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Anti-Corruption Work Around the World
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Highlighting the work of the anti-corruption movement, championing a world free of corruption: |
New report: Bangladesh lost US $75 million to corruption in 2005
By Jennifer Williams
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Transparency International Bangladesh’s (TIB) latest Corruption Database Report, based on incidents reported in the Bangladeshi press, reveals that the country lost US $75 million to corruption in 2005. Of the 38 sectors surveyed, police, education, health & family welfare and private sector were listed as "most corrupt". |
The Corruption Database Report, released 5 July, documents over 2000 cases of corruption spanning 38 sectors. The most common form of corruption was found to be abuse of power, with bribery and extortion following close behind. The report has sparked anger from Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, who threatened TIB with legal proceedings if it did not withdraw its findings. TIB received similar threats from the government with the release of their September 2005 Corruption Database Report.
The report recommended that the Bangladesh Anti-Corruption Commission be made fully operational and that the government develop effective deterrence measures and press monitoring systems.Last September’s report continues to cause the government problems. The Communications Ministry, which had promised legal action against TIB for the findings, has failed to provide any information to the parliamentary probe on the report.
TI-UK: Attacking corruption in the defence sector
By Dominic Scott and Jennifer Williams
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After six years of dedicated work toward a cleaner arms industry, Transparency International’s UK chapter finally saw the announcement of a European industry anti-corruption working group, shortly before the Farnborough Air Show in July. Since 2000, TI UK has worked with governments, business and civil society to initiate and accelerate change in the defence sector, notorious for its vulnerability to corruption. |
The arms industry is one which may require the greatest attention to combat corruption. High levels of corruption are facilitated by a number of factors, not least the levels of secrecy - ostensibly for the sake of national security - with which arms deals are carried out. Global military expenditure in the arms industry was an estimated US $1 trillion in 2004, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. With developing countries with fragile and easily manipulated governance among the largest weapons importers, it is perhaps unsurprising that graft should be so rife.
Through TI’s consultation with the governments of the UK and Sweden, the US Aerospace Industries Association and the Aerospace and Defence Industries of Europe, a series of documents have been created that examine the practices and legal loopholes that facilitate corruption in the arms industry. TI UK has issued recommendations for cleaning up the industry, including an industry code of conduct, implementing defence integrity pacts, and placing anti-corruption measures at the centre of arms control regimes. For more information, see:
www.transparency.org/news_room/in_focus/defence_sector
Venezuelan journalists win investigative journalism award
By Marta Erquicia and Jennifer Williams
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Two Venezuelan journalists from the newspapers Últimas Noticias and El Nacional who uncovered irregularities in the investigation of the Danilo Anderson case share first place in this year’s Latin American Prize for Best Investigative Journalism Report on Corruption. The annual award, now in its fourth year, recognises the courage of journalists who investigate corruption in Latin America and the Caribbean. It is organised by the Instituto Prensa y Sociedad (IPYS) and Transparency International in Latin America and the Caribbean (TIALC) and sponsored by the Open Society Institute (OSI). |
Tamoa Calzadilla and Laura Weffer will share the US $25,000 first prize for uncovering evidence ignored by the authorities during the investigation into state prosecutor Anderson’s assassination. Reports from La Nación (Costa Rica) and El Imparcial, (Mexico) received second and third place respectively. In addition, the jury also made special mention of the Brazilian press’ continuous anti-corruption research and campaigning in 2005.
The winning stories were selected from more than 100 published in the Latin American press in 2005 and chosen by an international jury of renowned journalists. The awards will be presented to the winners during the 12th International Anti-Corruption Conference in November in Guatemala. For more information please visit:
www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases/2006/2006_06_23_ipys_award_eng