GAZA, August 16, 2011 (WAFA) – Interference by the Hamas authority in the work of Gaza’s non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and restrictions imposed on movement and work of their staff is outrageous, Tuesday said a Palestinian rights group.
Hamas issued a ruling on August 10 ordering staff and managers of NGOs in Gaza who want to travel abroad, whether to the West Bank or any other country, to give the authority a two-week notice before their date of departure and provide it with details regarding travel destination, period of travel, accommodation, purpose of the trip and information on participants if they were traveling to attend a certain event.
The announcement came few days after Hamas had also decided not to allow NGOs to carry out donor-funded projects without its permission.
This decision “is outrageous, unprecedented and unacceptable interference in civil society affairs, which will stifle their activities,” said the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) in a statement.
The center called on Hamas’ leader, Ismail Haniyeh, to immediately intervene and stop any arrangements that might affect the relationship between civil society organizations and the authority, which is supposed to be governed by the rule of law.
PCHR called on Hamas authority in Gaza to revoke its decisions immediately and to respect international law and civil society freedom.
Western donor countries, such as the United States, had threatened to stop all funding to NGOs working in Gaza if Hamas interferes in their work. The US does not recognize Hamas or have any dealings with it because it considers it a terrorist organization.WAFA
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