People in Need (Czech Republic) - Criticism

Criticism

Russian criticism, Chechnya and Ingushetia Since the end of the 1990s, People in Need maintained several projects in Chechnya and Ingushetia. In 2005, the Russian Weekly Argumenty i Fakty named the organization – as well as other NGOs and the UN – supporters of Chechen separatists and terrorists PIN denied any involvement. In the same year Russia expelled the organization from working in the region. Two years later, in 2007, People in Need was allowed to come back and keep working in Chechnya and Ingushetia.

Cuban criticism, ECOSOC During a meeting of ECOSOC in 2006, the Cuban ambassador accused PIN of being financed by the US and conspiring against the government of Cuba and keeping in contact with Cuban emigrants who have a so-called terrorist past. After the vote, PIN was not recommended for consultative status with the ECOSOC.

Kosovo, South Ossetia PIN was moreover criticized by some Czech journalists for expressing too much political concern: after the Kosovo war, it supported Kosovar Albanians, but not the local Serbs. Similarly, after the South Ossetia war in 2008, relief from PIN was delivered only to Georgian civilians.

Government financing and dependence Another criticism in Czechia concerns the status of PIN as independent and non-governmental. As the revenues come mainly from governmental sources, both directly from the central government, or via communities, PIN's independence is questionable. However, this model is also common in other European NGOs such as Oxfam and Welthungerhilfe who respectively receive 40 and 60 percent of their funding from public sources.