LONDON, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The British government confirmed Saturday it is reviewing all of its work with Oxfam, one of the country's best known charities.
Oxfam is embroiled in a sex scandal after it was revealed staff had engaged in orgies with prostitutes following the devastating earthquake in Haiti in 2010.
British Prime Minister Theresa May has called for a full and urgent investigation into the charity.
A spokesperson for May said: "We want to see Oxfam provide all the evidence to the Charity Commission of these very serious allegations."
"SORDID DETAILS"
The London-based Times newspaper said an investigation it carried out revealed Oxfam staff in Haiti used prostitutes, and downloaded pornographic and illegal material, with claims of bullying and intimidation.
Reports in the Times revealed sordid details after how staff, including its local director, used prostitutes while they were carrying out emergency work after the devastating earthquake in Haiti.
When the allegations first came to light four staff members were fired and three, including the charity's director in Haiti, Roland Van Hauwermeiren, were allowed to resign. A statement at the time by Oxfam did not mention the seven staff had left the charity for sexual misconduct.
The Times reported how prostitutes were used at a villa rented in Haiti by Oxfam for Van Hauwermeiren, a Belgian national.
The Oxfam staff were part of the relief effort following the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that killed more than 200,000 people in Haiti in 2010.
Oxfam received more than 44 million U.S. dollars from DFID last year to help towards its global relief and humanitarian work.
"SERIOUS QUSTIONS"
Britain's Department for International Development (DFID) announced it is reviewing all its work with Oxfam, adding in a statement the charity had to answer "serious questions".
The government's International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt has also requested a meeting with Oxfam's senior team at the earliest opportunity to discuss the allegations.
A DFID spokesperson said serious questions had been raised for Oxfam about the way the appalling abuse of vulnerable people was dealt with.
The spokesperson added: "We have a zero tolerance policy for the type of activity that took place in this instance, and we expect our partners to as well. We often work with organisations in chaotic and difficult circumstances. If wrongdoing, abuse, fraud, or criminal activity occur we need to know about it immediately, in full."
"NO COVERING UP"
Oxfam's CEO Mark Goldring strongly denied Saturday that the charity had covered up the incident.
Goldring said: "We were very open with the public that we were ashamed of the behavior of our staff. We still are."
He said in a radio interview Saturday: "As we speak, aid workers, who are behaving well, are delivering lifesaving assistance with public money across the world and we should be proud of that, whilst we are ashamed of what we got wrong."
In its report Saturday the Times said some of the former Oxfam staff involved in the scandal, including Van Hauwermeiren, went on to work for other aid charities.
Oxfam was founded in 1942 by a group of people including academics from Oxford University, with the aim of providing famine relief following global disasters. It raises more than 400 million U.S. dollars a year in donations, sponsorships and government grants.
