Illicit Enrichment, Any Solution? [Archives:2000/32/Focus]

Imad Al-Saqqaf,
Taiz Bureau Chief,
Yemen Times

Amidst the financial and administrative corruption sweeping all government machinery, bribery phenomenon has overwhelmingly spread in judiciary, education, health and security. Consequence of bribery can be traced among thousands of ineligible and failure students, thousands of postponed legal cases. It is manifest in cases of thousands of arbitrarily imprisoned people and those doctors who have converted into headsmen instead of angels of mercy.
What is worse is that decision-makers know well where corruption is bred and where it stems from. However, once in a blue moon one of them has been prosecuted.
I still remember the execution of some Iraqi officials after being proved guilty of taking bribes in the 1980s, Syrian ex-prime Minister, Mahmoud Al-Zoghbi who committed suicide after accusing him of corruption and the prosecution of Prime Minister of Pakistan. In our country the situation is just the opposite, for corrupts are rewarded and promoted.
I believe that one of the main reasons for the spread of such corrupt practices is Qat. Oddly enough, people buy qat that costs them more than the salaries they get. This of course comes through taking bribes for even putting a single signature.
This happens everyday in schools, hospitals, offices, courts, police stations, etc. In an overnight tens of such corrupts become prosperous and nobody dare ask them where you have got this from.

——
[archive-e:32-v:2000-y:2000-d:2000-08-07-p:./2000/iss32/focus.htm]