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Remarks by James R. Moore Charge d’Affaires, to the National Conference on Anti-Corruption - July 28, 2007

Judge Weeramantry, Mr. Siriwardhana, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.  Thank you very much for coming out – and on a Saturday morning at that – to help launch the National Anti-Corruption Action Plan.

The United States and Sri Lanka have shared and pursued many common interests and challenges during more than a half century of warm, friendly relations.  These include the promotion of trade and investment between our two countries and, most important, the quest to reach a negotiated settlement to the conflict that has divided your country for so many years.  For the past 18 months, our two countries have also been working together on another challenge: developing strategies to combat corruption.

Corruption is not a Sri Lankan phenomenon.  It’s not an American phenomenon.  It is a worldwide phenomenon that affects all of us.  The United States has experienced its share of corruption.  My country continues to be vigilant against corruption and to work to improve legal, administrative, and societal mechanisms to prevent and prosecute it. 

Wherever it occurs, corruption slows economic development, weakens institutions and the rule of law, and gives the economically privileged an unfair advantage over the vulnerable and less fortunate members of our societies.

All countries suffer from the negative effects of corruption, whether it occurs in government, business, or in other sectors.  The fight against corruption is a vast undertaking that requires sustained, committed involvement by all elements of society:  government, civil society, business, and media, as well as individual citizens who are prepared to take risks, challenge the status quo, and stand up for what is right.

Corruption benefits powerful interests, making the implementation of anti-corruption initiatives complex and difficult – but not impossible.   Corruption has become widespread—and institutionalized—in many countries.  The roots of corruption reach deep into historical legacies, economic practices, and social structures.

Fighting corruption is not simply a task of finding and punishing wrong-doers.  It involves creating institutions, fostering genuine commitment, and, most importantly, changing peoples’ attitudes.

Sri Lanka has already taken several important steps in the struggle against corruption.  Your country has enacted a bribery and corruption law.  You have established a Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption.  You have also enacted an Assets and Liabilities Declaration Law, put in place a law to control money laundering, and signed the U.N. Convention Against Corruption.

To complement these important initiatives, the American Government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development, has undertaken a $2.3 million Anti-Corruption Program, or ACP, in Sri Lanka as part of its $135 million tsunami recovery and reconstruction program on the island.

In a very real sense, adversity brings opportunity.  In the wake of the tsunami, the ACP was proposed to help Sri Lankan governmental institutions and civil society organizations monitor the disbursement of tsunami-related development assistance and to strengthen measures to combat corruption. 

Our principal partners in this project include the Auditor General’s Department and the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption.  Other key partners have been engaged through a Consultative Council, which has representation from a wide range of professional associations, chambers of commerce, religious groups, unions, and other civil society organizations.

The ACP provides technical support to Sri Lankan partners to enable them to ensure accountability and transparency of post-tsunami relief and reconstruction programs.  The impact of the ACP, however, extends well beyond tsunami response efforts.  Training and technical assistance programs have strengthened the capacity of key government institutions; citizen participation in monitoring and reporting corruption has been increased; and the public has been engaged in the campaign to combat corruption and promote integrity. 

We are particularly pleased that the youth of Sri Lanka have been involved in this project.  It is their future that is at stake.  As the next generation, they need and deserve a level playing field on which to pursue their dreams, start a business, and raise a family. 

The Anti-Corruption Program already has several accomplishments to its credit:

• Its Consultative Council, which met monthly over the past 18 months, has established a network of individuals and organizations committed to the struggle against corruption. 
• More than 100 workshops, seminars and conferences, mostly in tsunami-affected districts, have been conducted to discuss problems and issues related to corruption, and to elicit feedback and involvement from across the social spectrum.
• Public service messages have been broadcast on television and radio to raise awareness about the need to bring the fight against corruption to all walks of life.
• A book for children by the noted Sri Lankan author, Sybil Wettasinghe, entitled “Let’s Get Rid of Corruption” has been published in Sinhala, Tamil and English.  With the support from the Ministry of Education, the book will be distributed to 250,000 school children between the ages of 10 and 15, as well as to public libraries. 
• A comprehensive survey of 3,500 households about their perceptions and experiences of corruption has been completed.
• New methods of investigative auditing have been introduced to the Auditor General’s Department.
• Assistance has been provided to newly-formed organizations to combat corruption.
• And finally, the document that brings us here this morning, the National Anti-Corruption Action Plan, has been collaboratively developed.
  

The National Anti-Corruption Action Plan is an ambitious and far-reaching endeavor that identifies and prioritizes actions to be taken by multiple sectors of society with the objective of reducing corruption and enhancing accountability in Sri Lanka.  It provides a roadmap for striving to attain a corruption-free society.

Like any journey, there will be detours and disruptions.  The important thing, however, is to persist.  It will take time, great courage, and sustained commitment on the part of political leaders, civil society, and the general public.

The cost of doing nothing, however, is simply too high.  Funds invested in anti-corruption programs such as this will be small in comparison to the economic, social, and political gains that will flow from a corruption-resistant society.  We look forward to the opportunity to work with the Government of Sri Lanka and civil society, as well as with other multi-lateral and bilateral donors, in this important collaborative effort.

In closing, let me just say that it is an honor to share this platform with Judge C.D. Weeramantry, one of Sri Lanka’s foremost jurists and legal scholars.  As a member of International Court of Justice, Judge Weeramantry had a profound impact in the field of international law.  He also is the recipient of the 2006 UNESCO award for peace education.  Thank you, sir, for being with us on this occasion.
 
I would like to thank all of you again for joining us this morning, and I wish you great success as you move forward to implement the National Anti-Corruption Action Plan. 

Thank you very much.