NGOs, which are supposed to be the most prominent part of civil society, are essentially fuelled by mission ideas that they are a critical part of society, that they are more expeditious than public infrastructure, that they are a necessary part of democratic processes, that they significantly complement public services and that they reach every individual or corner of the world through their actions as a rigid or even unpopular state structure.
Practically all my life I have been professionally or voluntarily involved in the work of the non-governmental sector in Slovenia. I got to know in detail the way of functioning and dynamics of the movement and the interests of the diverse sector. Not just here in our country, but globally. This engagement also includes the fact that I was involved in the creation of some of the most important national and international NGO networks or platforms. In some of them, I am still in the administrative or supervisory bodies.
The mission, power and influence of members of NGO also depends to a large extent on the general atmosphere of civil society or the interests of the state.
In recent years and decades, we are talking about the period before March 2020, the main topics in the sector have been the fight against inequality, justice, the rule of law, the development of democracy, the trend of shrinking space for civil society and sustainability. The European Union has been extremely supportive of projects focusing on active citizenship.
It was the indisputable truth that we live in a world of social and economic inequality, and that the planet is held in the hands of one percent of the extremely wealthy people who run everything. That the rich get richer every day and the poor get poorer every day is a dogma that leaves no doubt.
One of the greatest personalities of the 20th century and a civil rights activist Martin Luther King said: “One has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.”
This quote is in place for three reasons. Firstly, in my personal belief, because it is an exceptional sentence in the context of acting for the benefit of today’s society. Who understands, understands. And those who are not confident in themselves will hope for more. Secondly, because it has been used numerous times in texts, research, papers, hung on the walls during workshops on justice and promotion of active citizenship. Thirdly, because the mantra uttered by one such personality is for the self-proclaimed progressive part of civil society and NGOs as a hormone of happiness that can provoke indescribable enthusiasm (we are still in the time before March 2020).
In March 2020, with the onset of p(l)andemia, life turned upside down. The letter l is not in parentheses because there may be doubt about its place, but only as an emphasis.
A blatant violation of human rights and personal freedoms has begun. Something that NGOs have always strongly and loudly opposed per se. At least in the so-called west, of which we Slovenes are also a part.
In 2020, most active members of non-governmental organizations and fighters for democratic values in Slovenia and globally put on masks. Masks have historically been a de facto and symbolic sign of slavery and subjugation. Even in modern times, this can be seen in practical implementation at two of the most exposed and cruel prison locations in the world: the American Guantanamo prison and the Uighur camps in China.
Research about the harmfulness of improper wearing and use of masks soon began to emerge from medical circles. Improper and harmful use of masks, however, is virtually any use outside the sterile operating room. There are at least forty relevant studies on this that can be found in medical literature, and have also been highlighted in numerous public appearances by dr. Vladimir Pirnat.
To breathe freely is a popular phrase in our country, which means liberation. If you do not breathe freely, you are not free either. In addition to restrict our breathing, freedom of movement and the right to work were also restricted. The room for the voice of civil society has completely closed. Unless you agreed with government messengers and acted under the direction of a politically appointed profession.
To my great surprise, most of the NGOs that worked in the areas referred to in the fourth paragraph before March 2020 were of the same opinion as the promoters of the plandemic. They created posts about self-protection and protection of others, and even encouraged children to self-test in school with unreliable and toxic tests.
All global indicators soon began to show that inequality and poverty were on the rise everywhere during the measures. We also conducted research on this in Slovenia, but those who previously fought for the fair distribution of goods around the world have suddenly become promoters of measures by the global elite, which increases disparities and deepens poverty. Also in the civil society sphere, campaigns have begun to glorify the fear of an attacker who kills as many or fewer patients as the flu. At the same time, with the arrival of the vaccine, a happy future was foretold.
Even more uncritically, much of the traditional NGO sector has responded when the vaccines arrived in early 2021. “Great, vaccines are here!” was mainly the response of those who a year ago were appalled by multinationals trampling on countries and their national interests. Now that the states have concluded secret contracts with vaccine manufacturers and bought millions of stocks of these vaccines, which, as they themselves stated, are experimental products, they have suddenly jumped to the other side. And this without any critical concern.
Big Pharma, once a symbol of the devil for NGOs because it destroys biodiversity, because it wants to patent seeds and genetic records, because it has become rich at the expense of extortion, is now promoting the vaccine on the social media of these same activists; that is the vaccine which has not been tested and which has brought many negative, even fatal, side effects in the beginning. Profits, however, go exclusively into the pockets of the global elite minority, which until recently was the greatest enemy of these same activists in the fight for justice.
All these despite the fact that PCR test inventor Kary Banks Mullis, a Nobel laureate in chemistry, said these tests to diagnose covid-19 are pointless. Despite the fact that Luc Montagnier, a virologist and Nobel laureate in medicine who discovered the HIV virus, argued that measures and vaccines against covid-19 are harmful. The same is claimed by one of the most cited scientists in the world, an epidemiologist John Ioannidis of Stanford University. Despite numerous calls from the profession and scholars, the majority of the traditional non-governmental sector in Slovenia and globally comfortably merged with the TV News agenda, which is forced and financed by the global elite threat, which is not that anymore.
Where, then, did critical civil society activists and non-governmental fighters for human rights, freedom of speech and democracy disappear?
Perhaps part of the answer can be found in the following lines. A few years ago, I represented an important Slovenian non-governmental platform at the annual assembly of one of the most important non-governmental networks in Europe in Brussels. Among the items on the agenda was the approval of the budget, which included a new controversial item on the revenue side, a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Some of us raised our eyebrows, but most accepted the matter because money is money, it will be spent “purposefully” for good activities.
Well, today, this and some other similar networks which are working to improve the state of civil society, to improve freedom of speech and democracy, and more human rights are as quiet as a mouse. Regardless of trampling on the rights and freedoms that are happening.
Although the evidence may be right in front of your nose, the path to realization is sometimes also very long.
During the tyrannical measures, a lot of interesting information came to light or we found it. If it weren’t for this crisis, we wouldn’t have even thought of looking for them at all.
We have learned that more than 70% of the World Health Organization (WHO) budget comes from private donations, the largest donor being Bill Gates. That evil man from the global elite, about whom almost no activist had a nice word, because he had promoted genetically modified agriculture and the concrete reduction of the world’s population. And that with vaccines! However, when we found ourselves in a situation where everyone would have declaratively shouted that we should not allow it, all of a sudden everyone is scared, locked in their rooms and with masks over their mouths, they can no longer say anything.
Do we really live in a world where expressing our personal and professional views is worth being afraid? Obviously yes. If this is happening to the ones who have advocated freedom of speech, democratic principles, transparency and justice for many years…
Whether they were more sincere before this crisis or their response is more authentic now, everyone will know for themselves.
Is it just because many organizations are heavily dependent on public funding? Let us stick to the rhetorical question.
Today, great changes are happening on our planet. Whether the covid crisis is part of this or whether the changes are due to covid-19 is not important. Just as concrete changes are happening on global political area and as the way of coexistence among people changes, which will never be the same as it was, changes are also taking place in the structures and dynamics of organized civil society.
While a large proportion of NGOs have responded contrary to expectations throughout the covid period, a new spirit is awakening on the other side. New civil society initiatives and organizations have emerged, such as the Slovenian Physicians Initiative, the Slovenian Lawyers’ Civil Initiative, the Sun Union or the Belis Association, which was founded in 2002 and grew to more than 5,000 members during the crisis. Strong self-sufficiency networks have developed among people all over Slovenia.
All these and similar initiatives work honestly, professionally and every day. They have no resources from public funds and will never have them under the existing system. But probably it is better so.
Robert Križanič
Ptuj, Ljubljana, Brussels
