by Dilep Paudel
Published on: Dec 24, 2005
Topic:
Type: Opinions

Corruption in the governmental and non-governmental sector has been a candidly addressed matter in the international arena. Despite the economic and development progress of any 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 that has flourished in the developing countries with poor economic structure, where the subjects of the corruption 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 lay-mans terms, corruption is the transaction of the fiscal or non-fiscal wealth in an illegal way by misusing power for personal profit or in other words, activities of gaining and claming profit for public work by misusing the power of oneself.

Here power indicates the privilege and status of an individual granted by the state authorities. Culturally developed corrupt behavior has strong social roots in a Nepalese context to a great extent. Corrupt gains are always 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 indulge one’s corruptive behavior, we inspire hundreds others. The corrupt officials alone are not guilty but the societies who inspire and encourage them as well. There is always give and take in corruption, therefore the taker and giver are both guilty and both need to be addressed equally. A capsule of corruptions contaminates economic, social and administrative systems of the nation. Not only is bribery a type of corruption capsule, but also 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 an alarming danger for the economic development of the country. Institutionally, developed corruption has damaged social purity and administrative functioning of the nation. Nepal has a very slow and steady economic development process and that too is constrained by the socio-economic, geo-political and corrupt phenomenon of the territory and in such circumstances, corruption in governmental and non governmental sectors.

Rapidly spread corruption is the byproduct of failure of the government and practiced rule of law in the nation. In the history of Nepal, corruption was a limited phenomena in the pre-democratic tenure where certain authorities and administrative bodies indulged in corrupt activities. But in 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 steeped in corrupt activities. The feeble anticorruption laws allow the corrupt authorities and individuals easy and comfortable escape. Public interest and consensus is ignored by the authorities. 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 organizations have shown social awareness and woken up to corruption in recent years but this too is hindered by the state authority to great extent.

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 processes by distorting the rule of law and weakening the institutional foundation on which economic growth depends. A proven anticorruption initiative is essential for the nation, by which all efforts to combat corruption are 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 the 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. Uncontrolled corruption in the administrative sector, that has been in practice as administrative legacy is the welcoming song for breeding more corruption in the nation. Therefore the nation has to be more attentive to combine efforts to uproot corruption in order to furnish a more accountable administration and society.

National Anticorruption Initiatives

In the recent years some notable anticorruption initiatives were brought into effect. 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 organizations working for anticorruption and good governance like FACT Nepal (Forum Against Corruption and Turmoil, Nepal) have been made possible by popular support.

Government too seems a little more alert to preventing corruption in its wings in the recent era. Although, Nepal has the history of constituting several forums, commissions and offices in different names in order to combat corruption, all these are gone so the public expectation is very low on the productivities of such, resulting from past experience.

Public anxiety is overwhelmed. No progress and notable achievement was made by such attempts at the hands 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 have authority to implement and execute such law and action. They did not want to fall victim to their own practice, so clearly 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.

An effective anticorruption strategy relies on five key elements:

• Focusing on increasing political accountability
• Encouraging and strengthening civil society participation for anticorruption
• Developing a competitive private sector as the substitute and making them transparent.
• Instituting 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.

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 in Nepal at the present time, are strong and committed anticorruption initiatives.


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