Corruption in the Security Institutions and Post-2014 Uncertainty

Ahmad Zia Rahimzai

In a recentreportbyTransparency International on Thursday, February 14ththat wasreleasedinGreat Britain;spokeof the existenceof corruption within the Afghansecurity forces. This institution introduces the issue of transfer of security responsibilities from foreign to local forces and institutions full of corruption as challenges.

Based onthesefindings, the level of corruption inthe Afghan security forces, particularly theDepartment ofDefenceistoo high.

Head of the Organization, Mark Peyman, also warned that transfer of the responsibilities of purchasing defence equipment to Afghans themselves would spread the corruption.

Moreover, the officials argue that leasing defence ministry’s properties, importing several things in the name of the defence ministry and partnership between numbers of officials with contracting companies are among cases of corruption within the ministry.

Corruption in governmentoffices is not a newphenomenon in Afghanistan, awarding top position in corruption by international community can be mentioned in this regard. But what interesting in this regard is that why the so-called international friends after passing more than ten years of their presence in Afghanistan have noticed the corruption within government offices now.  Why they didn’t publish or didn’t want to publish such reports during their 10 years of full control over all matters?

In the latest report by Britain’s Transparency Watch prepared along with Transparency watch Afghanistan spoke more on the existence of corruption in logistical matters of the Afghan national army which will soon be transferred from foreign forces to Afghan troops. But it is still surprising that during past ten years in which not only logistics but all matters were under foreign control, the corruption were present. Afghans witnessed worst corruption in equipment and supplies of foreign forces. Neither the donors nor the foreign forces present in Afghanistan reminded of them or at least considered it big challenge for Afghanistan.  Now, as we, on the one hand, are getting closer to 2014 which is withdrawal deadline, while on the other hand, the 4th round of transfer of security responsibilities to newly established Afghan troops is about to start, publishing such reports  are of what benefits and which wounds of worn-torn Afghan people will it heal?

No doubt, not only security institutions but all civil and military intuitions in the country such is Afghanistan which after passing lengthy period of war, poverty and calamity and complete withdrawal of foreign troops wants to bring harmony and peaceful-coexistence in the country, can be filled with corruption but publishing such reports at this point of time can be considered seditious.

People of Afghanistan and all the world, know well that Afghan army and security institutions had lost all material and moral forces during three decade of war and calamity, once more educated and trained under the shadow of perverse capitalist system, every moment prepared for killing and fighting against Afghan people and land, have most corruptiontendency among their individual and contracting institutions.

Even if we ignore the past, recently Afghan ministry of defence complained that heavy weapons and even helicopter purchased by US for Afghan army does not have required quality and efficiency and have spoken of presence of corruption in the contracts of the purchased weapons and helicopters.

Pertinent observers are of the opinion that there is no transparency in the previous purchases made by international troops, and most of the contracts are signed in a manner that corruption can easily be made.

As previously mentioned, while the 4th round of transfer of security responsibilities is about to reach and US and NATO forces are about to leave, publishing such reports which makes people doubt their security forces is considered as nothing just as exciting worries of the people. Probably publishing this and other reports are detail programs of western plots which they have dreamed of for the future of Afghanistan. Establishing permanent bases can be named a small example. Otherwise, all know that in Afghanistan corruption had no roots in such an extent as today it has under the presence of civil and military forces of more than thirty countries of the world. This by itself leads us to know who with which goals are behind the scene of the corruptions within civil and military intuitions.