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Individual and collective effort needed to root out
corruption
Amidst petty politics, endless killings of
innocent people, owing to the North and East conflict, the resultant
clashes between the forces and the LTTE and, of course, Test cricket,
an event of much significance on Sunday went largely uncovered in
terms of front page exposure by the mainstream press. The event
was the National Integrity Awards (NIA) organised by the Transparency
International Sri Lanka.
While many would quickly agree that the root cause of all ills in
this country is poverty, increasingly, the main reason for the latter
is corruption. In that context, the heroes of anti corruption in
the country, failed to get the front page coverage they richly deserved.
The main objective of the NIA was to recognize the courage and determination
of the many individuals fighting corruption and to make such people
a source of inspiration to the Anti Corruption movement.
Such
individuals play an important role, despite the enormous threats
to both their official standing and their individual lives. The
annual competition, this year, drew 53 nominations and awardees
were selected by an independent panel of adjudicators, in a transparent
manner.
This year’s winner S.K. Liyanage, had a clear message to the
masses. “People should come onto the streets and ask for an
end to corruption, rather than demand for jobs. If we have a country
without corruption, people could enjoy with more job opportunities,”
he said after receiving the NIA in recognition of his determined
fight against corruption, for more than 33-years as a civil servant.
Ms. Shyamala Dhrashani Fernando, who fought against corruption at
the Sri Lanka Port Authority, was recognized with special mention
for this year’s NIA.
The Bottom Line salutes these two admirable Sri Lankans, who could
be described as unsung heroes, yet, would be shining examples to
the rest of the country. Unlike record breaking cricketers or politically-connected
philanthropists, whether these two would get Presidential attention
is left to be seen and the nation would surely watch.
The chief guest at the awards was the energetic Dr. Kiran Bedi,
the first woman police officer in India to become Inspector General
of Prisons. She was the recipient of various awards including the
prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1994, referred to as the Asian
Nobel Prize.
If what the 2007 winner said wasn’t sufficient to inspire fellow
Sri Lankans, then Bedi’s advice should.
She said that “Formation of a movement to fight for Right to
Information in Sri Lanka could be a first step towards ending corruption,
and civil society must take the lead for same.’
In September, the Transparency International, at the release of
its annual global publication, 2007 Corruption Perceptions Index,
said “despite some gains, corruption remains an enormous drain
on resources sorely needed for education, health and infrastructure.”
Out of 194 countries, Sri Lanka was ranked 94, and the report added
that low scoring countries need to take these results seriously
and act now, to strengthen accountability in public institutions,
in all spheres.
Corruption runs through the fabric of society and also in key public
services, while the private sector is not spared either. In the
opposite page, The Bottom Line features an Ex Chairman of the Bribery
Commission and his frank views are thought provoking.
Experts have said that to root out corruption, simple steps are
adequate to start with. However, unlike mega political projects,
some of which turn out to be white elephants a few years later,
governments don’t find luster in embarking on a massive national
anti corruption drive.
Effective and concerted civil society action has been lacking in
Sri Lanka on many national issues. Given the cancerous nature of
corruption and political leaders, often, only playing lip service
to eradicate this menace, the onus is on civil society. Corruption
affects the masses, especially, the poor, not the rich or the politicians.
People must stand up. Individually and collectively, people could
be agents of anti corruption, even in a small way and hold those
in power and positions, accountable. We hope that two people, who
were recognized on Sunday and many others in the past, would truly
inspire civic action for a corruption free society in particular
and country at large in general.
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