Human Concern International
Human Concern International (HCI) is a Canadian federally registered charitable non-governmental organization (NGO) working in international development and emergency relief assistance since 1980.
HELP was launched in 2001 to address a crucial problem; needs in higher education and skills learning, in many developing countries. It facilitates sustainable social and personal development while promoting higher education.
HELP has two segments, built around the needs of youth in under-privileged countries. Higher Education will target those who have the will and merit to continue their studies but cannot afford the tuition fees and other related expenses. The Learning Program aims at providing vocational training to young people in fields compatible with the region's demands to help them acquire skills to earn their living and achieve financial independent.
The three primary areas in which HCI carried on programs to achieve its charitable purposes during the fiscal period ending 2009-03-31 are: 65% literacy/education/training programs; 17% disaster/war relief; 10% infrastructure development.
Financial Arrangements[edit]
The total expenditures of HCI on activities, programs and projects carried on outside Canada during the fiscal period ending 2009-03-31, excluding gifts to qualified donees, is 7,892,935 Canadian dollars. HCI's total expenditure on all compensation during the fiscal period ending 2009-03-31 is 194,639 Canadian dollars. HCI exported medical supplies during the fiscal period ending 2009-03-31 as part of its charitable programs valued 5,344,797 Canadian dollars.[1]
Controversies[edit]
HCI reportedly began in 1979 to support the people in Afghanistan. Dedicated to feeding and schooling orphans, the organisation co-sponsored a Human Rights day at Pennsylvania State University in 1986.[2]
The charity was put under closer scrutiny after Osama bin Laden told a 1995 interviewer that "The bin-Laden Establishment's aid covers 13 countries... this aid comes in particular from the Human Concern International Society"[3]
Ahmed Khadr headed HCI's Pakistan office until his arrest in 1995 for that bombing of the Egyptian Embassy in Pakistan that was allegedly carried out with HCI funds.[4] Under his leadership, the Hope Village Orphanage was created in Akora Khattak.[5]
HCI denies its own involvement and describes Khadr as a volunteer from 1988 to 1995, working in Pakistan and Afghanistan on relief and development projects.
In 1996, the Pakistani press accused HCI's Peshawar office of being made up of Al-Gama’a al-Islamiyya members, who supported the overthrow of the secular Egyptian government in favour of a Sharia state.[6]
Canada cut off government financing in 1997 to HCI. As of 2000 the group was being investigated by the United States.[7] In 1999, the group filed an application for judicial review of a decision by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) to refuse funding the organization's activities. It claimed it was being discriminated against by Canadian government officials.[8] The group maintains its registration in Canada (BN/Registration Number: 107497125RR0001).[9] In 2003, Richard A. Clarke testified before the U.S. Congress that HCI "reportedly received at least $250,000 in funding from the Canadian government."[4]
An organization based in the U.S. and named Human Concern International was one of ten Islamic charities noted by Spanish police in 2002 for allegedly financing Algerian Muslim rebels.
[10] HCI reported that it is not the organization referred to in these allegations and that it has offices only in Canada, Lebanon, Pakistan and Guyana.[8] The Security Intelligence Review Committee recommended Canadian Security Intelligence Service to retract the statement and apologize to the group.[11]
Arrest of then-regional head of Human Concern International Pakistan[edit]
In July 2019, the Counter-Terrorism Department arrested Ali Nawaz, the then-regional head of Human Concern International Pakistan, on the terror financing charge under the Anti-Terrorism Act, accusing him of diverting charity funds to Al Qaeda.[13]
On June 15, 2020, the anti-terrorism court acquitted Ali Nawaz and five other officials who were charged by the counter terrorism department with terror financing. Judge Tariq Khan Yousafzai pronounced the acquittal of the accused before the conclusion of trial by accepting their application filed under Section 265-K of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). The provision empowers the trial court to acquit an accused at any stage of the trial if there is no probability of his/her conviction on the basis of available evidence.[14]
The allegations were never against Human Concern International, and as such HCI continues to work in Pakistan, and in fact recently had their status as an INGO renewed in March 2020.[15]