PARCEM is worried about local NGOs ongoing identification, says chairman

After the announcement of the Ministry of the Interior that there is an activity to identify and collect data on nonprofit organizations working in each province, PARCEM chairman says this identification is not following the rules.

Faustin Ndikumana: “It is normal for the Ministry of the Interior to take the initiative to identify all local NGOs but it is necessary to change the method it is using”

Faustin Ndikumana, Chairman of PARCEM, a local NGO aiming at awakening people’s conscience and changing their mentality, says it is normal for the Ministry of the Interior to take the initiative to identify all local NGOs but it has to change the method it is using. “There is no pre-established timetable for these activities while they are supposed to take place in all provinces. No formal invitations were given, the note was only published on social media,” he says.

Faustin Ndikumana also says the given questionnaire cannot be completed in the fixed time. “A very complex questionnaire that even asks for details about the general meeting agendas, dates of the transfer of previous funds and results of previous financing projects”. He says this adding that NGOs representatives have to answer all those questions on the spot. “We are not even allowed to photocopy the questionnaires to prepare the answers”.

He calls on the Ministry of the Interior to organize meetings to explain this questionnaire and to forward it in advance to the NGOs so that the latter can prepare all required documents.

Térence Ntahiraja, Spokesperson for home affairs ministry says it is a simple identification of local non-profit organizations. He says many associations do not regularly report to the Ministry of the Interior. “These are field work activities that can take place in provinces and each association is asked to show that it has the ministry authorization which allows it to work legally,” he says.

Ntahiraja says this activity is done to know if all local authorized NGOs are still working and also find out if there are some which are working illegally. About the required documents, Ntahiraja says they are simple documents that are classified in the associations. “The required documents are simple documents classified in their offices. They just show them and go back with them”.

This identification activity began in Ngozi province from 11 to 12 April and is to be done in all provinces.