Civil society leaders on Friday called on legislators to amend a clause in NGO Bill that restricts organizations from interfering with state sovereignty.
Norwegian People’s Aid or NPA Program Coordinator Boboya James said the bill should include the role of civil societies, local and international organizations as a platform.
He pointed out that the clause on non-interference with state sovereignty should be removed, because politicians could manipulate it to block organizations that carry out civil education on advocacy, accountability, human rights, rule of law, governance and press freedom.
Community Empowerment Progress Organization or CEPO Executive Director Edmund Yakani called for inclusion of all humanitarian and civic engagement organizations in the bill.
He criticized the non-interference with state sovereignty clause as a Chinese restrictive policy that reduces NGO deliveries to the disadvantage of citizens.
Mr Yakani recommended that the non-interference clause be replaced with compliance with existing laws of the nation.
The NGO leaders made the statements during a public hearing on the NGO Bill 2013 chaired by Gabriel Guot Guot, Deputy Chairperson of Humanitarian Affairs and Human Rights Committee in the National Legislative Assembly on Friday.
Participants observed that registration demands for local NGOs should be cheaper than those to international counterparts.