Two Weeks in the Life...

....of NGOs.

I think this is a good time to check back in on our NGOs. All these wars and political distractions make for a lot of smoke they love to slither around under. So I looked back through some stories from and about them just to keep a lid on the cookie jar in our World [in] War. All but the second to last are from just the past two weeks.

On our list already, USIP penned a 6 month mark piece on Sudan. Some excerpts:

“The international community's efforts to broker peace have been uncoordinated and ineffectual, as various regional powers' efforts to pursue their own interests have exacerbated the situation.”

“Much will depend now on the degree of reinforcement the combatants receive from foreign patrons. The United Arab Emirates has the most documented relationship with the RSF. Egypt's historic relationship with the SAF is well-established. Sudan's fate now risks lying in a competition between foreign interests who are not deterred by the multiple and rather timorous efforts at international mediation.”

The real reason for writing at all:

“But a shift in fighting to Darfur has been the most striking and shocking development in Sudan's war. The unremitting violence -- much of it attributed to the RSF -- is now of a rapacity that far exceeds the exactions of the Janjaweed, the RSF's predecessor, 20 years ago.”

The conclusion - “All actors who are planning a unified effort to broker peace need to see these various neighboring interests as a factor that cannot be avoided and should be considered in some manner in peace talks.” - mostly tells you that they don't have good news. US Institute(s) of Peace almost never really want peace. If that's the case we might consider that good news. So since Hemedti has been rolling all over the place recently from Darfur to Port Sudan, could we be seeing a potential close to this conflict? Tick tock.

Also from USIP, this is a eulogy for Saudi Arabia - Israel normalization processes. And potentially losses of both Egypt and Jordan as peace producing neighbors of Israel, too. Although the tone is prosaic enough that a faint celebratory air wafts through the seams. This ending sounds very comfy, especially from two weeks ago: “All developing events and protests outside U.S., European and Israeli embassies around the Middle East have underscored, the impact of this war, how it continues to be fought and how it ends will have profound ramifications. Many believe that the status quo can no longer continue indefinitely, with conflicts managed and military confrontations dealt with through a fire-fighting approach. It is important to acknowledge that the calls for a more proactive pathway toward peace should be heeded.” (As if, indeed.)

From UN News we have an early appeal for access to Gaza for humanitarian aid. I know you've all seen the chronic whining. This piece basically puts the done frame around the UN. It made one of our earlier articles in a verbal meme being described as “useless”. This piece confirms that they know it.

This TG posting from Tupi Report (IKR!) is actually a report on a Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry in Brazil investigating the Institute of Environmental Research of the Amazon (Ipam). It appears that only 11% of funding received from the Amazon Fund (25% of total receipts, the balance was from all the usual suspects) actually were used for environmental purposes. Twice that was labelled project development and the balance was salaries and expenses. The justification was that for those 10 years they have published a library of 1200 articles on the Amazon. (Meanwhile actual financial consequences are accruing to Brazilians and others for failure to meet deforestation targets. They must have actually printed on paper all those articles!) France24 reprinted an AFP complaint that “The world is “failing” on a pledge to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030, with global losses increasing last year, a group of NGOs and researchers warned.” (Making sure of failure is the path forward.)

In an El Salvador like move, Tunisia is looking to adopt an NGO law that Amnesty Intl London considers “too restrictive”. This press release is a primal scream of agony in a massive void. Independent civil society is being threatened! (Find those party shoes!)

Caliber reported that Azerbaijani (ANAMA) authorities claimed “At the base belonging to the international humanitarian non-governmental organization Halo Trust, a large number of demining equipment and detectors, which were deliberately rendered useless, were found. However, this equipment could be used in humanitarian demining operations and serve to eliminate the mine threat. However, material and technical means intended for use in order to create a safe environment were deliberately destroyed”. (How NGOish. Of course the exodus could have left those for the remaining combatants to deal with, but mine clearing is HT's thing. A lot of what was pictured is pretty small. As in evacuation able.)

Another USIP production actually occurred earlier today so I'm placing it at the end temporally. In conjunction with IBI Consultants (specialists in Latin America) they hosted a presentation of a new report in DC on Russian influence campaigns in Latin America. The conversation examined the evolution of Russia’s engagement with Latin American countries under Putin’s rule, the tools the Russian government has used to expand its presence across the continent, and how the United States and international organizations can respond to Russian activities by enhancing commitments to democratic processes and institutions. (<= The smell of panic in the morning meeting.)

We are going to wind up our NGO optics with a Ron Paul Institute listing of USAID proxies, mostly for the economy of them compiled in one place. It is our timeline loner being from March of this year. This should be in anyone's bookmarks or saved list for reference. In eight brief points it compiles the collected history and all star appearances of these organizations. Near the end it lists the primaries: “The same agencies are always present, funding, training and advising: USAID, NED, IRI, NDI, Freedom House, AEI and ICNC.” And advises that Tbilisi is in their sights (then). And here we have a recent operation funded by them in Kazakhstan to train journalists. Fortunately it seems it was poorly attended.

The NGO universe appears to be expanding (like a deep breath before being cast into the lake of fire) in a last ditch attempt to stave off impending disaster. It seems they also know that NCSWIC, in the current phraseology of the future. Still keeping my eyes on them. Undoubtedly they are being stuffed with cash and provisions to perpetrate the most damage money and planning can buy. But at least we are seeing some in the Resistance fight back. And I feel certain we will continue to see that expand in the months ahead.

Back to Part 1.