INDIA AGAINST CORRUPTION & BAD GOVERNANCE STORY 56
WILL PUBLISH ARTICLES REGULARLY ON CORRUPTION / BAD GOVERNANCE IN INDIA . PASS ON TO AS MAY HONEST INDIANS AS POSSIBLE
Implementation of UN Convention on Corruption would have made Anna Hazare's movement unnecessary
The UN Convention on Corruption was the culmination of a number of UN resolutions starting 4.12.2000. It was introduced in Dec 2004.
The Government of India has signed this convention in 2005 but has not ratified it for the last six years. After the recent hue and cry about corruption in India, the government appears to have woken up and announced that it would be ratified "soon".
Why this Convention has not been ratified by this government appears to be closely linked to what the Convention says. Those who think that Anna Hazare 'blackmailed' the Government should read this Convention. In effect, many of the articles of this convention are exactly what are being demanded in the Civil Society's Lok Pal bill. It was hoped by Kofi Annan that all 140 states signing it would ratify and implement it forthwith. For obvious reasons India has avoided implementing this. Perhaps, as our PM admitted, this is because he is a faithful follower of the "Coalition Dharma" and his Coalition partners, if not his own party members themselves, would have been very put out had the provisions in this convention been endorsed .
Had this convention been ratified and honestly implemented, Anna Hazare's campaign would have been unnecessary for this Convention says almost exactly what Anna has been demanding.
Kofi Annan says while introducing the Convention:
Corrupt officials will in future find fewer ways to hide their illicit gains. This is a particularly important issue for many developing countries where corrupt high officials have plundered the national wealth and where new Governments badly need resources to reconstruct and rehabilitate their societies.
He goes on to say,
If fully enforced, this new instrument can make a real difference to the quality of life of millions of people around the world.
The motivating force has been highlighted in the Convention as follows:
Concerned further about cases of corruption that involve vast quantities of assets, which may constitute a substantial proportion of the resources of States, and that threaten the political stability and sustainable development of those States,
Convinced that corruption is no longer a local matter but a transnational phenomenon that affects all societies and economies, making international cooperation to prevent and control it essential,
Convinced also that a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach is required to prevent and combat corruption effectively,
and...
Convinced that the illicit acquisition of personal wealth can be particularly damaging to democratic institutions, national economies and the rule of law,
Determined to prevent, detect and deter in a more effective manner inter-national transfers of illicitly acquired assets and to strengthen international cooperation in asset recovery,
Why would any honest leadership not implement something which is motivated by such high ideals? Does the above ring a bell re what has been happening in our country?
The UN Convention goes on to recommend what the states should do. It includes establishing an independent ombudsman (though this word has not been used) to fight corruption, much as the Lok Pal bill says. It deals with various other items, such as powers to prosecute, confiscation of ill-gotten wealth, protection of witnesses and so on. It also deals with how and when to stop hiding behind bank secrecy laws.
All this, if implemented honestly, would make some of our political leaders and bureaucrats very uncomfortable.
For those who are interested, I attach the Text of the UN Convention on Corruption, alongwith Kofi Annan's introduction. Some points of interest are highlighted.
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