Return to War - Human Rights Watch

ZOA denied all the allegations, and said it also helped non-Tamil communities,
including Muslims resettling in Musali in Mannar, Sinhalese families in Serunuwara,
and Sinhalese and Muslim families in Polonnaruwa. 219
The Select Committee is chaired by a JVP parliamentarian, Wijitha Herath, and
consists of the chair plus members from the JVP and the Buddhist monk party, JHU.
Both parties represent a strong Sinhalese nationalist perspective. Hardline segments
of Sinhalese polity are vehemently opposed to a negotiated, federal solution to the
conflict, and have openly supported an intensified military strategy.
NGOs register under the Voluntary Social Services Organization Act or the Companies
Act and are subject to the financial oversight of these acts. Any allegations of fraud
or misappropriation of funds by NGOs registered under the Voluntary Social Services
Organization Act are brought to the notice of the government by the registrar, which
may refer the matter to a Board of Inquiry. Those NGOs registered as non-profit
organizations under the Companies Act must provide an annual report and
statement of accounts to the Registrar of Companies. As existing checks and
balances are already in place, the need for additional financial reviews seems
unnecessary and raises questions about the parliament’s motives in monitoring NGO
work.
219 Email correspondence between ZOA staff member and Human Rights Watch, January 27, 2007.
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Human Rights Watch August 2007