One of the major challenges for National Unity Government (NUG) was to adopt a comprehensive strategy to curb rampant corruption in the country. Though there were promises by NUG, so far the practical measures are not really tangible and it requires taking immediate steps if it is really interested in curbing the menace of corruption.
However, the Independent Joint Anti-Corruption Monitoring and Evaluation Committee (MEC), in a press conference on Thursday, said that NUG was yet to include the anti-corruption struggle in its priorities.
Rashid Behroz, MEC head in a statement said that they had submitted many recommendations to the unity government, but they were not incorporated in the 100-day action plans of ministries and independent government institutions. Some of the ministries and independent institutions, that had included anti-corruption effort in their work plans, could not complete it as they were really ambiguous and unachievable. He also mentioned that out of 25 ministries and independent departments, only 18 ministries and four departments had presented their 100-day plans while the rest of ministries had refused doing so.
With such a situation in hand it is really difficult to expect that NUG will be able to eradicate corruption that has deep roots within our society. Afghanistan is considered as one of the most corrupt countries in the world and fighting it would require extra attention and dedication, but unfortunately the government does not seem in the mood to offer such attention and dedication. Yama Torabi, another member of the committee said, “We have sent 380 recommendations to government entities after the committee commenced its job, but only 128 of them have been implemented… We are happy over some anti-corruption steps the government has taken, but as a whole the unity government could not fight the menace as they promised at the London Conference.”
Afghanistan has not been able to fight with corruption properly and it has penetrated deep within our society. Most of our individuals and institutions have been vehemently dominated by it, and we seem crippled against it. It is hapless to say that we have been unsuccessful both in intention and action. There are many, who, knowing the fact that corruption is poisonous for our society and even having the authority to control it, do not take measures against it, as it would go against their interests. At the same time, there are many others, who only pay lip service and fight against it theoretically; therefore, they are not able to design and carryout proper actions against this nuisance.
Billions of Dollars poured in the country for both military support and development projects. But if we analyze the socio-political and socio-economic scenario in the country the development does not seem as great as it should have been. Most of these aids were devoured by corruption instead of being spent for the intended purposes. Either the money that was to be spent through government or the NGO sector, both the ways corruption had the largest share.
Today, corruption has penetrated into our social behavior. It is now a part of routine life to be corrupt. From a very minor to the most major matter, we find corruption ruling the roost.
One of the main issues in fighting with corruption in our society is that the control-mechanism has a large share in it. The government that should be on the vanguard to curb this hazard, itself has been a leading contributor in this regard. There have been numerous incidents of corruption when administration has been held responsible for being directly caught up in the matter. In most of the major corruption cases, the government has not been capable of extracting itself out clean. On most of the instances the government has blamed the Western supporters to be generating corruption in the country, but that would never suffice.
It has to be accepted now that corruption in Afghanistan is a multifaceted phenomenon that needs wide-ranging efforts from both national and international authorities to be resolved. Certainly, the anti-corruption institutions, authorized with power and facilities can be major factors in controlling it and Afghan government needs to establish them and promote them appropriately. However, it is also important to note that the honest efforts on individual level can be helpful to eradicate corruption to a great extent. The realization, on individual level, that a person commits the biggest injustice and violates the right of fellow-being while being involved in corruption is the crying need of time. The individuals can then teach the same to their family members and friends and the whole process can go on.
It is important to understand that there are many issues that are linked with corruption. Rising insecurity, social injustice, growing menace of drugs and many other social issues are to a large extent supported by corruption. Therefore, if the government is really serious to control all these problems, it must start from curbing the rampant corruption in the country.