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Corruption-Related Stories Dominate International Headlines

Dec 31st, 2007 • Posted in: News

Long-running graft saga in Pakistan ends in violence; leaders in Asia and Africa in court over corruption charges; aggressive anti-corruption official in Nigeria ousted

VARIOUS DATELINES
Corruption issues were the text and subtext of several major stories from the world press last week:

• A violent death punctuated one of the most visible corruption-related sagas on the international stage. Benazir Bhutto, the first female prime minister of Pakistan, was killed last week in an apparent suicide bombing. She had returned to Pakistan after eight years of self-imposed exile after she was convicted of corruption charges, which were later overturned, CNN reports. According to the Washington Post, the assassination — the circumstances of which are still uncertain and disputed — further erodes chances for democracy as well as for the growth of Pakistan’s economy, already undermined by uncertainty over corruption and instability.
• The front-runner in Taiwan’s presidential election was cleared of fraud and corruption charges last week. Ma Ying-jeou was accused of misusing about $300,000 in city funds when he was mayor of Taipei, and could have faced ten years in prison if convicted, reports Bloomberg.
• Jacob Zuma, who recently was elected head of South Africa’s ruling African National Congress, has been charged with corruption, the Financial Times reports. The charges have ratcheted up tensions within the political and business communities, which fear the economy will be paralyzed as the dispute plays out, according to the Times.
• An aggressive anti-corruption official in Nigeria was dismissed last week, reports the Voice of America, with many believing the government succumbed to pressure to remove the man heading the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. Critics say the dismissal of Nuhu Ribadu, which came in the form of an administrative reassignment, illustrates a lack of sincerity toward fighting graft, which is widely thought to have hobbled Nigeria’s economy.
• Political backers of deposed Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra say they will not try to block anticipated corruption trials if they succeed in bringing Thaksin back and forming a coalition government, the Bangkok Post reports. Thaksin and his wife are vowing to return to Thailand despite pending charges. Thaksin fled after a bloodless coup motivated in part by public outrage over his allegedly corrupt business dealings.

Sources: Washington Post, Dec. 30 — CTV, Dec. 28 — Bloomberg, Dec. 28 — Financial Times, Dec. 28 — VOA, Dec. 28 — Bangkok Post, Dec. 28.

For more information, see: Related Newsline story, Nov. 13 — Related Newsline story, Oct. 22 — Related Newsline story, Sep. 24 — Related Newsline story, Aug. 20 — Related Newsline story, Nov. 5.

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1. Ethics Newsline » News » Corruption Cases Impact Governments Worldwide on May 13th, 2008 at 12:56 am:

   [...] more information, see: Related Newsline story, Jan. 22 — Related Newsline story, Dec. 31, 2007 — Related Newsline story, Oct. 15, 2007 — Related Newsline story, [...]

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