Wüstenschiff

Ethiopia’s Charities and Societies Agency (CSoA), announced Saturday that it has shut down 10 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) under the county’s new civil society and charity law. CSoA decided to revoke the licenses of the organizations due to alleged misconduct and violation to the law of charities and society’s proclamation, the agency public relations head Asefa Tesfaye said. The agency warned a further 400 organizations that it said were operating against rules and regulations of the country. The agency is currently investigating the cases of some 17 organizations. Despite international criticism, the Ethiopian government endorsed the Charities and Societies Proclamation in 2009. Many international human rights groups and civil society groups condemned the controversial law saying it was a tool designed to strictly control and restrict the activities of civil society. The law criminalizes human rights-related work undertaken by Ethiopian organizations that receive more than 10% their funding from overseas.

A German non-governmental organisation (NGO) said Thursday it is pulling out of Ethiopia in protest against Ethiopia’s controversial 2009 civil society and charity law (CSO), which has put growing restrictions on its activities. The Heinrich Boll Foundation, named after the German Nobel Prize winner for Literature, said in a statement that the "closure of the office in Ethiopia is a sign of protest by the foundation against the ongoing restrictions on civil rights and freedom of speech." The German NGO, which aims to promote democracy, gender equality and sustainable development, alleged that it has become impossible for the organization to carryout its work under the existing circumstances in Ethiopia. The foundation’s country director, Patrick Berg, said the organization made a failed appeal to the Ethiopian government through the offices of German Development minister, Dirk Niebel. "We realized that we cannot pursue our mission and we can no longer support our local partners of several years," he told German Radio DW.



Ethiopia on Friday banned three civic organisations accusing them of doing 'illegal religious activities.' The ban came at a time when Ethiopian muslims are protesting against perceived government interference in their activities.

 No further details were made available by the government on the alleged illegal activities that led to the ban. Observers fear the latest move by the government would spark protests by muslims in the Horn of Africa country.