STATE REPRESSION VS. ACTIVISTS HINDERS ANTI-CORRUPTION EFFORTS,

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November 18, 2006

Repressive regimes and the lack of democratic space for people’s groups working against corruption are one of the reasons corruption continues to be a huge problem worldwide, according to civil society groups attending a global forum on corruption.

In the opening of the 12th International Anti-Corruption Conference (IACC) in Guatemala yesterday, anti-corruption group Transparency International pointed out that people’s groups and civil society organizations play an important role in combating corruption worldwide, but the problem of repression and lack of democratic space hinders anti-corruption work to prosper.

Transparency International board chair Huguette Labelle cited various anti-corruption activists and leaders from countries like Congo , Nepal , and Bangladesh who were imprisoned or repressed.

The IACC is an influential biennial global forum organized by anti-corruption network Transparency International. Since 1983, government officials, civil society groups and business people attend the IACC to exchange information and ideas about the fight against corruption, assess existing strategies, and develop new approaches.

For his part, IBON research director Antonio Tujan, who also chairs the International Initiative on Corruption and Governance (IICG) and a participant in the said forum, raised the issue of the Philippines where the number of journalists killed has exceeded that of Iraq , many of them caused by exposing and reporting corruption cases.

Tujan added that Pres. Gloria Arroyo, who is accused of large-scale corruption and is currently subject to a broad ouster campaign, has retaliated by killing hundreds of activists, many of them journalists and leaders of people’s groups engaged in anti-corruption work.

“The extreme manifestation of repression, which is the political killings, does not only hinder anti-corruption work, but is also meant to perpetuate anti-people practices including corruption,” said Tujan.

The opening plenary of the IACC made a resolution to improve mechanisms to defend whistleblowers and provide support to anti-corruption activists and civil society groups in various countries, including the Philippines (end)


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