the newspaper Fakty i Kommentarii.
Kim accepted, however, that his organisation may not have put its arguments forcefully enough.
“The Public Council approached parliament informally, without going through all the bureaucratic procedures,” he said. “And as a result, our analysis of the law passed unnoticed.”
Political scientist Shokirjon Hakimov does not agree that NGOs activists failed to seek to influence the debate on the law. They held several roundtables and seminars in Dushanbe on the issue, with the National Association of Political Scientists, for example, running a two-day seminar that was attended by people from parliament, the justice ministry and civil society.
The Legal Consortium submitted an alternative version of the bill, but did not get any reaction back. Parliamentarians also ignored proposals made by local NGOs to hold on hearings on the law, said Hakimov.
However, he acknowledges that close ties have yet to be built established between parliament and NGOs, and the latter have not learned how to organise themselves to defend their interests collectively.
(News Briefing Central Asia draws comment and analysis from a broad range of political observers across the region.)
