DUSHANBE, March 27, Asia-Plus  -- The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) intends to file lawsuits against ORA Tajikistan over its illegal activity in the Khatlon Province.  

Davlat Sulaymonov, the head of the department for registration of political parties and public associations within a MoJ, said that the organization had allegedly violated Article 56 of Tajikistan’s Civil Code.  

“Under Article 56 of the Civil Code, representative offices and branches are not legal entities, and therefore, they do not have the right to set up their branches and sub-divisions,” said Sulaymonov.  “ORA Tajikistan is agency of ORA International headquartered in Germany; however, it has set up its local office in Kulob”

 Besides, in the Youth Center established in Kulob, in addition to language courses religious propaganda was conducted among teenagers, the MoJ official said.  

ORA International is a non-denominational Christian relief and development organization that serves people in need around the world.  Its work consists of three main areas: development work; emergency relief; and sponsorship programs.  ORA International consists of around 300 voluntary workers in thirty countries around the world.

ORA Tajikistan has been worked in the republic since 1992, when a need was identified to support orphans in the existing system of the state boarding schools for disadvantaged and homeless children aged 7 to 16.  In 1996, ORA Tajikistan became involved in developing vocational training and self-sufficiency programs within the boarding school system.  Since then, the work of ORA in Tajikistan has greatly expanded.  ORA Tajikistan now has projects in the areas of children''s welfare and advocacy, training of social workers and family physicians, drug and HIV/AIDS education, disabilities, and youth centers.