November 11, 2006 [LINK / comment]

Peru aims to regulate NGOs

The Congress of Peru has passed a bill that would subject international nongovernmental organizations to tight regulation by the Peruvian government. The ostensible purpose is to assert national sovereignty in an age where transnational influences tend to erode government authority, but there is no doubt more to it than that. One effect might be to undermine human rights, just as happened in Russia after a similar law was enacted there earlier this year. The bill was passed by a coalition consisting of Garcia's APRA party and supporters of former President Fujimori, two factions that ordinarily regard each other mortal enemies. Jose Miguel Vivanco, of Human Rights Watch, urged President Garcia to reconsider the measure. (Hat tip to Randy Paul.)