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CAMPAIGN: Have You Really Done Your Duty in Fighting Corruption?
By Mohammed Al-Asaadi & Nasser Arrabyee
Jun 12, 2006, 02:50

A father shows his son an anti-corruption slogan that reads:” Bribes” giver and taker are destined to hell,” the prophet

(PBUH) says. Bribery is corruption, never hesitate to fight it”. In the background a Sana’a mosque can be seen. A nationwide

anti- corruption campaign has brought a lot of controversy. People talk about it everywhere in qat sessions, in seminars and

family gatherings.
SANA’A - For the first time in the history of Yemen, the government has launched the biggest anti-corruption campaign in

the Middle East. The National Campaign for Anti-Corruption Awareness goes everywhere in the country with a major message

that building the country is our collective responsibility.

Twelve unipoles and 685 MUPI signs went up across the country in the biggest five cities in Yemen; Sana’a, Aden, Taiz,

Hodeida and Mukalla with the capital Sana’a having the lion scare of 300 mini posters and 4 unipoles (16 X 4 meters in size).

In addition, the campaign extends to the airways, 120 radio inserts, 2 TV flash ads production, and give-away caps and

Tshirts. The campaign was initiated two weeks ago when President Saleh lashed out at corrupt officials and corruption

within the government. It has picked up speed since then by becoming a nationwide call for a public fight against corruption,

which is a major component of the Yemeni government reform agenda.

The campaign is designed to raise public awareness through not only advertisements and banners, but through poetry, songs

and plays. Some of the mottoes are: “Have you really done your duty in fighting corruption?” “Be with us in identifying

corrupts and make them stand trial and receive due punishment” “For a better future for our generations, let’s fight

corruption wherever it is” “Rotten Fruit affect others, for this there should be no room for it in society” “Bribes’ giver and

taker are destined to hell,” prophet (PBUH) says.

Bribery is corruption, never hesitate to fight it”, and “Our Homeland is promising; let’s all stand against corruption... for a

flourishing and prosperous Yemen.” A team of regional media experts are currently working on a similar TV anti-corruption

campaign to be launched in three weeks. The campaign underway is being met with a lot of support and success. As a result,

it is spreading like fire through the local press. It is not confined to the government owned newspapers or that of the ruling

party (GPC). It has invited the opposition to join in the campaign so that the Islah Party and the Yemeni Socialist Party (YSP)

amongst others all have a chance to join in the fight against corruption.

Meanwhile, a Member of Parliament criticized the government and the on-going campaign on dangers of corruption saying it

will not achieve goals unless the government offers a good example for citizens in combating corruption. “This campaign is

just a vocal phenomenon, and an extension for the workshops and symposium already held on this issue without any concrete

results or any effect on reality,” said Ansaf Mayo, Member of the financial committee in the Parliament. The MP pointed out

that campaign would create confusion and duality with Central Organization of Controlling and Auditing (COCA).

The official media said the awareness campaign translates the directives of the president on combating corruption and

implementing the comprehensive reform process, according to an informed source. “When you want to fight any dangerous

phenomenon, you need to create awareness in the first place,” said the source who is also a close aid to the president.

“If you want to fight HIV/AIDS, you need to make public awareness of its dangers in the first place. This is applicable to

corruption.” This move is in contradictory to the usual government way of handling problems which is denial, denial, denial -

“not in Yemen”, change is underway. Next step according to the source is to have powerful laws, choosing good and impartial

people and prosecution for the corrupts.

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