A wake up call for anticorruption initiatives
By: Dilep K. Paudel
Corruption Capsule
Corruption in the governmental and non governmental sector has been a candidly addressed matter in the international arena. Despite the economic and development rapids of the nation, it has been considered as the single major challenge to all the countries and mostly it is a critical development threat to the developing countries. Corruption is a behavioral practice and has been flourished in the developing countries with poor economic structure where the subjects of the corruptions are praised socially for their economic wellbeing then the developed nation. More than this corruption is an attitude of molding personal gain, economic wellbeing and earnings in an illegal and unmannered way by misusing the granted power by the state authority. In a lay-man term corruption is the transaction of the fiscal or non fiscal wealth in an illegal way by misusing the power for personal profit or in other word, activities of gaining and claming profit for public work by misusing the power of oneself. Here power indicates the privilege and status holding by an individual granted by the state authorities. Culturally developed corrupt behavior has strong social root in Nepalese context to great extent. It has been considered as the mighty achievement of the man and corrupt gains are always found praised in the society plus corrupt persons are socially admired and encouraged more and more. Unless we bring transformation on social perception towards corruptly gained wealth in our society, we are feeding corruption and multiplying our moral loss of honest citizen. Corruption is a dangerous social capsule once we inspired or feed one to be corrupt and indulged in corruption, it inspires hundreds others. The corrupt officials only are not guilty but the societies who inspire and encourage them for corruption are guilty. There is always give and take in corruption, therefore the taker and giver are both guilty and both need to address equally. Corruption capsule contaminate economic, social and administrative system of the nation. Not only bribery is corruption capsule but includes fraud, misuse of power and authority, unsolicited personal gains, misappropriation of public finance, theft, robbery, money laundering etcetera.
Corruption culture
Pervasive corruption in Nepal is the alarming danger for the economic development of the country. Intuitionally developed corruption has damage social purity and administrative functioning of the nation. Nepal has very slow and steady economic development process and that too is constraints by the socio-economic, geo-political and corrupt phenomenon of the territory and in such circumstances, corruption in governmental and non governmental sectors is the prime perversion of the nation. Rapidly spread corruption is the byproduct of failureness of the government and practice rule of law in the nation. In the history of Nepal corruption was limited phenomena in the pre democratic tenure where the certain authorities and administrative bodies indulged in corrupt activities. But in the recent years it has been a borderless practice in the governmental and non governmental authorities. Every section related to the functioning of national affairs is being dived into the corrupt activities. The sum total of fertilized corruption is the weak national policies, non transparent rule and regulation plus the failure ness of the state authority working to combat corruption in the current era. The feeble anticorruption laws allow the corrupt authority and individual for easy and comfortable escape. Public interest and consensus is ignored by the authority and come up as authoritative and monopolistic manner for fertilizing the corruption in all sectors. Very poor initiative and meager commitment of the government to combat corruption is another factor for existing corruption in the nation. Private sector and non governmental organization are shown their social gesture to wake against corruption in the recent years and this too is hindered by the state authority to great extent. Therefore the national dieses, corruption is promoted in the authority as easy way for personal gain and bankrupt the national treasury and hawk for the administrative affairs.
Corruption breeds corruption
In the current era whereby rampant corruption has destroyed all norms and values of administrative process in the nation, corruption breeds more corruption. Corrupt activities have to be addressed by the state authority strongly and bring national consensus to combat it from all levels. The nation has identified corruption as the single greatest obstacle to economic and social development. It undermines entire development process by distorting the rule of law and weakening the institutional foundation on which economic growth depends. A proven anticorruption initiatives is present essence for the nation where all efforts to combat corruption is framed holistically.
People are always the first subject of the cause and effect of corruption. The harmful effects of corruption are especially severe on the poor, who are hardest hit by economic decline, are most reliant on the provision of public services, and are least capable of paying the extra costs associated with bribery, fraud, and the misappropriation of economic privileges. Corruption sabotages policies and programs that aim to reduce poverty, so attacking corruption is critical to the achievement of the nation’s overarching mission of poverty reduction. Existing frequency of corruption invites more misery in the development process of the nation. Uncontrolled corruption in the administrative sector, that have been in practice as administrative legacy is the welcoming sing for breeding more corruption in the nation. Therefore the nation has to be more attentive to bring combine efforts to uproot the corruption in order to furnish a corruption free administration and society.
National anticorruption initiatives
Corruption in these days is an omnipotent and omnipresent aspect in Nepalese context. It has been increased in such a frequency that it seems as legally approved transaction for all administrative affairs. Uncontrolled corruption get good atmosphere to flourish its presence in the Nepalese administration undoubtedly. No single wing and association of the government are untouched by corrupt activities.
In the recent years some notable anticorruption initiatives were brought into an affect. Some non governmental organizations are actively advocating this issue. Their voices for transparency and corruption control are much credited by the authorities. Such non governmental organization working for anticorruption and good governance like FACT Nepal (Forum Against Corruption and Turmoil, Nepal) are the avenue made by popular support to combat corruption when government is always passive. In contrary, government too seems little alert to prevent existing corruption in its wings in the recent era. Although, Nepal has the history of constituting several forum, commissions and offices in different names in order to combat corruption; all these are gone in vain so the public expectation is very low on the productivities of such, resulted from past experience. Public anxiety is overwhelmed. No progress and notable achievement was made by such attempts in the hand of the government. No single law and strong legal mandate was executed to combat corruption in the past, why because they themselves were the most corrupt among others who has authority to implement and execute such law and action. They do not want to fall victim of their own practice. So it is crystal clear that the legislative and executive bodies were the most corrupt section of the nation.
In the recent years little hope was candled by the government. The almost sleeping organization to work against corruption has wake up and come up with propagandist approach although it is better than nothing. The CIAA, broadcasted several major corruption scandals in the past, took popular action against these and some of them are still under process to finalize. Another recently formed Royal commission, a so called politically unconstitutional body is in its full pace to work for anticorruption in the country. Although, it has been the subject of political and constitutional debate since its inception, still some hope remains with RCCC. The government initiatives for corruption control were always welcomed by the people and anticipated much from such but the political facilities always bring them in dark side. We expect the strong debate free powerful body and anticorruption law and strategy to uproot the corruption in the country. We believe that an effective anticorruption strategy builds on five key elements:
• Focused in Increasing Political Accountability
• Encouraging and Strengthening Civil Society Participation for Anticorruption
• Developing a Competitive Private Sector as the Substitute and Making Them Transparent.
• Intuitional Restraints on Power Applied by State Authorities
• Improving and Reforming Public Sector Management
In conclusion if the government makes some effective and strong policies and strategies to combat corruption on the basis of above elements we can guess the corruption trend and tendency will certainly lower. Practice of good governance can be a real dream as such why because to reduce the corrosive impact of corruption in a sustainable way, it is important to go beyond the symptoms to tackle the causes of corruption.
The End Notes
“A popular Government, without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy; or, perhaps both. Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives”
—Former U.S. President James Madison, 1822
Corruption drains our institutions and undermines the economic foundation of sustainable growth. Corruption distorts the very rule of law, and it threatens our commitment to building democratic, prosperous, and equitable societies. Therefore the real need of time at present in Nepal is strong and committed anticorruption initiatives.