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发帖数: 901 | 1 Russia expels USAID development agency
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced
it will close its offices in Russia following an order from the authorities
there to cease operations.
The Russian government gave the US until 1 October to close the mission,
accusing it of meddling in politics.
USAID has worked in Russia for two decades, spending nearly $3bn (£1.
8bn) on aid and democratic programmes.
The expulsion follows a government crackdown on pro-democracy groups.
"The decision was taken mainly because the work of the agency's officials
far from always responded to the stated goals of development and
humanitarian cooperation. We are talking about attempts to influence
political processes through its grants," the foreign ministry said in a
statement.
Continue reading the main story
Analysis
Steve Rosenberg
BBC News, Moscow
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It has become something of a tradition for Russian leaders to seek out
scapegoats and enemies - and for much of the last half a century, it is the
United States which has been Scapegoat and Enemy Number One. That was true
during the Cold War; it is true now.
Vladimir Putin makes no secret of his conviction that Washington is trying
to foment anti-government sentiment and political change in Russia - and
that it is doing so by funding Russian NGOs and democracy programmes. USAID'
s commitment to building a civil society is viewed by Russian officials as
an attempt to spark revolution.
Since returning to the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin seems determined to crack
down on NGOs that receive foreign funding. A new law forces such
organisations to re-register as "foreign agents" and introduces tighter
monitoring by the state. The closing down of USAID's Russian mission seems
to be another attempt to weaken Russian NGOs, particularly those focused on
democracy issues and human rights.
The Russian authorities have become increasingly suspicious of non-
governmental organisations (NGOs), which it believes are using foreign
funding to foment political unrest, says the BBC's Steve Rosenberg in Moscow.
Earlier this year, President Vladimir Putin alleged that protests
surrounding his re-election were orchestrated by US-funded NGOs.
Among the groups likely to be affected is Golos, whose exposure of electoral
fraud at last year's parliamentary elections helped spark huge anti-Kremlin
street demonstrations.
Golos is partly funded by USAID.
US stays 'committed'
In announcing the closure of the USAID office, US state department
spokesperson Victoria Nuland said: "We remain committed to supporting
democracy, human rights, and the development of a more robust civil society
in Russia and look forward to continuing our cooperation with Russian non-
governmental organisations."
She would not be drawn on the reasons behind the Kremlin's decision, but
said there was a sense "that they don't need this any more".
The United States began its operations in Russia after the end of the Soviet
Union, spending around $2.7bn (£1.7bn) on a wide range of human
rights, civil society, health and environmental programmes.
Continue reading the main story
“
Start Quote
"This is a very bad signal... I believe that they did very much for Russian
society, for supporting the human rights sector and for supporting free
journalism in Russia”
End Quote
Liliya Shibanova
Head of election monitor Golos
USAID was due to spend around $50m on its work in Russia this year.
Russian human rights activists lamented the decision to expel USAID.
The head of Golos, Liliya Shibanova called it "a bad signal", saying there
were very few other sources of funding for election monitoring groups, and
that she expected to see other NGOs leaving Russia.
The head of Moscow Helsinki Group, Lyudmila Alekseyeva, said it was the
Russian population, rather than the US, which would suffer from the loss of
"useful services... free legal consultations, educational programmes and
others".
The episode is reminiscent of Russia's crackdown on the British Council,
which sponsors educational programmes, in 2007, during Vladimir Putin's last
term as president.
Following the row with Britain over the poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko in
London, Moscow ordered the closure of the council's offices and launched a
tax investigation. The council now has just one office in Russia, in Moscow. | c******k
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announced
authorities
【在 s*********8 的大作中提到】
: Russia expels USAID development agency
: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced
: it will close its offices in Russia following an order from the authorities
: there to cease operations.
: The Russian government gave the US until 1 October to close the mission,
: accusing it of meddling in politics.
: USAID has worked in Russia for two decades, spending nearly $3bn (£1.
: 8bn) on aid and democratic programmes.
: The expulsion follows a government crackdown on pro-democracy groups.
: "The decision was taken mainly because the work of the agency's officials
| s*********8
发帖数: 901 | 4 save lotss of money as well | k**0
发帖数: 19737 | |
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