CORRUPTION HURTS WHEN IT BITES
Kabul, 24 May 2009 - Why should Mr. Karzai take corruption in his government as a serious problem? He and his family members never encounter a greedy government employee to handle a personal or official work in a government office. So in the eyes of the president, corruption is a far-off priority compared to other competing political agendas.
However, corruption is too painful to the ordinary people who as citizens of one of the most centralised states in the world have to appear at government offices for all kinds of work i.e. from registering a marriage certificate to paying an electricity bill etc.
We might have heard stories about endemic corruption in Mr. Karzai’s government which some Afghans consider unprecedented in the country’s political history.
I am writing about a personal experience here.
An apartment was inherited to my family after the death of my father some 25 years ago, thanks to the then so called “communist regime” in Kabul.
In 2004 in line with the new “democratic” government’s privatisation policies, we were issued the ownership documents (the deed) for the apartment after we paid a subsidised price to the government (we paid to the US-backed democratic government for the service we were provided by the old USSR-backed communist regime.)
In May 2009, I decided to sell my apartment as it no longer met the needs of our extended family.
A good citizen offered me a price and we struck a mutually beneficial deal.
In order to legally transfer the ownership of the apartment, I have to take all necessary documents to a properties court and undertake a lot of bureaucratic rambling.
On my first encounter, a judge in the properties court brazenly told me to pay US$2,500 and rid myself of unnecessary and painful bureaucratic dribbling!
As I tried to lecture him that corruption is bad and illegal, the judged got upset and shouted: “Go f… yourself and let any one know that I am asking for bribe, but I guarantee you will not get your work done here unless you pay the amount.”
Sadly, he is absolutely right.
There is no one who can change this informal but strong law, which people call “corruption”.
Mr. Karzai has been living and working in an impervious and fabled fort, obviously for his personal security, and thus it is inconceivable for him to be available for public contact.
And as you go down the hierarchy of authority and power in Karzai’s government, you need two things to get your work done: A) Benjamin Franklin (100 dollar notes); B) strong links with Karzai and/or his ministers.
I cannot and do not want to pay the $2,500 bribe, at least for the time being.
Let’s see how long one can resist the corruption…
Kabul, 24 May 2009 - Why should Mr. Karzai take corruption in his government as a serious problem? He and his family members never encounter a greedy government employee to handle a personal or official work in a government office. So in the eyes of the president, corruption is a far-off priority compared to other competing political agendas.
However, corruption is too painful to the ordinary people who as citizens of one of the most centralised states in the world have to appear at government offices for all kinds of work i.e. from registering a marriage certificate to paying an electricity bill etc.
We might have heard stories about endemic corruption in Mr. Karzai’s government which some Afghans consider unprecedented in the country’s political history.
I am writing about a personal experience here.
An apartment was inherited to my family after the death of my father some 25 years ago, thanks to the then so called “communist regime” in Kabul.
In 2004 in line with the new “democratic” government’s privatisation policies, we were issued the ownership documents (the deed) for the apartment after we paid a subsidised price to the government (we paid to the US-backed democratic government for the service we were provided by the old USSR-backed communist regime.)
In May 2009, I decided to sell my apartment as it no longer met the needs of our extended family.
A good citizen offered me a price and we struck a mutually beneficial deal.
In order to legally transfer the ownership of the apartment, I have to take all necessary documents to a properties court and undertake a lot of bureaucratic rambling.
On my first encounter, a judge in the properties court brazenly told me to pay US$2,500 and rid myself of unnecessary and painful bureaucratic dribbling!
As I tried to lecture him that corruption is bad and illegal, the judged got upset and shouted: “Go f… yourself and let any one know that I am asking for bribe, but I guarantee you will not get your work done here unless you pay the amount.”
Sadly, he is absolutely right.
There is no one who can change this informal but strong law, which people call “corruption”.
Mr. Karzai has been living and working in an impervious and fabled fort, obviously for his personal security, and thus it is inconceivable for him to be available for public contact.
And as you go down the hierarchy of authority and power in Karzai’s government, you need two things to get your work done: A) Benjamin Franklin (100 dollar notes); B) strong links with Karzai and/or his ministers.
I cannot and do not want to pay the $2,500 bribe, at least for the time being.
Let’s see how long one can resist the corruption…
