Pathivugal ISSN 1481-2991
Batticaloa
25th April 2005.
To All International Non Governmental Organisations (INGO) Batticaloa!
We want to bring to your notice some issues of concern of the local community here in Batticaloa that we feel needs to be discussed and addressed as speedily as possible. These issues relate to The Very High Rents that the INGO’s are willing to pay for accommodation both for the purposes of office and international staff.
The average monthly income of a middle class wage earner in Batticaloa approximately ranges from a Rs. 6,000 to Rs. 10, 000. With these wages an individual has to upkeep a family. Often times in a family here there is only one wage earner.
Most Middle Class persons here in Batticaloa do not own property or house and have to live on rented houses. The possible affordable rents in keeping with monthly wages can vary from a Rs. 1000 to a Rs. 5000. It is a known fact that INGO pay monthly rents that possibly a middle class person would not earn in a year or more.
Locally trained and experienced staff of local NGO’s and Community Based Organisations (CBO) taken over by INGO’s by offering very attractive wages.
Many local NGO spend much money and time in training local staff to work with the local community and sometimes these staff are taken over without minimum respect to the local NGO. Skilled and Unskilled workers been paid very high wages.
As one could observe these issues serve to create maximum harm and division in a community that is already ravaged by war and natural disasters.
As we are aware many mission statements of INGO talk of ‘Do No Harm’ and enhancing local capacities and initiatives for peace. What currently goes on does not seem congruent with the reality. We would like to put forward some suggestions that the INGO’s:
Discuss and put together guidelines and principles that relate to Do No Harm. This can be done in discussion with local NGO’s.
Think of building temporary shelters on land they would take on lease which they could use for office space and housing.
Come to some common agreements on rents that they agree upon in keeping with the local rates.
That some agreements be made with local NGO’s and CBO’s when they think of recruiting staff from these organizations. Partnership agreements with local NGO’s and CBO’s would be a way forward.
We hope these issues and suggestions would be taken seriously and remedial actions taken in keeping with the spirit of visions that seek holistic approaches to development and community participation.
We would like to have some
time to discuss these issues with the INGO Forum
at your next meeting should
this be convenient to you.
Thank You
Sincerely
A. Sornalingam & Amara
(Local Community Workers)
sent by: ranr@bluewin.ch
