ISTANBUL BRINGS NGO EXPERT TO ADDRESS TRANSPARENCY,

UNCLAS ISTANBUL 000417

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/PPD:JRICKERT, EUR/SE:PMALICK

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SCUL KPAO KDEM TU
SUBJECT: ISTANBUL BRINGS NGO EXPERT TO ADDRESS TRANSPARENCY,
VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT



1. Summary: As part of mission's ongoing support of Turkish NGO
development, PAS Istanbul designed an April 30 - May 7 program with
U.S. Speaker Alan Kumamoto, Partner of Kumamoto Associates and board
member of NCIV Los Angeles. Kumamoto reached a wide variety of
grassroots organizations, civic society groups as well as
municipalities through a series of workshops and lectures, providing
examples from the U.S. on operations, fundraising, volunteerism,
networking and strategic planning. In addition, Kumamoto addressed
the leadership and 30 members of Deniz Feneri, Turkey's largest
Islam-oriented relief and charity organization. The presentation on
transparency in fundraising proved to be particularly timely since
the Deniz Feneri office in Germany was raided in mid-April and is
currently under financial investigation. Turkey's Deniz Feneri
denies any "organic" affiliation with the Germany-based
organization. End Summary.


2. Kumamoto's April 30 - May 7 visit came during one of the most
politically turbulent weeks in Turkey in recent memory. On April
29, the day before his arrival, well over one million secularists
demonstrated against the Islam-oriented Justice and Development (AK)
party in Istanbul. On May 1, police clashed with protestors
commemorating the thirtieth anniversary of "bloody" May Day, which
had resulted in the deaths of 34 civilians. On May 3, the
Government announced that early parliamentary elections would be
held on July 22. The fact that our NGO and municipality contacts
were able to pull themselves away from their television screens and
- especially on May 1 - spend hours in traffic trying to circumvent
police barriers to get to the Consulate, was a strong testament to
the NGO community's interest in learning from the U.S. experience.


3. The two workshops organized at the U.S. Consulate were
particularly important in bringing together 75 representatives from
many NGOs - both secular and Islam-oriented - and in providing an
opportunity for networking and experience sharing, resulting in
several joint project ideas. Given the political events of the
previous two weeks, the tension between the secularists and the
pro-government supporters was palpable, but the discussions were
nevertheless respectful and productive.


4. Kumamoto also addressed the leadership and 30 members of
Turkey's largest Islam-oriented relief and charity organization,
Deniz Feneri. Coincidentally, German police in mid-April raided the
Deniz Feneri office in Frankfurt on the suspicion of money
laundering. We therefore asked Kumamoto to stress in his remarks
the importance of transparency and controls. Deniz Feneri Turkey
issued a press release denying any "organic" affiliation with the
Germany-based organization. It does, however, admit to having
received funds from the German group and distributing them to needy
Turkish families --- with, the press release emphasizes, the
permission of the Turkish Interior Ministry. Kumamoto delivered
another lecture on the fundraising at Koc University, one of the
most prominent private universities in Turkey.


5. In addition to the NGO programs, the Istanbul Beyoglu and Bursa
(an industrial city 235 kilometers south of Istanbul) municipalities
organized lectures on "Neighborhood Associations and Community
Outreach" looking at U.S. examples of public, private and NGO
partnerships. NGOs as well as the representatives of other
municipalities in the provinces of Istanbul and Bursa also attended
the events. The Beyoglu mayor, a recent International Visitor
Leadership Program participant, organized the event in his
municipality after learning about Los Angeles's Neighborhood
Associations during his IV program. The turnout of 45 or so
municipality and NGO representatives in Bursa was somewhat
disappointing as we had been told to expect an audience of around

150. However, the director of the organizing body, Agenda 21, told
us that several anti-American NGO representatives had urged others
to avoid the event, as the speaker was funded by the U.S. Consulate.
Nevertheless, the smaller format was successful, as it allowed the
group to ask detailed questions about specific issues of interest to
them.


6. Comment: Apart from supporting the development of civil society
in Turkey and stressing the importance of transparency and controls,
the program was important in reaching diverse groups and introducing
them to U.S. culture. Kumamoto proved to be an excellent and
professional speaker, very warmly received by our NGO and
municipality contacts.
JONES