Donors are growing increasingly weary as court decisions against charities have created an environment of suspicion for numerous Muslim charities. The decrease in contributions will lead to smaller numbers of people receiving relief.
Verdicts such as the one delivered in the Holy Land Foundation trial have caused many Muslim charities to suffer decreases in charitable giving. Since September 11, 2001, several Muslim charities have been shutdown by the government for having connections to Middle Eastern countries.
“Either you risk having your group shut down, your funds frozen and your leaders prosecuted by providing aid in international hot spots where people are neediest, or you stay away to stay safe, said Kay Guinane, Program Manager of the Charity and Security Network. “Neither choice is acceptable for a society that prides itself on its respect for human life,” she added.
Another direct consequence from the uncertainty surrounding many Muslim charities is misguided relationships between the private and public sector. Explained here in greater detail, deals such as the one between USAID and The American Charities for Palestine can result in charitable groups being perceived not as independent actors, but as part of a broader U.S. foreign policy or military objective. This unnecessary entanglement with the government will lead to the politicizing of humanitarian aid and potentially dangerous situations for relief workers in conflict zones.
“This creates a fundamental catch-22 for all U.S. charities and grant-makers that do any kind of international work, Guinane said.
An article with further details is available here.