|
Advocacy Blog
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Treasury Guidelines Slowing Down Humanitarian Aid to Lebanon
A recent Chicago Tribune story Charity strives to keep 'clean'" describes how aid organizations face barriers delivering aid in Lebanon because Hezbollah, which has been designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. Treasury Dept., is part of local government and aid delivery network.
Every U.S. aid agency is facing the exact same problem," said a spokesman for a West Coast aid agency operating in Lebanon, who asked not to be named because the subject is "super, super, super sensitive." "We're waiting on word from the Treasury on that. We're waiting on some sort of guidance."
The Treasury spokeswoman, Molly Millerwise, said charities operating in the U.S. are barred from knowingly financing or "working with" Hezbollah. The question is what might constitute "working with," given that many Lebanese officials are affiliated with the group.
For more information on this issue see our background page.
Posted by Kay Guinane
|