We want to stop corruption but don't shine the light on us!

The Ethiopia News Agency (ENA) has published a few articles marking the International Anti-Corruption day, Friday, December 9, 2005. One of the titles declares International Anti Corruption Day Celebrated in Ethiopia . I agree that corruption needs to be dealt with for a host of reasons such as economic progress, fairness in the political process and efficient service delivery to name a few. But I wonder if the celebration is more for foreign consumption than anything else. Here is an excerpt from the above article:

According to Addisu Ethiopia has demonstrated its commitment to the battle waged against corruption in sending delegations to take part in international and continental events pertinent to anti-corruption.

The EPRDF government shows its commitment to the war on corruption (WOC) by sending delegations to various events overseas. You would think it is a joke if it were not true. This government harasses and jails anyone from journalists in the private press to political leaders and citizens who dared to speak against it at home. As usual, the EPRDF pretends to be one thing for foreigners and another thing for its own citizens. The motto for this global WOC is "You Can Stop Corruption." Well, I don't have such confidence in a government as corrupt as the EPRDF.

If the EPRDF is serious about the WOC, they should give journalists from the public as well as the private press access to decision makers as well as documents that are not classified for security purposes. A truly free press is one essential asset if the EPRDF wants to fight corruption. Harassing and jailing journalists in the private press leads reasonable people to suspect that the government has something to hide.

In the case of the election of May 15, 2005, these warriors of corruption should have made the electoral process resistant to fraud as much as possible. This is too much to hope for from a government that has no intention of relinquishing power.

When the CUD challenged the results of the election, the EPRDF rather than making every effort to assure the voters that their votes have been counted according to their preference, it started a campaign of terror in the name of law and order to cover its fraud. Terrorizing citizens continues to this day.

The EPRDF has monopolized the economic sector by creating, formally or informally, companies whose success depends on it which frustrates investment by local entrepreneurs. If this is not corruption, what is?

EPRDF is willing to fight in the WOC as long as the light is not shining on its workings. What a shame! The light will shine and the truth and magnitude of EPRDF's corruption will come out sooner or later.