15 November 2010
Underscoring Citizens’ Role in Fighting Corruption
Bangkok — Civil society — including nonprofit organizations and citizen-activists — must demand transparency, accountability and integrity from governments for the fight against corruption to be effective, according to the hosts of an international conference in Bangkok.
In the past decade, governments have negotiated regional and international conventions against corruption, including the U.N. Convention Against Corruption and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials, and established official anti-corruption bodies. “But a top-down approach only gets us so far,” said Huguette Labelle, TI chairwoman of Transparency International (TI). Without active involvement of civil society, rigorous enforcement of these pacts and meaningful work of anti-corruption agencies is unlikely in many countries, she said. Nongovernmental groups can press for transparency, monitor enforcement of anti-bribery laws, and educate the public about why good governance matters.
Labelle and other conference participants called for stronger support to nongovernmental groups and lone activists who demand integrity, transparency and accountability in governance, and often are harassed, beaten or killed for that. For example, this year’s laureates of Transparency International’s Integrity Awards have experienced a broad range of corrupt officials’ and businesspeople’s reprisals. Civil society organizations that target corruption range from Indian 5th Pillar that prints pseudo-bills with an anti-corruption message to a group in Philippines that monitors road-building projects for graft.
Labelle spoke at the November International Anti-corruption Conference in Bangkok, which TI co-organized with the government of Thailand. The event brought together about 1,200 activists, experts, academics, journalists and government officials from around the world.
TOP-DOWN APPROACH NEEDS BOTTOM-UP SUPPORT
Many governments have set up official anti-corruption bodies. But more often than not, they have failed to face up to the challenge, according to experts participating in a discussion on the topic. They said the success of such government agencies depends on their powers and independence, the determination and integrity of their staffs, and resources.
The most successful anti-corruption agencies gain support from citizens and nongovernmental organizations to overcome resistance they encounter from powerful groups that feel threatened by anti-corruption activity.
For instance, Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission, created in 2002 and provided with broad investigating and prosecuting powers, achieved a high conviction rate in cases of bribery and graft related to government procurement and budgeting. But going after high-level officials and major businesspeople, it created powerful enemies who tried to tarnish its image in 2009. Pressure from corrupt officials and businesses eased only when demonstrations in several cities supported the commission and a public campaign on Facebook came to the commission’s defense. “Thanks to civil society we can continue our mission,” said Mochammad Jasin, the commission’s vice chairman.
Standing up to corruption requires courage, Labelle said, because in some countries it can be extremely dangerous. Some prominent anti-corruption activists have been assassinated, harassed or prosecuted under false charges. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, in her video message to conference participants, said she has met “citizens who fear for their lives … from their own governments and militaries.” But she said anti-corruption activists’ work makes a difference in their compatriots’ lives. “And the United States is your partner in this fight,” she said.
See also “Governments, Activists Elevate Fight Against Corruption,” “Participants in Anti-Corruption Pact Face Scrutiny,” and “A Call to Intensify Fight Against Human Trafficking.”
(This is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://www.america.gov)
Governments, Activists Elevate Fight Against Corruption