Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA and MA’AN Development Center Joint Statement

The following is a joint statement by Union Aid Abroad–APHEDA and one of our partners in the Middle East, the MA’AN Development Centre, in reply to allegations made in the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee hearings on 2 June 2011.

Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA and MA'AN Development Center Joint Statement

Both Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA and MA'AN believe that funds from AusAID should be transparently and fully accountable to the Australian taxpayers, and must be utilised strictly for aid and development purposes as contracted. Project documentation and regular financial reports show that no AusAID funds or resources are used to support campaigning by MA'AN or APHEDA.

AusAID and APHEDA are not MA'AN's only donors, and AusAID is not the only funder of APHEDA's projects in the Palestinian territories.

Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA has a policy statement, publicly available (read policy), supporting the rights of both Israelis and Palestinians to peace and to two secure national states side by side, in concord with UN resolutions and Australian government policy.

MA'AN Development Centre is a leading independent Palestinian NGO, with neither political nor religious affiliations. In common with Palestinian civil society organisations, MA'AN agrees in principle with the Palestinian call for boycott, divestment and sanctions against the occupation, however its project work is in rural development and capacity building of community organisations rather than campaigning. Palestinian civil society organisations are significant forces for democratisation, and should be free to adopt and voice policies and advocacy positions.

Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA study tours and multi-party parliamentary study tours assisted by APHEDA have been positively reported in the Australian parliament and in some state parliaments. The purpose of these tours is that people in the Australian community better understand development issues in the Palestinian territories, and assess with their own eyes effectiveness of government and community funded projects. The study tours enhance community accountability of the Australian aid program, and are welcomed by Australian representatives in Israel, Ramallah and Lebanon.

APHEDA, following AusAID regulations, only assists projects in developing countries, and Israel is an advanced economy, so the study tours are not equally focussed on Israel. On the other hand, since APHEDA is part of the Australian trade union movement, study tours meet also with the Israeli Histadrut trade union federation, workers' organisations in Israel, and with the Palestinian trade unions.

The participants in study tours come from various social, religious, ethnic, political and professional backgrounds and have a range of opinions; they are not selected on the basis of their stance on Israel or Palestine. Participants pay their own way on study tours and costs are not incurred by the AusAID funded project, MA'AN or APHEDA. Participants are completely free to advance their own opinions or describe their experiences after the tours.

We invite Australian parliamentarians and community members to visit our project sites, and to read details of our projects, which are fully reported. Our outputs in increasing food production, through rehabilitating water systems, small animal husbandry, greenhouses, land rehabilitation, home gardens and local capacity-building are very tangible achievements in poor communities.

Decisions on project funding should be made only on merit - on whether the projects are achieving the results that are contracted - rather than external political criteria. Australian and Palestinian NGOs welcome the increased engagement by the Australian government in multi-faceted aid to the Palestinian territories as a contribution to peace and poverty alleviation.

Contact: Peter Jennings, Executive Officer
Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA, Tel. 02 9264 9343, Fax. 02 9261 1118

© Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA 2003.

Last Modified: Friday, 24-Feb-2012 10:13:27 EST
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