Friday, February 28, 2014

# 11 My response to Geoff Armstrong's letter, dated 24th Feb 2014


Dear Geoff

I am in Prey Veng, having just accompanied Chanti and Chhork as they drop three of their children – Srey Ka, James and Kevin – off at school. I am not in a position to write in any detail just now but a few points need to be made and, hopefully, be addressed by the Global Development Group.

If Rosa and Chita are recognized as being ‘in care’ there must be some documents relating to this. Do you believe that the parents of the children ‘in care’ have a right to be appraised of the reasons why their children are in care by being provided with copies of these documents? Am I, as Chanti and Chhork’s legally appointed advocate, entitled to be provided with copies of these documents? If so, given that neither Citipointe nor the Ministry ofSOcial Affairs will provide us with them, would you be so kind as to do so?

As for the authorities not being able to reintegrate the children until “the Cambodia Trafficking Police have fully investigated and finalised the charge against me for allegedly hindering the reintegration process”, the following points need to be made:

(1) The investigation by the Trafficking Police was initiated by myself. This is well documented.

It was I who asked the Trafficking Police to investigate the illegal removal of Rosa and Chita.

If you have been provided with this information by Citipointe church, you have been mislead.  Perhaps you should seek some clarification from Citipointe church on this point?

(2) The report by the Trafficking Police took place 10 months ago and has long been completed. I do not have a copy. Do you? Does the Global Development Group? If you do, could you please provide me (the initiator of the complaint) with a copy?

Could you please explain to me in what way you believe I, as an advocate for Chanti and Chhork, have hindered the reintegration process? With the exception of two meetings with Pastor Leigh Ramsey this past five and a half years my entire communication with the church is to be found on my blog:

http://citipointechurch.blogspot.com/

Could you please point to one time (or more if you can find them) when I have, in my communications with the church ‘hindered’ the reintegration process?

Do you have any evidence at all that Citipointe church as, at any point this past five years, made an attempt to reintegrate Rosa and Chita into their family? Do you have any evidence at all that Citipointe has provide even $1 towards assisting the family becomeself-sufficient?

Your curt response, Goeff, your refusal to have any member of your staff (three of them based in Cambodia) speak  with Chanti and Chhork and to view the evidence they (and I have) of the miscarriage of justice that has occurred here, speaks volumes about the Global Development Group’s attitude towards the very people the NGO is allegedly trying to help.

Could you please provide Chanti and Chhork with copies of whatever documents the Global Development Group has in its possession that bear witness to the  legality of Citipointe church’s actions. If you believe that the materially poor parents of two girls in the care of a GDG funded NGO do not have a right to be provided with copies of such documents, could you please explain this to me as I would have thought it was a fundamental aspect of natural justice.

I wonder how many other recipients of Global Development Aid worldwide are likely denied access to any documents relating to the deliver of this aid to them?

I have, this past four days, written two more letters to ACFID about this matter. I have attached them for your perusal.

best wishes

James Ricketson

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