Talk:International Crisis Group
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I just paraphrased this from the information on the web page. Please add any information you can find. Especially helpful would be info from other sources. What people think of ICG's reports and how they affect world policy.
Why was the section about criticisms of the ICG removed? Personally, I believe it does good work, but a balanced view would surely include detractors?
Dear Friends,
I have deleted the response of the ICG to its criticism. While I aknowledge the good things that ICG does, and in no way endorse slander, at the same time Wikipedia is not a 1) a promotional billboard for the ICG 2) a place where oppositing parties can debate. It is an encyclopedia which should give balanced views. If you want to fight it over, please go to a forum.
Dear Editor
If it an encyclopedia that is supposed to give balance views then why include the ranting of some Danish academic who makes entirely unjust criticisms? Why shouldn't there be a right of response? It is not balanced to include these criticisms when they are false, can be shown to be false and have been shown to be false. Responding to false criticisms is not promotional. If you don't endorse slander, then why allow on the site while not allowing a response?
Dear Friends,
The Criticism has been watered down to a very thin point. I think this is just enough to show that there is criticism without harming the good name of ICG. In response to
[quote]If you don't endorse slander, then why allow on the site while not allowing a response? [/quote]
The whole section is or was a promotional brochure for the ICG. I viewed the part about criticism as a response to the overly positive tone of the article. The part about criticism struck a balance . There is no need for a counter response, this would create a response to a response, thus turining this page into a forum. Lets leave it the way it is now, allowing the reader to formulate his own opinion. Which I bet still wil not be very negative, at the least the reader will be aware of different views om the ICG, which is completely legitimate to have in an encyclopedia.
kindest of regards
Dear Editor
But why allow false charge on the site? The charge that ICG's finances lack transparency is just plain false and is of course suggestive that ICG has something to hide. You can read fully, independently audited accounts in the annual report that is available on organisation's the website. Non-profit organisations have to maintain very high levels of financial transparency and disclosure in order to maintain that status. Non-profits that receive money from governments are also audited often. Every report ICG produces contains a list of its funders and the information is also available on a web site. This isn't a matter of the reader forming their own opinion -- it is a blatantly, proveably false lie and it shouldn't be included in something that purports to be a fact-based assessment of an organisation. Your site says "Encyclopedic content must be verifiable" So why include a verifiably false charge? It is just not legitimate to enclude false statements in an encyclopedia on the grounds that they are a different point of view. That just opens the door to the most ridiculous positions. You can have your own point of view but you can't have your own facts. I can see why you might link to the critique but to include it as fact undermines your credibility.
Dear Friends,
Indeed, i have read your post, then the Oberg's critique and finally the information about funding. I have refrased the critique and erased he part about funding. If it is still not to your liking, and if you have strong arguments I will again refrase it. Let me know. My aim is to work on the quality of the article, not to be a reactionair.
Kindest of regards
