LBH offices allowed to raise funds

LBH offices allowed to raise funds

JAKARTA: Legal Aid Institute (LBH) offices across the country
will continue to provide pro bono services as their parent
organization, the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute (YLBHI), has
decided to allow them to raise funds following its financial
difficulties.

"We have agreed to let the LBH offices raise funds themselves
as we can't play a central role any longer," Wirawan of LBH
Bandung, who presided over the YLBHI national meeting, said on
Friday.

A total of 14 LBH offices agreed that they would start raising
funds from those local and international donors that are not
banned by the YLBHI.

The LBH offices will also continue to recognize the YLBHI as
their parent organization despite the fact that they will be
allowed to finance their own operations.

The LBH offices used to depend financially on the YLBHI, the
only party previously permitted to raise funds. The YLBHI used to
pay out Rp 500 million a month to fund the running of the LBH
offices.

The YLBHI's financial shortages worsened after it severed ties
with funding organizations from the United States, Australia and
Britain in protest against these countries' involvement in the
attack on Iraq. -- JP