The recent report of United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) about the amount of money paid as bribe to public and private officials in 2012 definitely was irritating and an alarm for government. The UNOD in its latest report about the corruption in Afghanistan has unveiled that Afghans paid almost 4 billion dollars as bribe to public and private officials. The amount is an equivalent to a quarter of total financial support promised in Tokyo conference, more than half of total public budget for 1392 fiscal year, double of the total amount public revenue during 2010 and 2011. The latest survey by the United Nations found that half of the country’s adult population had paid at least one bribe to public officials last year.
However, it was mentioned in the report that the percentage of people who paid graft dropped by 9 percent in comparison to 2009 but the amount paid increased tremendously, showing 40 percent increase. Definitely 4 billion US dollar as graft in a country where the per capita stands below 1,000 US dollar is horrifying. With all efforts and promises made by government, the report shows nothing has taken place yet. Instead, people are also increasingly ignoring such detrimental phenomenon however all maintain that corruption is the main factor behind ineffectiveness of government in service delivery and economic growth and development.
Corruption has spiked to a level that people do not react to it. Opening any website or watching any channels of television, it is really hard not to hear something about corruption. The talks and discussions over the issue have increasingly led to reducing its taboo and evilness, like for instance telling lie. As the country is popular for religious conservativeness and people’s commitments to religious rituals, but many tell lies though lying is strictly prohibited in all sects of Islam.
In other words, the lying has become so widespread that it has lost its moral and public evilness. Though people are aware that telling lie is sin and Allah Almighty will punish the liars on the Resurrection Day, meanwhile major part of people lie.
Continuance of corruption is bound to similar destiny. Even now, a major part of the people does not react to reports of major grafts rather tries to ignore them by changing the channels of television. Even more regrettably, some have already accepted it as an evitable truth. Putting the issue of widespread corruption at any gathering, there are individuals who says: “The salaries of public employees are really low. So, they do not have any other option except embezzlement”. On the other hand, foreign donations and financial assistance are somehow related to the process of fighting corruption. Many countries have clearly said that unless serious steps are held to eliminate corruption, they would not support Afghanistan magnanimously. It means that they would only continue their support if they got assurance that their taxed dollars will benefit the deserved ones.
On International Anti-corruption Day, in a forum, President Karzai pointed fingers towards foreign countries as key factors behind widespread corruption. He expressed that main factor behind corruption was contracts of international institution with private companies without putting his government in the picture. “Dear sisters and brothers; do not blame yourselves for widespread corruption. It is imposed on us aimed to weaken our system and administration”, he addressed public employees. However, he confessed the existence of corruption within his government, saying it was a harsh reality, but it was, what he branded “small corruption” like bribery within his government. “Corruptions in which millions of dollars are involved do not belong to us.
They lie somewhere else. I hope with withdrawal of foreign allies, the root causes of corruption would fade away”. No doubt, it is not the first time that he points finger towards foreign countries. His relation often has become controversial over several issues. While foreign countries more than ever ratchet up the pressure and ask for transparency and serious fighting to eradicate corruption, he alleges that their presence not only fuels but is the main reason behind it.
After 2014, many countries have conditioned their financial support to elimination of corruption. It means that if the current situation continues on the same path, the government should expect decrease in the support and assistance. Certainly, this tit-for-tat game would not solve the problem nor optimism does. It has been decades that out politicians, decision makers and even common people always knit a promising change to certain major events. It was hoped when USSR withdrew and handed over the power to Afghan government that the situation would get better.
As it was witnessed, we were wrong. We hoped or we were made to hope after outstation of Dr. Najib government, our dream may come true, but ultimately we saw no improvement but devastating civil war that left hundreds of thousands of people dead and millions were made refugees. Hope we understand that this time building dream on the line of stay or withdrawal of foreign security forces means repeat of the same historical mistake.
It is not clear whether out authorities by putting such a theory want to justify the widespread corruption within the government or they unintentionally commit the same mistake of common people. On either case, people will be the loser. If our authorities ever try to fight corruption, they should do right now because tomorrow is late. If we consider President Karzai right of blaming foreign allies, we should not forget that those who benefitted most are not other than government officials.