Tarnished image

Corruption is a global phenomenon—we have been told many times before. Corruption is all pervasive in developing countries of the world, researches have indicated. The South Asia Region, being a developing region has to figure more prominently on the map of corruption. But who is guilty in giving that image to a particular society, country or region? It would be difficult to put the blame on one or the other component of the regime or society for the prevailing level of corruption. But what can be said with certainty is that a country where there are powerful movements against corruption will have a government with more hardened attitude against corruption. Unfortunately, the South Asia Region as a whole does not seem to be lucky enough to have this kind of government at the moment. How can corruption be checked if the state’s investigating agency—the police—are perceived to be more corrupt than any other wings?

A recent survey conducted by the Transparency International (TI) across the region found that the public institutions are grossly being eaten away by the cancer of corruption. But an overwhelming majority of the people interviewed felt that police organisation topped the list, at least in five of the seven SAARC member countries. And worst, the people in general did not spare the judiciary as well. The hope of getting justice disappears in the thin air if both the investigating agency and the judiciary are perceived to be corrupt.

Although the number of respondents calling Nepali judiciary and police corrupt were far less compared to those strictly indicting these institutions in other countries, the report calls for a serious attention from the government and the would-be lawmakers. It is a coincidence that both the judiciary and the police have just had new heads in Nepal, both publicly acknowledging that the institutions need sweeping reforms. Injecting element of efficiency, refurbishing their image, and being worthy of public trust alone will mean reforms. These pledges have to be meaningful in terms of translating them into, instead of being a mere rhetoric. But a government or democratic system can afford to ignore the serious indictment of the two vital organs of the state only at the cost of its peril.

The police with its morale low, given the escalating Maoist insurgency, needs operational autonomy and has to be independent of political control and interference. A properly trained and equipped force is needed, which can be helpful in securing firm faith of the people in the rule of law. Autonomy, transparency and effective internal mechanism to deal with internal corruption will totally change the image of the organisation. The TI report, therefore, deserves serious attention and strict follow-up measures so that the judiciary and the police can be rated as more credible institutions in public.