May 20, 2010

On Wednesday, May 12, the Muslim Public Affairs Council and The Charity and Security Network held a briefing on the impact that certain policies implemented post 9/11 have had on charitable giving, especially in regards to Muslim organizations and their donors.   

The notable panel of speakers included Rob Buchanan, President of the El Hibri Foundation, Ellen D. Willmott, Deputy General Counsel at Save the Children USA, Stephen I. Vladeck, Senior Editor for The Journal for National Security Law and Policy, and Sahar Aziz, Civil Rights Attorney working with the Bill of Rights Defense Committee.   

The panelists covered the myriad issues that have been negatively impacting charities post 9/11 as a result of the elusive policies that have created disconcerting obstacles in order for non-profit organizations to fulfill their obligations in respect to their causes, be it advocacy for women's rights in regions of conflict or working on sustainable development in a region that is home to a terrorist faction.  

As Ms. Willmott stated, "Under OFAC's most recently issued regulations for Somalia, it would prevent a charity who has a license to be in Somalia and operate in an Al-Shabbab controlled area, but you can't in fact build a well for water for a drought stricken area because someone from Al-Shabbab might draw a cup of water from that well." 

Ms. Willmott's example is one of many that the speakers mentioned in regards to regulations that have undermined the framework of charities both at home and abroad.  "These guidelines were written by law enforcement people for a law enforcement purpose.  They were not written by people who understand how charities operate and what they do," stated Mr. Buchanan in regards to the U.S. Treasury Department's Anti-Terrorist Financing Guidelines.   

MPAC's goal is to provide a transparent and effective alternative for government agencies in their approach to charities, especially those that have been unfairly targeted due to their Muslim or regional affiliations. 

- Fatma Hocaoglu (fatma@mpac.org)
MPAC-DC Administrative Assistant