In an August 20, 2009 article entitled “Grassroots Activism and NGOs,” Alternative Information Center (AIC) co-founder Michael Warschawski articulated his vision for a “radical political agenda in the framework of the NGO system.” In contrast to funding justifications claiming to promote peace and human rights, as claimed by the governments of Ireland (via Christian Aid), Sweden (via Diakonia), and the Catlan government, Warschawski’s program focuses on:

  • “taking the political needs as the only criterion to fix priorities”
  • “a system of accountability to the social movement that should be considered above the accountability to the donors” (emphasis original)
  • “a staff composed essentially from activists in the movement and not ‘professionals’”

Additionally, he calls for NGOs to “put themselves at the disposal of the activists and to serve the movement,” and “orient their research and publication policy to the needs of the movement and its campaigns.”

In correspondence with NGO Monitor, AIC funder Christian Aid had rejected the characterization of AIC’s “radical agenda” as “[un]founded.”