Fra:
Europe Desk [mailto:[email protected]]
Sendt:
8. februar 2018
Til:
Cc:
Nick Hækkerup <[email protected]>; URU | Udenrigsudvalget <[email protected]>; Gerald
Steinberg <[email protected]>
Emne:
NGO Monitor response to Minister Anders Samuelsen
Mr. Anders Samuelsen
Minister of Foreign Affairs
February 8, 2018
Dear Mr. Samuelsen
It has come to our attention that you mentioned NGO Monitor and our work during a
consultation at the Foreign Affairs Committee on February 1, 2018.
[1]
In your address and
answer to the Committee you leveled serious accusations and questioned the integrity of
our research. We are compelled to respond.
NGO Monitor is an independent research institute that provides information and analysis,
and supports discussion on the reports and activities of non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) involved in the Arab-Israeli conflict. All information in our reports is based on
publically available sources and is presented with citations.
According to the evidence, Denmark funds groups that have alleged links to the Popular
Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). As you noted, the PFLP is a designated
terrorist organization in the EU.
[2]
Given that we have no access to classified intelligence
information on terror related activities, we can only provide publically available facts on
reported ties between Danish funded non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the
PFLP. These are mainly based on court rulings or on original PFLP sources. Do you
consider these credible sources, and if not can you explain why?
Indeed, later in your remarks to the Foreign Affairs Committee you acknowledged that
there were PFLP-NGO connections.
Rather than making accusations against NGO Monitor and dismissing the possibility of
further Danish funding to terror affiliated and inappropriate groups, we urge you to persist
with a thorough investigation of Danish NGO funding, together with relevant security
services and publicize these findings.
Given the seriousness of the allegations, independent investigations are needed to ensure
public funds are appropriately allocated. We welcomed the investigations that ended in
your government defunding the organization WATC, but we question how such
organizations were considered suitable partners for human rights projects in the first place.
We look forward to your response.