There is a fundamentally undemocratic narrative that is that is being pushed that is that there is this "shady thing" called Civil Society that is somehow undermining the state, driven by partisan politics and supports criminals. This is not only wrong but also dangerous.

Civil Society is not any one thing or group nor are they always in lock step. In fact sometimes CSOs are set up to contract each other e.g. on issues of abortion or homosexuality were you have opposing CSOs. But what all CSOs do is to fill some gap and provide some service.

CSOs are therefore just representatives of people's views. The common way to discredit CSOs is to ask "who voted for them/appointed them". The simple answer - their members. Whether it is a fisherman's cooperative, to a Parenting Support Group or a CDC or a citizens association.

Yes, there are larger CSOs like JFJ or JASL or Jet who are focused on narrow mandates, but it does not mean their members aren't concerned about larger issues. It just means the organizations are sticking to the their mandate, just as the JCF sticks to Policing and not dentistry.

The attempt to somehow attribute heinous crimes to the advocacy efforts of CSOs for human rights, justice, transparency, equity, climate change awareness, disaster management, health care reform, anticorruption efforts or whatever else doesn't breed or support crime or partisan.

The state is responsible for citizen security, education, health, economic opportunity, sanitation and the meeting of basic needs. CSOs simply allow for citizen action. CSOs keep the state accountable & often work with the state e.g. Neighborhood Watches and Police Youth Clubs.

So state agents paid for with tax payers dollars should stop blaming CSOs for state failures. Instead do a better job of reaching out & working with CSOs. If you want to solve crimes & prevent future ones, attacking CSOs won't help. You work for us. Accept that and do your jobs.