Humanitarianism: A very sound investment
“We need the NGOs to move the money,” Francesco Giorgi, Eva Kaili’s partner, is said to have stated, according to the Belgian authorities. And Fight Impunity (the name of the implicated NGO seems almost ironic given recent developments) was the vehicle he chose for his transactions, the Italian press is reporting.
We also learned on Friday that one of the findings in the ongoing multiple investigations into the activities of Kivotos tou Kosmou (Ark of the World) children’s charity is that here are indications of serious financial crimes having been committed by its founder, Father Antonios Papanikolaou, his wife and two of their associates. The couple appear to have been living off the money intended for the NGO.
These are just two of the most recent examples of misdeeds behind the facade of organizations ostensibly created to help the disadvantaged, to protect the environment and to provide a social service. We don’t need to add the very long list of NGOs involved in the refugee crisis, which turned out to be a very lucrative business indeed. Millions of euros intended to help people in the direst of straits, have ended up in the pockets of sundry crooks. Humanitarianism is, it appears, a very sound investment.
That said, there are obviously a lot of charities and NGOs that are doing exactly what they have pledged to do. And the widespread anger sparked by the few lawbreakers is not helping them to this end. What would help them, instead, is a proper registration system that would facilitate oversight. When the Ministry of the Interior launched the process, it realized that there were nine different NGO registries distributed between different ministries and services, with no way to connect them.
The road to hell seems increasingly to be paved with good intentions. What started as an initiative that was completely above suspicion ended up becoming a smokescreen for shady financial deals. Instead of a refuge for the weak, it served as a refuge for ill-gotten gains. Instead of providing support to those who needed it most, it lined the pockets of people with actual power.
The work being done by NGOs, the significance of civil society, however, is too important to be surrendered to suspicion and ridicule. But without some form of control, we will never be able to separate the wheat from the chaff. Reform needs to come and come now. Transparency and accountability are the only way to effectively combat corruption.
