Earthquake Relief Day

I believe I was supposed to have posted this up yesterday, but I guess better late than never. Just a heads up for donors out there and in recognition of the Earthquake that hit South Asia...

As bloggers everywhere observe "Earthquake Relief Day," there has been
an outpouring of calls for support to donate to various charities. But there
have been few efforts to critically evaluate the charities (and in some cases
individuals) that are soliciting for funds.

One glaring example is SEWA International, a charity with
documented links to the extremist RSS and VHP in India. In a report
prepared by a group of US professors and researchers, the authors of Stop
Funding Hate noted:

At the very outset, Sewa International is a Sangh organization. Its
historical connection to the Sangh is visible from the fact that in older Sangh
literature, the address of Sewa International is the same as that of the RSS
headquarters in Delhi.[99] Further, this fact is established time and again
in much Sangh literature that describes the Sangh's Sewa karya (Service work).
In its mission statement Sewa International characterizes itself as "an umbrella
for more than 2000 projects and programs all over India" overseeing "more than
50000 Swayamsevaks (volunteers) involved in running 76 types of
activities.[100] Similarly, Sewa Disha, the Sangh's Sewa Vibhag report
introduces Sewa International as follows:

Yet another development is the establishment of an international
organization titled 'SEWA INTERNATIONAL' which now has branches in many
countries. Sewa International will look after the interests of seva [service]
related issues not only in the respective countries where they have chapters but
also take up 'GLOBAL' level care of sewa [service] work carried out under the
Sangh ideology. [101]

So also, the RSS website documents its links with its operations
abroad, "in over 100 countries":
where volunteers are busy organizing Hindus
under different organizations. Hindu Council, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, Sewa
International, Friends of India Society International, etc. are some of
them.[102]

What is discomforting is that many donors are contributing to groups
like SEWA International without knowing about its links. For this reason, donors
are encouraged to do their due diligence before contributing.