World for Libya
 World for Libya      | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Formation | 14 June 2011 |
| Type | charity? |
| Interest of | Declan Hayes |
| Membership | • Faraj Ahnish • Mak Khan |
World For Libya is a UK registered charity incorporated on 14 Jun 2011. Its 2011 report states that it has offices in Tripoli, Misrata and Banghazi. Its stated aims are to "relieve sickness and to promote and project good health through provision of medical aid, medical infrastructure and logistics and the provision of training to doctors and other healthcare professionals and ancilliary staff that are needed to ensure a broad and comprehensive health care system, education for Libyans and the relief of financial hardship for refugees and other displaced Libyans."[2].
Contents
Relationship With the Libyan Rebels
According to the UK charity commission, "an organisation cannot be a charity if it has a 'political purpose'."[3] As a UK charity, World For Libya is therefore explicitly prohibited from "furthering the interests of a particular political party" or from "securing or opposing any change in the law, whether in the UK or overseas".[3]
Logo
The charity's logo clearly bears a remarkable similarity to the Libyan flag reinstated by the Libyan rebels, and their website is covered with the flag, an indication that the charity aligned itself firmly with the rebels.
Relationship to Hand in Hand for Syria
- Full article: Hand in Hand for Syria
- Full article: Hand in Hand for Syria
World For Libya has no known acknowledged connection to Hand In Hand For Syria, a UK charity registered 8 months later. However, the parallels are striking:- both sport logos indicative of a political affiliation to the rebel group in which they were set up. Moreover, they have both have been assisted by independent film maker Saleyha Ahsan. She reports this connection to be coincidental, writing that it "was by some bizarre fluke that returning home from that first short trip [to Libya] that I sat next to Nader Elhamessi, a Libyan, a Londoner for many years and one of the founders of the aid organization World for Libya"[4]
Relationship to World for Libya Consultants Limited
On 2012-07-12, non-trading UK company #08140193 was formed, entitled "World for Libya Consultants Ltd". Board members were: Mr Faraj Abdulla Ahnaish Saleh Ahnaish, Mr Richard John Batten Hillier, Mr David Charles Freeman, Salaheddin Mohamed Mussa, Ms Reem Abdelkarim Taher, Mr David Mallcolm Nott & Mr Willem George Baralt.[5] The company now appears to be dormant, since on 2014-04-14 it posted a dormant set of account the year ending 31 July 2013, which the board approved on 9 April 2014.[6] Salaheddin Mohamed Mussa is now the sole remaining board member, after the other members of the board left in Jun/July 2014.
Relationship to World Medical Camp Libya
Nader Elhamessi, mentioned by Saleyha Ahsan as a founder of World for Libya[4], is also reported as having an affiliation to "World Medical Camp Libya", reported by The Guardian as "a charity set up in the UK on 22 February [2011] to provide aid within the country."[7][8] This group, like World for Libya, had a website liberally sprinkled with the colours and logo of the rebels' flag and its "About" page, signed by "DR A. S." declared its goal as "Coordinating and streamlining the humanitarian relief to Libyans in and outside our beloved country."[9] The website domain has since lapsed and its now cybersquatted, but archived copies remain available.[9] Doubts have been expressed by Russ Baker and others about the integrity of this institution and its reporting of Gaddafi's atrocities.[10][11]
Internet (In)Activity
The domain name "WorldForLibya.org" was registered on 20 May 2011. The site's homepage has been broken since at least October 2013, but the File:WorldForLibyaOverview.pdf is available nonetheless. The twitter account was last used on July 5th, 2012.
Funding
The organisation reported a 2012 income of £765,060, and an expenditure of £564,800. For 2013, the figures were £5,651 income for an expenditure of £53,582.[12] Notable donations included:
- £30,000 (in 2011) from the British Arab Commercial Bank[13]
- "Proud and active sponsor[ship]" from EDGO (privately held engineering company operating in the Middle East)[14][15]
References
- ↑ Old WfL website
- ↑ UK Charity Commission report
- ↑ a b UK Charity Commission, What Makes a Charity? Annex B - Political Purposes
- ↑ a b http://www.latitudenews.com/story/on-the-medical-frontline-of-libyas-uprising-day-one/
- ↑ http://companycheck.co.uk/company/08140193
- ↑ http://endb-consolidated.aihit.com/0041C464/sfinancials/download.htm?rgnum=08140193&arcdt=1397088000000&afnm=Accounts_Bulk_Data-2014-04-10.zip&bshdt=1375228800000&type=HTML
- ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13745337
- ↑ http://www.theguardian.com/world/blog/2011/mar/28/libya-arab-unrest-live-blog
- ↑ a b http://web.archive.org/web/20110607202757/http://globalrelieflibya.org/global-relief-libya-2/
- ↑ http://www.businessinsider.com/whowhatwhy-factchecks-the-media-more-questions-about-the-libyan-sex-atrocity-reporting-2011-6
- ↑ http://beforeitsnews.com/arabic-news/2011/11/western-media-war-crimes-believing-phony-humanitarian-agencies-1346755.html
- ↑ http://www.charitychoice.co.uk/world-for-libya-182447
- ↑ BACB 2011 Annual Report
- ↑ http://web.archive.org/web/20120402233432/http://www.edgo.com/community/community_libya.htm
- ↑ http://www.linkedin.com/company/edgo
