ACU Launches the Annual Report of 2013

The Assistance Coordination Unit is overdue in issuing its annual report of 2013 and the report of the external international auditing firm “Deloitte” is mentioned with four NOTES!!

The Assistance Coordination Unit “ACU” of the National Coalition has published its annual report of 2013, accompanied by a report from the external Global auditors who contracted with the Unit to conduct a full-scale auditing for it.

The annual report recites the achievements of the Unit through its main divisions in different humanitarian, developmental and medical sectors, as well as its affiliated offices in Lebanon and Jordan. Accompanying the report are the financial report of all ACU’s activities, auditing and comparison reports prepared by the ACU’s internal auditor as well as the report of the global auditing firm “Deloitte”. The report has graphic projections and representations of all 2013 activities and performance indicators.

Interestingly, the result that “Deloitte” concluded in its report came as a “qualified opinion” meaning that, “the financial statements give a true and fair view of the financial position of ACU as at 31 December 2013 except four notes”.

The ACU had contracted with “Deloitte”, the Global external financial auditors in March of 2014, in order to ensure greater transparency in front of the Syrian people and other donors and implementing partners, and with the intention of holding itself accountable to the dignified Syrian people pertaining to all funds provided to the public through the Unit and the crucial role it plays.

It is noteworthy that, “Deloitte” firm is one of the four largest international professional services networks (Big Four of Audit Firms). It is known to audit governments, governmental banks and a large array of international banks.
Download the report in English, via this link: Click Here

The following link is for a video with full explanation, supported by graphs and official documents, of the Unit and of the performance indicators of 2013. It also presents Deloitte’s report and the “NOTES” they talked about, to be utilized as technical information: Click Here

Please don’t hesitate to contact us for any needed information upon financial issues on this e-mail: finance@acu-sy.org
For more information, please contact us on this e-mail: info@acu-sy.org

Maduro Announces $47M Disarmament Plan

By Delisa Morris

Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

CARACAS, Venezuela — On September 20, Venezuelan President Maduro announced a $47 million dollar plan to disarm Venezuelan civilians.  As that day was the International Day of Peace, Maduro detailed his plan to build 60 new disarmament centers.  The centers will allow citizens to voluntarily surrender their firearms.

Destroyed pistols used in a demonstration. Photo courtesy of International Business Times

According to figures from the United Nations, Venezuela has the second highest peacetime murder rate behind Honduras.  According to statistics most of the murders in Venezuela are committed using firearms.  “We are building peace from within, and for that, you need disarmament,” the president said at an event in the capital, Caracas.

UN figures suggest there were 53.7 murders per 100,000 inhabitants in 2012, compared to 90.4 in Honduras.  This figure is up from 47.8 last year.  However, the Venezuelan Violence Observatory, a Caracas-based non-profit organization estimates a much larger number at 79 per 100,000 people.  A rate they say that quadrupled over the past 15 years.  

In addition to disarmament, Maduro has approved a plan for $39 million to go towards funding military soldiers to patrol streets alongside Venezuelan police.  The soldiers are set to patrol the streets in the most dangerous neighborhoods.

Interior Minister Miguel Rodriguez Torres said the money would be used to finance 2,000 new patrols and fund new equipment for the security forces.

In June 2013, President Maduro introduced tougher prison sentences for people convicted of carrying illegal firearms.  The offense could land someone 20 years in prison.  Despite these new laws insecurity amongst Venezuelan citizens is at an all time high.  The law also restricted sales of firearms to military and security personnel, effectively outlawing civilian possession of firearms.

Security was a large reason for massive protests against the government this year, along with the economy.

Many opposition activists have accused the government of hypocrisy.  They allege that officials have armed “colectivos”, pro-government groups which have clashed with anti-government protesters during demonstrations.  The activists believe that the government is using the disarmament program as a cover-up.

This isn’t the first time the government has attempted to remove guns from the street.

In 2009, the government destroyed more than 30,000 guns that were seized during police raids.  $5,000 was raised from the sell of the scrap metal was donated to the Friends of Children with Cancer Foundation.  

The government continued their policy of disarmament in 2011. In September the Venezuelan government destroyed over 50,000 confiscated guns adding, racking up a total of 250,000 guns confiscated since 2003. Melted down, the weapons produced 60 tons of iron that was recycled for use in public housing projects.

On Sunday President Maduro said his government “continued to pursue the dream, the utopia of a Venezuela in peace”, and promised to build “peace with love, justice and a will to work”.

For more information, please see:

BBC News – Venezuela’s Maduro launches civilian disarmament plan – 22 Sept. 2014

VICE News – Venezuelan Government Announces Disarmament Plan – Again – 23 Sept. 2014

Washington Times – Venezuela’s Maduro Launches $47M Plan to Disarm Civilians – 23 Sept. 2014

International Business Times – Venezuela Launches Disarmament Program – 22 Sept. 2014

Thousands Risk Death to Flee Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

By Benjamin Williams
Impunity Watch Middle East Desk Reporter  

GAZA, Palestine — In the wake of the ongoing conflict between Palestine and Israel, thousands of Palestinians are fleeing the Gaza Strip. Refugees are risking the perils of the Mediterranean Sea in an effort to begin a new life in Europe. Sources stated that news of the peril suffered by the fleeing Palestinians “has raised alarm among Gazan families awaiting word that their loved ones had arrived safely.”

This year has seen an estimated 10,000 Palestinians flee the country, with a swell in numbers since the conflict began in July. With the Israeli offensive, known as “Operation Protective Edge,” killing more than 2,000 mostly civilian Palestinians, displacing hundreds of thousands of residents, and destroying much of Gaza’s infrastructure, it comes as no surprise that residents would seek refuge elsewhere. Migrants looking for a fresh start are subjected to not only the elements, but human traffickers, as well.

One such boat bound for the Egyptian coast was filled with upwards of 500 men, women, and children. Among the dead were Syrians, Palestinians, Egyptians, and Sudanese. Two survivors, after days clinging to flotation aids, were recovered from the wreckage after human traffickers intentionally sunk their ship when migrants refused to move to a smaller vessel. One survivor said, “After they hit our boat, they waited to make sure that it had sunk completely before leaving. They were laughing.” The two Palestinian men rescued stated as many as 100 children were on board when the boat went down.

Gazan residents have increasingly turned to smugglers to get across the Egyptian border. With tight border regulations making the journey extremely difficult, refugees have resorted to paying about $4,000 per person. The fee allows an individual to be smuggled into Egypt though an underground tunnel and on to Europe on a raft. However, even if residents can afford the trip, they will encounter criminals and treacherous conditions along the way.

Woman remembers son lost at sea on his journey to a new life in Europe. (photo courtesy of Oman Daily Observer)

Hundreds of families have lost contact with their loved ones making the dangerous trek to a new life. One man learned of the death of his son from a survivor who had seen him on a ship that sank on September 10th. Khalil Abu Shammal, director of Gaza’s Ad-Dameer Association for Human Rights, said, “The number of people with whom families in Gaza have lost contact is around 400. Measures are required to stop such travel towards death and the unknown.” “The risks [residents] take reflect their desperation and we cannot keep abandoning them to their fate,” stated the International Organization for Migration director general William Lacy Swing.

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera America – Palestinian migrants fleeing Gaza Strip drown in Mediterranean Sea – 22 September 2014

CNN – “Laughing” traffickers ram boat full of migrants and kill 500, survivors say – 22 September 2014

Oman Daily Observer – War spurs more Gazans to risk migration to Europe – 22 September 2014