There are many innovative approaches to combating corruption, which is fortunate since there are also apparently many innovative approaches to corruption itself. UN Anti-Corruption Day draws renewed attention to this difficult problem, highlighting just a few of the worthwhile efforts out there. As mentioned earlier, CIPE’s Reform Toolkit: A private sector approach for combating corruption is important because it constructively engages the private sector as part of the solution.
From China, we see extreme cases of what combating corruption can mean. Not content merely to sweep corruption under the carpet and ignore its festering, local officials actively combat those who would blow the whistle on them. The New York Times reports a recent investigation into local officials who have whistle blowers committed to psychiatric hospitals to get them out of the way and discredit their allegations. Shades of Stalin there. And yet, those committed to the psych ward have it better than some: The Taipei Times reports that a 70-year-old man died recently after being beaten and dumped by the side of road by local government officials trying to silence him and his companions for reporting illegal land seizures.
Yes, corruption is a deep-seated and difficult problem. Those who benefit from it will stop at nothing to maintain their position. All the more reason for us to renew our own commitments to combating corruption and to support those who are literally on the front lines of the battle. To do anything less jeoparidizes democracy and the health and well being of citizens–and that’s crazy.
It will take all of us working together. Check out CIPE’s toolkit and the UN resources to see what you can do!
Published Date: December 09, 2008