October 27, 2010
Despite the fact that Nepal held relatively peaceful elections in 2008 – its voters were determined to establish a viable democracy – political instability, lawlessness, nepotism and lack of accountability continue to prevail in the society. Corruption is one of the main villains. Up until now, the country has failed to make an anti-corruption agenda a political and social priority.
Transparency International, which has been publishing an annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) since 1995, just released its 2010 findings and the news is not good for Nepal. Since last year, Nepal slipped in the international standings.
With a 2.2 score, Nepal fell three positions and now stands at 146th among 180 countries. Last year, Nepal held the 143rd rank. Afghanistan, coming in at 176th place, had the dubious honor of being the most corrupt country in South Asia.
The vicious cycle of corruption and how it keeps Nepal pinned to the ground:
1. Corruption undermines democracy and the rule of law.
2. Corruption threatens domestic and international security and the sustainability of natural resources.
3. Corruption is both a cause of poverty, and a barrier to overcoming it. It is one of the most serious obstacles to reducing poverty. Corruption denies poor people the basic means of survival, forcing them to spend more of their income on bribes. It follows that human rights are denied where corruption is rife because a fair trial comes with a hefty price tag in corrupted courts. Apart from the misery created on the individual and family level, poverty engenders social, economic and political unrest. As a developing country, Nepal cannot hope to significantly move forward until corruption is adequately addressed.
4. Those with less power – particularly women and children – are doubly disadvantaged in corrupt systems, which typically reinforce gender and age discrimination.
5. In the business sector, domestic companies falter under the buying power of international companies that secure contracts through illegal kickbacks to corrupt government officials.
6. Good will and post-disaster donations provided by the international community – either directly or through their respective governments – often never reach the victims because they have been callously diverted instead into the bank accounts of corrupt officials.
7. Faulty construction of buildings, built to lower safety standards because a bribe was passed under the table, heighten earthquake casualties – something that makes Nepal particularly vulnerable in case of a natural disaster.
To read more about the pitfalls of ignoring the destructive process of corruption, link to Transparency International’s website:
CORRUPTION PERCEPTION INDEX 2010
…………………………………………………………………………………