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Bellona -USAID expulsion from Russia shows framework of long-planned Putin initiatives

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) ceased operations in Russia yesterday after being expelled last month in a move widely seen as part of the Kremlin’s effort to intimidate and discredit opposition.

Charles Digges, 02/10-2012

Meanwhile, Russian public opinion seems to be taking a sway against organizations receiving foreignfinancing, as evidenced by hostile viewer calls to independent Russia television programs that have examined the decision of the Kremlin to clamp down on Russian NGOs that receive funding from abroad.

[…]

Putin had accused USAID of meddling in the country’s internal affairs, and specifically its elections.

Fifty-seven nonprofits operating in Russia, from human rights watchdogs to HIV/AIDS prevention groups, are set to lose out on millions of dollars in US government grants following the Kremlin’s decision to kick out USAID

[…]

And, rather than a sudden turn about, Nikitin characterized the booting of USAID as part of a carefully orchestrated 2008 decree that Putin signed while prime minister. The decree severely limited the number of international organizations that were allowed to issue tax-free grants in Russia from 111 to just 12.

An overwhelming preponderance of the organizations that were be forbidden to finance tax-free grants in Russia from January 1st, 2009 on, according to Putin’s decree, were environmental, humanitarian, and rights organizations such and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the international Red Cross.

Bellona’s work in Russia, however, was not affected. Both of Bellona’s Russia offices are registered as Russian NGOs and receive donations rather than grants, which are not taxable under Russian law.

But now, said Nikitin, the list of organizations allowed to give tax-free grants in Russia is again being choked, and USAID was part of the collateral damage.

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Anti-NGO propaganda gaining traction

More alarming, said Nikitin, is that the Russian public seems to be in lockstep with the Kremlin.

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“It is remarkable how quickly and effectively propaganda against NGOs as being agents of foreign governments has spread,” said Nikitin. “This, coupled with the ouster of USAID, is the beginning of a vey bad time for NGOs.”

Polls have long showed that the majority of Russians receive their news from the four state controlled networks in Russia, which have consistently depicted opposition to Putin as the work of deep-pocketed American puppet-masters. Nikitin says people are believing what they are being fed.

More moves against civil society

The USAID expulsion and the new NGO law amendments are part of a pile up of recent government actions spearheaded by the United Russia party to stymie dissent.

On the same day USAID was asked to leave, Russia’s Central Bank announced it would investigate as potential money laundering or financing for terrorists any transfers to NGOs coming from abroad, the daily Kommersant reported.

Banks that receive funding transfers for Russian NGOs from abroad will henceforth be requited to report the transfers to the Russian Federal Financial Monitoring service, the paper said.

A new bill to expand Russia’s definition of treason was also unanimously approved by the Duma late last month. The bill aims to expands the interpretation of treason to include activities such as financial or consultative assistance to a foreign state or an international organization – something striking directly at the heart of Russian NGOs that rely on foreign funding.

Another proposed change would allow the charge of treason to be applied to Russian citizens providing assistance to foreign states or international organizations, another veiled threat against Russian citizens who would collaborate with NGOs.

“After this bill is adopted as law, practically every citizen of Russia that works abroad or with foreign organizations could at any moment be hauled in on espionage charges because these laws actually state that the characteristics [defining espionage] are ‘furnishing financial, material, technical, consultative or other help to a foreign state, or international or foreign organization,’” said Nikitin.

Getting the vote out of the way

Among those NGOs most prominently impacted by USAID’s departure is Golos, the country’s biggest independent election monitor, whose reports of violations that assured good returns for the Kremlin’s United Russia party during the State Duma elections in December helped spark massive street protests.

Golos pledged in a statement to continue monitoring elections “no matter what” when it was announced USAID was getting the boot. Golos expects to provide an online map of elections violations, a free hotline, and training for vote monitors in 22 regions, its statement last week said

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United Russia benefitted from USAID

Ironically, the United Russia political party that has championed these rights rollbacks has been a beneficiary of USAID funding training sessions, according reports by ABC News.

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Yelena Gerasimova, director of the Center for Social and Labor Rights, which received USAID funding, told the Moscow Times she doubted whether Putin’s proposed ratings system or additional funds would be useful or fair.

Her organization spent three years applying for grants through the Public Chamber, which yielded nothing. And even if they had, Russian government grants tend to be small, narrowly focused and wrapped in red tape, she told the paper.

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US to try to shuttle in aid anyway

In a lengthy post yesterday on his Live Journal blog, the US Ambassador in Moscow Michael McFaul vigorously defended USAID’s record over two decades in Russia.

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He continued to write that: “Many people have asked me whether USAID departure will mean an end to our support for these important initiatives. It will not.”

USAID has spent about $2.6 billion in Russia since its inception in 1992, and this year’s budget was about $50 million, with $29 million of that directed toward projects promoting democracy and civil society and $18 million targeted toward people, mostly in health programs, US officials have reported.

More here

http://www.bellona.org/articles/articles_2012/USAID_leaves

and some further info on how the changes will effect NGO`s

Rights Advocate Lyudmila Alekseyeva Reminisces VIDEO)

Alekseyeva: ”We will remain without funding because we don’t receive Russian financing. The state won’t finance us because we defend citizens whose rights are violated by Russian bureaucrats. Our state won’t fund that kind of organization. Business here won’t finance us either because every businessman understands that if he finances an organization that is not useful to the authorities, then he puts his own business under threat.”

https://nuclear-news.net/2012/10/01/rights-advocate-lyudmila-alekseyeva-reminisces-video/

October 3, 2012 - Posted by arclight2011 | Uncategorized