Registration a 'must' for NGOs

BY NADIRA Gunatilleke

ALL Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) should be registered with the special section set up for NGO registration at the Women's Empowerment and Social Welfare Ministry, says Acting Social Welfare Minister S.M.Chandrasena. But some NGOs which have not been registered with the Ministry are active in tsunami-affected areas, he said.

The Acting Minister said that according to the existing law all NGOs should be registered with the special section at the Women's Affairs and Social Welfare Ministry.

There are about 100 NGOs working in the tsunami-affected areas alone and the Ministry has requested the Centre for Humanitarian Agency (CHA) to make a complete list of NGOs working in those areas. There are NGOs which do have not complied with this arrangement.

Some NGOs do not have links with other NGOs working in the same area and are doing the same sort of services. Some NGOs get publicity through the paintings drawn by some tsunami-affected children in welfare camps. Most of the NGOs working in tsunami-affected areas are involved in counselling.

Fewer NGOs operated before the tsunami disaster. After the disaster, the number of NGOs started to increase rapidly which forced the Finance Ministry and Central Bank to intervene, the Acting Minister added.

Acting Minister Chandrasena also said the Ministry monitors tsunami relief distribution through the Social Services Officers attached to all Divisional Secretariats in tsunami-affected areas.