Watchtower Society disassociates itself from the
United Nations' DPI after media exposure
The Watchtower Society (WTS) and the United Nations
(UN) as partners for a better world. Everyone who is acquainted
with the Jehovah's Witnesses knows that this isn't a likely partnership.
The 7/8/1997 Awake! shows how the WTS considers the UN: "What
is to happen to the UN? Revelation chapter 17 depicts the UN (and
its short-lived predecessor, the League of Nations) as a scarlet-colored
wild beast that "is to go off into destruction." (Revelation
17:8). " Despite the fact that the WTS has repeatedly criticised
and demonised the UN, it has been affiliated with this worldly organisation
for many years!
|
The WTS applied for association with the UN's Department
of Public Information (DPI) in 1991 and was granted
association in 1992. Non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) like the WTS, affiliating to the UN must have
the commitment and means to conduct effective information
programmes about UN activities and share the ideals
of the UN Charter (see The definition of a NGO according
to the United Nations).
Two days after the British newspaper The Guardian*
revealed that the WTS had been associated with the UN
for the past nine years the WTS requested termination
of its association with the UN's DPI.
In a press release Paul Hoeffel, Chief NGO Section
of the UN, reacted on the WTS' sudden retreat:
11 October 2001
To Whom It May Concern:
Recently the NGO Section had been receiving numerous
inquiries regarding the association of the Watchtower
Bible Tract Society of New York with the Department
of Public Information (DPI). This organization applied
for association with DPI in 1991 and was granted association
in 1992. By accepting association with DPI, the organization
agreed to meet criteria for association, including
support and respect of the principles of the Charter
of the Untied Nations and commitment and means to
conduct effective information programmes with its
constituents and to a broader audience about UN activities.
In October 2001, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society
of New York requested termination of it association
with DPI. Following this request, the DPI has made
a decision to disassociate the Watchtower Bible and
Tract Society of New York as of 9 October 2001.
We appreciate you interest in the work of the United
Nations.
Yours Sincerely,
Paul Hoeffel
Chief
NGO Section
Department of Public Information
Paul Gillies, Press Officer for Jehovah's Witnesses
in Britain, wrote an interesting and almost unbelievable
response on the disassociation to the Letters Editor
of The Guardian:
October 22, 2001
Letters Editor
The Guardian
e-mail: letters@guardian.co.uk
Dear Sir,
Stephen Bates' articles in The Guardian of October
8 and 15 substantially misrepresents the background
to Jehovah's Witnesses registration with the United
Nations and contains a number of fac-tual errors.
In 1991 one of our legal corporations registered
with the United Nations as a NGO (non-governmental
organization) for the sole purpose of getting access
to the extensive library of the United Nations. This
enabled a writer who received an identification card,
to enter their library for research purposes and to
obtain information that has been used in writing articles
in our journals about the United Nations. There was
nothing secret about it.
At the time of the initial application no signature
was required on the form. Years later, unbeknown to
the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses, the United
Nations published "Criteria for Association",
stipulating that affiliated NGO's are required to
support the goals of the United Nations.
After learning of the situation, our membership as
NGO was withdrawn and the ID card of the writer was
returned.
Sincerely,
Paul Gillies
Press Officer for Jehovah's Witnesses in Britain
|
|
|
The definition of a NGO according to the United
Nations
What is an NGO?
A non-governmental organization (NGO) is any non-profit,
voluntary citizens' group which is organized on a local,
national or international level. Task-oriented and driven
by people with a common interest, NGOs perform a variety
of services and humanitarian functions, bring citizens'
concerns to Governments, monitor policies and encourage
political participation at the community level.
… Some are organized around specific issues, such
as human rights, the environment or health.
…
Over 1,500 NGOs …are associated with the Department
of Public Information (DPI), giving the United Nations
valuable links to people around the world.
…
"What are the Criteria for NGOs to become associated
with DPI?"
Organizations eligible for association with DPI are
those which:
- Share the ideals of the UN Charter;
- Operate solely on a not-for-profit basis;
- Have a demonstrated interest in United Nations
issues and proven ability to reach large or specialized
audiences, such as educators, media representatives,
policy makers and the business community;
- Have the commitment and means to conduct effective
information programmes about UN activities by
publishing newsletters, bulletins, and pamphlets;
organizing conferences, seminars and round tables;
and enlisting the cooperation of the media.
...
This definition has been taken from the United Nations
web-site (italics mine). For the full text visit their
web-site.
|
|
It is untrue that it was years later that affiliated NGOs were
required to support the goals of the United Nations.
The criteria used by the DPI for accrediting NGOs was officially
listed in the Resolutions passed in 1968 by the United Nations Economic
and Social Council (ECOSOC). In paragraph 3 of ECOSOC committee
Resolution 1296 that was issued in 1967 (almost 25 years before
the WTS applied for association with DPI!) the following requirement
for NGOs is prescribed:
3. The organization shall undertake to support the work of the
United Nations and to promote knowledge of its principles and
activities, in accordance with its own aims and purposes and the
nature and scope of its competence and activities. (For the full
text click
here)
The brothers of the WTS do have a lot to explain to the rank and
file Jehovah's Witnesses who still believe the UN is the satanic
scarlet-colored wild beast you don't associate with, let alone to
borrow some books from!
*Click here to read a new press release of the UN
*Click here to read
The Guardian's article that revealed WTS' association with
the UN
*Click here to read
The Guardian's reaction on the sudden disassociation of the
WTS
*Click
here to read another article by The Guardian's reporter
in The Tablet
|
