ACFID Code of Conduct Committee
Australian Council for International Development
12 Napier Close, Deakin ACT 2600
30th April 2014
Dear Dr Sue-Anne Wallace
Greg Brown
John Gilmore
Bandula Gonsalkorale
Harwood Lockton
Dr Petrus Usmanij
Fadlullah Wilmot
Dr Simon Smith
Michelle Pearce
Julie Mundy
I have had Chanti and Chhork’s letter to your committee translated. It reads:
COMPLAINT TO AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
By
Both Chhork and Yem Chanthy
Ponley village
Ba Paong commune
Peam Ror district
Prey Veng province
Cambodia
22nd April 2014
We, Both Chhork and Yem Chanti, are the father and mother of two girls – Phoun Rosa and Phoun Thida.
Our daughters have been detained in Phnom Penh by Citipointe Church’s ‘SHE Rescue Home’ since 31st July 2008.
We have not given our permission to Citipointe church to detain our daughters.
For five years we have been asking Pastor Leigh Ramsey at Citipointe church to return our daughters. Every time she says yes soon but keeps our daughters locked up.
For five years we have been asking Citipointe to give us copies of the MOUs the church says it has. Citipointe tells us these MOUs say that the church can take our daughters and keep them. We do not believe the church.
We have asked the Cambodian Ministry of Social Affairs to give us copies of the MOUs so that we can learn what is true and what things we must do to have Rosa and Chita returned to our family.
The Ministry of Social Affairs refuses to give us copies of the MOUs.
With great respect we want the Australian Council of International Affairs to tell Citipointe church to give us copies of the MOUs.
We have asked Mr James Ricketson to help us by making a complaint to the Australian Council of International Development.
Signed Signed
Both Chhork Yem Chanthy
As I made clear in my letter of 4th April, I will not be taking part in any so called investigation conducted by your committee since, in the absence of the MOUs and other legal documents pertaining to Rosa and Chita’s removal from the family home, no proper investigation can take place.
Chanti and Chhork’s village is just 90 minutes from Phnom Penh and, if you call them on their mobile phone (+85581551923), you can either arrange to meet with them in Phnom Penh or in their village. The latter would be preferable as this would give you an opportunity to see first hand where and how they live. A visit to the family home and village would make you realize how outrageous it is, on every level, that Citipointe retains custody of the girls contrary to their parent’s express wishes.
I doubt very much that any member of your committee will visit their village, however, or even speak with Chanti or Chhork. Your role is not to adjudicate on the basis of facts (MOUs etc.) but to provide Citipointe and other similarly fraudulent NGOs with a patina of respectability; to create the illusion that all is well in the aid industry, as practiced by Australian NGOs.
In the meantime I am exploring legal avenues through the Queensland Supreme Court to force Citipointe and the Global Development Group to produce the MOUs that Dr Sam Mostyn, Marc Purcell and your committee refuses to ask for.
best wishes
James Ricketson
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