(Email sent by the Danish Embassy in Bangkok to the Irrawaddy's donors.)
Dear all,
I would like to inform you that the Danish Embassy has decided – after many years of support at a high (may be too high) – level, to discontinue our financial support to the Irrawaddy magazine for 2011.
The decision is based on our current project where the Irrawaddy unfortunately have not delivered what was promised in the project agreement nor have they been able to follow up on the contractual amendments the Irrawaddy themselves requested for.
The contractual agreement between the Danish embassy and Irrawaddy included several project components that in time could help the Irrawaddy become more sustainable and thus less dependent on donor financing.
Unfortunately it seems that this is not a priority for Irrawaddy at this stage. They seemingly prefer the easier option to be totally dependent on donor contributions, an option which in our eyes gives the magazine a less convincing profile than the alternative model, which would show all out efforts to make this a sustainable organization run by exile Burmese, of course with some donor support.
Now the organization appears as a donor stooge run by people who do not feel a great urge to rationalize procedures, to consider possible savings and in general to show the necessary will to prudently manage the scarce donor funds made available to the organization.
It is worth noting that the magazine, which 2010 budget exceeded one million US$, employs 62 members of staff at their Chaing Mai office, with inter alia a very generous and liberal travel policy for senior staff, only sells around 200 magazines per month.
Kind regards,
bjarke
BJARKE MANNICHE NIELSEN / BJANIE@UM.DK
SENIOR PROGRAMME OFFICER
ROYAL DANISH EMBASSY, BANGKOK
10 SATHORN SOI 1(SOI ATTAKARN PRASIT) / 10120 BANGKOK
WWW.AMBBANGKOK.UM.DK
(Stooge : A person who is paid by someone in authority to do a secret job for them.)
(Stooge : A person who is paid by someone in authority to do a secret job for them.)