The methods of Friends of Haydom

(Published July 10th 2010)

The Norwegian Foundation Friends of Haydom (FoH) has documented their ambitions to own and control the Mulbadaw farm from Norway in their own documents published in this web page. See documentation about how the Norwegians want to take control of the farm here and documentation about the hospital here.  

FoH have demonstrated their will to use force and threaten with violence. The illegal occupation of the Mulbadaw farm and CMSC on the 12^th of August 2006 by militia armed with batons by order of FoH leaves no doubt of what they are willing to do. It is depressing to get new information that demonstrates that this will to use force is still present. Read more here about the threats put forward by the Managing Director of Haydom Farm and Development, Toralf Rugland, in the Mulbadaw morning prayers on July the 7^th this year.

With this background we think it’s appropriate to take a further look at other FoH methods.

The Managing Director of Haydom Farm and Development and Friends of Haydom FoH in Norway have recently invited leading members of ELCT Mbulu Diocese to come to Norway in August this year, everything most probably paid by donations to Friends of Haydom.

Could the timing of such a generous invitation in anyway be linked to Friends of Haydoms efforts in persuading ELCT Diocese of Mbulu to accept foreign control and ownership of Haydom Hospital, Mulbadaw Farm and CMSC?

91 % of the shares of “Haydom Farm and Development Ltd” are to be owned by Friends of Haydom in Norway.  By July 6^th this year such a company did not appear in the Register of companies in Tanzania (BRELA).  A search today in the files of the Norwegian registrator of companies (Brønnøysundregisterne) shows it's not registered in Norway either.

Issues of ownership are better discussed in Mbulu, providing transparency and local participation in the process, and not in Norway,

None of the invited have, to our knowledge, accepted the invitation.

It is due time to put attention to what already is present in written language on this web-site under the headline “Need of knowing the truth”:

“HDC was advised already in August 2006 to bring this case to court; also by officials representing regional government authorities in Manyara; stating that the conflict was a matter for the court and not for the political and administrative authorities to deal with.

HDC has also been advised to bring this case to the attention of the institutions in Tanzania and in Norway investigating corruption and misconduct.  HDC has heeded the advice given.

The Foundation Friends of Haydom in Norway (FoH) has not wanted to permit the Tanzanian High Court consider the case.  Instead, FoH has made use of the legacy of HLH and the late Dr O.H.E. Olsen and his wife “Mama Kari” to mobilize high level political support in Tanzania and in Norway in a way that seems to be in serious conflict with the policy of “Good Governance” that Norway is demanding from Tanzania as a condition for aid.

There is also information from more than one source indicating that large amount of cash has changed hands with an  intention of avoiding the case to be considered by the court.”

It’s important to underline that HDC Ltd has no hard evidence to prove that bribing and corruption have taken place in connection with the law suit, but various information have clearly raised the suspicion.

We are aware of accusations that named persons of HDC Ltd, ELCT Diocese of Mbulu and Tanzanian Government officials should have an agenda of wanting to destroy Haydom Lutheran Hospital. Such false accusations are circulating in various e-mails in Norway, written in Norwegian.  All the named persons and the organizations they work with have a record of supporting and/or working for the Haydom Lutheran Hospital. They are all committed to do so also in the future, if they are given the necessary conditions and opportunities to do so.

HDC Ltd. believes that the same or similar lies and accusations are being spread amongst members of the ELCT Mbulu also. In an e- mail of June 23rd this year, also addressed directly to leading members of ELCT Mbulu diocese, “Mama Kari” (Olsen) wrote:  “I am really sad for the way you all are spreading false allegations about my family and by your current actions. Even though we as a family are deeply hurt by this, by your actions the people who really will suffer are the poor people in need of assistance in Haydom and the surrounding districts.”