Kamala Sarup: Corruption Increases Terrorism

Corrupt leaders, and demand for bribes at every step of the development has become a major threat to a sound economic and social development that is increasing terrorism.

If leaders fail to lead the moral crusade for justice and human dignity, if they fail to enunciate the essentially humane part of politics, the deprived, will chosen to forget the humaneness of politics, but will use it for violence and even become a terrorists. If politics does not become part of the solution, it will motivate hate.

The principal obstacle to the country's growth is the corruption among leaders in general and among the politicians. Bribery, and corruption in all its forms, is now a major cause of poverty, backwardness and terrorism.

Corruption by political leaders at the decision making levels is because of their greed to earn more money and they don't look anymore at the benefit of the people. They should think about the poor roads, inadequate drinking water supply in villages, absence of proper buildings for schools in the rural areas, teacher's salaries who sometimes don't get paid, lack of hospitals, bridges, around the country. But what we see today is the inability of the government to control the spread of corruption.

People have to build a mass movement in which all can join so that corruption in politics, politicians and public life can end.

The blame for the corruption lies in the lack of transparency in the rules of governance, extremely cumbersome official procedures, excessive and unregulated discretionary power in the hands of politicians and bureaucrats and a lax judiciary.

The organization Transparency International has recently called on the world leaders at the UN summit in Johannesburg on Sustainable Development, to combat corruption as a matter of urgency and growing corruption has damaged efforts to establish peaceful rule, and is a direct cause of financial and social disasters.

Honest political leadership, an efficient tax collection mechanism, macro-economic policies would be a step in the right direction to eradicate corruption and terrorism. Qualified and clean political leadership is required to understand and implement such policies.

Economic injustice provides a fertile ground for terrorism. The authorities have to take a stern step against the corrupt leaders. Bad governance and poverty, political instability, political violence, underpaid civil servants and unresponsive state institutions are inevitable consequences of corruption and terrorism.

Thus, Anti-corruption efforts must be targeted for the long-term, and must be realistic and achievable. Anti-corruption campaign should focus on those responsible for the misuse of public funds.

Because corruption is deep rooted where crime and corruption is rampant and the perpetrators are mostly brutal in their act, so most people get fed-up about the situation.

The most fundamental thing is nation-building with all components of national society contributing to it in a selfless manner and, of course, with a view to promoting national harmony.

People can't bear the brunt of the country's violent armed conflict and terrorism. The terrorists target against the infrastructure community projects, hydro plants, bridges, telephone stations, and office buildings.

International funding agencies are not interested in investing in violent countries because there is financial instability, legal uncertainty or increasing terrorists crime. The leaders should know corruption prevents the efficient allocation of resources and is a disincentive to foreign investment. Eradicating corruption at all levels in the bureaucracy should become a priority.

Leaders who succumb to bribes become alienated by the general population, lose their standing in the international community, and ultimately lose their political legitimacy. In every culture, political and economic systems need justification. This involves acceptance by the general people, which will happen only if people see the systems as efficiently serving their needs.

The action by anti-corruption bodies has its own importance and should not be discouraged in an attempt to produce a good government. However, attention should be paid to other options of checking corruption. Financial loot by simple revenue officials to high officials and ministers made the country poor and individuals rich.

Decentralization, open economy and competition, transparency in all areas of government practice is the most effective instrument to control corruption which helps to control terrorism.

Corrupt governments fail to give peace and fail to give security. Terrorists activities are taking place due to the poverty and illiteracy. Proper and equal provision of rights of employment's and human rights will definitely reduce this curse.

An effective way to deliver a just government system is by building one that possesses a mature checks and balance system, one that limits the effects of corruption and therefore helps to protect the civil rights of every citizen of the country.

Kamala Sarup is an editor of http://peacejournalism.com/

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