American recording artist Madonna holds her adopted son, David Banda, in Mphendula, Malawi on April 19, 2007. She has now adopted a girl from the same country., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.
Posted on Apr 10, 2013 @ 3:35AM
By Dylan Howard
Madonna has informed the United States government that the charitable organization she runs has severed all its ties with the controversial religion she practices, Kabbalah.
The pop superstar, 54, filed a federal tax document outlining how Raising Malawi, the non-profit organization that supports impoverished children in the African nation, dumped its Kabballah backed board of directors.
Instead, the “Material Girl” has installed her longtime manager, Guy Oseary, as one of their replacements, RadarOnline.com has confirmed.
The Los Angeles-based Kabbalah Centre International, an organization devoted to Jewish mysticism, had previously managed Raising Malawi and was blamed for spending $3.8 million on a project that never came to fruition.
Kabbalah ”ceased to be a supporting organization” for Raising Malawi on March 16, 2011, it’s revealed.
“Raising Malawai, Inc (RMI) became a separate corporate entity from Kabballah Centre Intl, Inc (KCI) when it was incorporated in 2007, however, KCI still controlled RMI in that KCI had the authority to appoint and remove the board of directors of RMI,” Madonna, the board chair, stated via an attorney in the government filing.
“On March 16, 2011, pursuant to a restructuring agreement with KCI, RMI amended its organizational documents to remove corporate control from KCI.
“RMI is now controlled by a self-perpetuating board of directors which is not affiliated with KCI.”
One of those axed from the organization was the man who co-founded Raising Malawi with Madonna in 2006, Michael Berg, who is also a co-director of the Kabbalah Centre.
For the past 17 years, Madonna has been Kabbalah’s most high profile and dedicated follower, alongside Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore.
Before the religious faith was dumped, Kabbalah transfered $1.9 million to the organization in grants and contributions it had collected on behalf of Raising Malawi, we can reveal.
“Raising Malawi used to be a supporting organization to the Kabbalah Centre,” the charity’s spokesperson, Sarah Ezzy, confirmed to RadarOnline.com.
“In early 2011, Raising Malawi split from the Kabbalah Centre and became an independent organization. The $1,907,300 reflected on the 990 (tax filing) reflects the monies/contributions that had been received by the Kabbalah Center on behalf of Raising Malawi.
“The Kabbalah Center transferred this money to Raising Malawi when it became an independent organization.”
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Madonna faced the wrath of Malawi’s President at the weekend, who accused the Queen of Pop of reneging on her promises to help her country.
And, according to the documents, President Joyce Banda may have had a valid point — because things are not as financially lucrative as they used to be at Raising Malawi.
Contributions plummeted from almost $6 million to just under $2 million in 2011, the document reveals.
But the organization still did a lot of good with what it raised: In 2011, Madonna granted more than $1.1 million to various organizations in the southeast African country, with the biggest contributions — $904,618 — to “provide aid to impoverished orphans and vulnerable children.”
A further $118,800 was “to provide pediatric surgical services for children in the region.”
Other donations were made to the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre, Malawi, and another project to provide postnatal and prenatal care.
Raising Malawi — which states its aim is to “support community-based organizations that provide vulnerable children and caregivers with nutritious food, proper clothing, secure shelter, formal education, targeted medical care, emotional care and psychological support” — now has $2 million in its tax free coffers.
'Gary Neville has better manners than Madonna!' Malawi's astonishing attack on 'bullying' star over adoption
Malawi president Joyce Banda says star is 'bullying and uncouth'
African leader calls on Madonna to 'learn the decency of telling truth'
Star's relationship with nation has deteriorated since adopting two children
Madonna accuses Banda of 'releasing lies' about her visit
By DAN NEWLING IN CAPE TOWN
PUBLISHED: 13:00 EST, 10 April 2013
Madonna has been accused of blackmail, demanding special treatment and bullying state officials in Malawi – the country that once dubbed her a ‘saint’.
In an extraordinary outburst, the president of the African state even told the billionaire singer she ought to take lessons in manners from Premiership footballers Rio Ferdinand and Gary Neville.
President Joyce Banda claims the 54-year-old, who adopted two of her four children from Malawi, has failed to keep her promise to spend money improving infrastructure in the impoverished nation.
But Madonna’s management claim the ‘nonsense’ attack is retaliation for the singer sacking president Banda’s sister from one of her charity organisations amid allegations funds were mishandled.
In a statement following Madonna’s latest visit, President Banda accused her of wanting the government to ‘roll out the red carpet’, adding: ‘If Madonna believes she deserved to be treated differently . . . it is worth making her aware that Malawi has hosted many international stars, including Chuck Norris, Bono, David James, Rio Ferdinand and Gary Neville, who have never demanded state attention or decorum despite their equally dazzling stature.’
The singer said she was ‘saddened’ by the ‘ridiculous allegations’. Her relationship with Malawi began with her pledge to donate millions to set up schools, orphanages and medical centres. The promise appeared to fast-track her adoption of son David in 2006.
She adopted daughter Mercy James in 2009.
The statement went on to say Madonna had not been invited by the president - and should stop exaggerating her contributions to the country.
It said: 'Among the many things that Madonna needs to learn as a matter of urgency is the decency of telling the truth.
'For her to tell the whole world that she is building schools in Malawi when she has actually only contributed to the construction of classrooms is not compatible with the manners of someone who thinks she deserves to be revered with state grandeur.
'The difference between a school and a classroom should be the most obvious thing for a person demanding state courtesy to decipher.'
It comes as claims of a feud between Madonna - who has two adopted children from Malawi, David Banda and Mercy Jones - and the President Joyce Banda.
The statement said a pop star was not automatically deserving of a state welcome or extra attention.
'In the feeling of Madonna, the Malawi Government and its leadership should have rolled out a red carpet and blasted the 21-gun salute in her honour because she believes that as a musician, the whiff of whose repute flies across international boundaries, she automatically is candidate for VIP treatment,' the statement read.
'Granted, Madonna has adopted two children from Malawi. According to the record, this gesture was humanitarian and of her accord.
'It, therefore, comes across as strange and depressing that for a humanitarian act, prompted only by her, Madonna wants Malawi to be forever chained to the obligation of gratitude.
'Kindness, as far as its ordinary meaning is concerned, is free and anonymous.
'If it can't be free and silent, it is not kindness; it is something else. Blackmail is the closest it becomes.'
The statement finished by saying the Malawi Government continues to welcome philanthropists hoping to improve the welfare for the people of Malawi.
The President of Malawi has given Madonna an astonishing verbal slap down in which she accuses the pop star of coming close to 'blackmailing' the impoverished African country.
The sarcasm-laden statement criticises Madonna for believing that 'she is....doing Malawi good' and that she therefore 'automatically [a] candidate for VIP treatment.'
After noting that Madonna has adopted two Malawian children as her own, the very strongly-worded statement goes on to accuse the singer of near blackmail.
'It....comes across as strange and depressing that for a humanitarian act.... Madonna wants Malawi to be forever chained to the obligation of gratitude.
'Kindness, as far as its ordinary meaning is concerned, is free and anonymous.
'If it can’t be free and silent, it is not kindness; it is something else. Blackmail is the closest it becomes', the statement, which was reported in Malawi’s Nyasa Times newspaper read.
Madonna has been a frequent visitor the impoverished southern African country since she adopted two children - David and Mercy - from there in 2006 and 2009 respectively.
However, the Material Girl’s relationship with the country has soured, primarily over accusations that she failed to make good on a promise to invest in local schooling.
Malawi’s new, forthright, president Dr Banda is also reportedly fed up with the pop star’s portrayal of the country as a helpless basketcase.
This latest war of words comes after Madonna was stripped of her VVIP (Very, Very Important Person) status on a recent trip to the country.
As a result she and her large entourage - which included four of her children -were forced to go through Kamuzu airport alongside ordinary passengers when they left the country on Saturday.
During the ten days the party had spent in the country, Malawi’s education minister accused Madonna of “exaggerating” the extent of her charitable work.
What’s more, a handwritten request by Madonna for an audience with President Joyce Banda was left unanswered.
The singer’s spokesman reportedly claimed that double snub was prompted by President Banda’s sister Anjimile Oponyo whom Madonna sacked as the head of her Raising Malawi charity amid denied allegations of theft.
The extraordinary statement from the Malawian government addressed the singer’s gripes directly - and contrasts her behaviour with other celebrities including English footballers David James, Rio Ferdinand and Gary Neville whom, the statement claims, “have never demanded state attention or decorum despite their equally dazzling stature”.
The statement reads: “Granted, Madonna is a famed international musician. But that does not impose an injunction of obligation on any government under whose territory Madonna finds herself, including Malawi, to give her state treatment.
'As stated earlier....such treatment, even if she deserved it, is discretionary not obligatory.
'It should be put on record that Madonna did not come to Malawi at the invitation of the President nor her government. In other words, she was neither the guest of the President nor of her government.
'For all that is known, she came to Malawi like any other visitor that feels like coming to Malawi. Such visitors don’t have to meet with the President and are never amenable to state attention or graces.
'If the argument is that because she is an internationally renowned star, and, therefore, Madonna believes she deserved to be treated differently from other visiting foreigners, it is worth making her aware that Malawi has hosted many international stars, including Chuck Norris, Bono, David James, Rio Ferdinand and Gary Neville who have never demanded state attention or decorum despite their equally dazzling stature.
'Among the many things that Madonna needs to learn as a matter of urgency is the decency of telling the truth.
For her to tell the whole world that she is building schools in Malawi when she has actually only contributed to the construction of classrooms is not compatible with manners of someone who thinks she deserves to be revered with state grandeur.
The difference between a school and a class room should be the most obvious thing for a person demanding state courtesy to decipher.
'For her to accuse Mrs. Oponyo for indiscretions that have clearly arisen from her personal frustrations that her ego has not been massaged by the state is uncouth, and speaks volumes of a musician who desperately thinks she must generate recognition by bullying state officials instead of playing decent music on the stage.”
The statement, issued by Malawi government press officer Tusekele Mwanyongo concludes that “acts of kindness must always remain as such; they must not smack of blackmail. In addition, let philanthropists not hold to ransom the President and any official of her Government because they showed some kindness to any Malawian.'
But a counter statement issued by the popstar accused President Banda of telling lies.
Madonna said: 'I'm saddened that Malawi president Joyce Banda has chosen to release lies about what we've accomplished, my intentions, how I personally conducted myself while visiting Malawi and other untruths.
'I did not ever ask or demand special treatment at the airport or elsewhere during my visit.
'I will not be distracted or discouraged by other people's political agendas.
'I made a promise to the children of Malawi and I'm keeping that promise.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2307023/Madonna-blackmailing-Malawai-African-president-makes-astonishing-attack-bullying-star-adoption.html#ixzz2QU48z3vj
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1 comment:
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