On August 28th, Groundviews hosted a Twitter chat themed around corruption, using the hashtag #anticorruptlka. Participants included Executive Director of Transparency International, Asoka Obeysekere, Research Director at Verité Research, Gehan Gunatilleke, Chilaw Urban Councillor Jeevanee Kariyawasam, youth group Hashtag Generation and activist Mohamed Hisham. The conversation generated over one hundred tweets and a number of interesting insights on corruption.
Interrogating corruption in Sri Lanka is particularly pertinent with the recent resignation of former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ravi Karunanayake (reportedly on the President’s advice) after serious allegations were levelled against him in connection with the investigation into anomalies around the Central Bank bond issue. Karunanayake was replaced by Tilak Marapana, a move that caused concern due to his defense of the controversial Avant Garde, which was accused of corruption during former President Rajapakse’s regime. Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs Harsha de Silva also recently made an emotional speech acknowledging a “widespread culture of corruption” which had the Chairman of the National Human Resource Development Council, Dinesh Weerakkody tell him he needed to be “more realistic”.
The discussion focused on the factors that perpetuate corruption in Sri Lanka, and what could be done to combat it.
From the outset, the participants spoke about how deeply corruption was embedded into current systems of governance, echoing de Silva’s words.
Q1. We @tisrilanka have people walking into our legal aid office everyday with issues ranging from land to hospital services #anticorruptlka
— Asoka Obeyesekere (@asokao) August 28, 2017
Q1 – #corruption in #lka is normalised at all levels. Can one even obtain a driver's license without encountering it? #anticorruptlka
— Gehan Gunatilleke (@GehanDG) August 28, 2017
Almost immediately, people began sharing their own personal anecdotes:
Driving license is organized corruption. Driving school fees include the bribe and there is a flat rate per license.
— Jack Point (@jackpoint627) August 28, 2017
At one time medical certificates for driving license were on sale for RS.100 outside RMV.
— Jack Point (@jackpoint627) August 28, 2017
Responses to questions on the factors perpetuating corruption all acknowledged the problem of relative impunity. This even came from within the Government.
Q2 – low level corruption is incentivised by poor economic conditions. State salaries are not competitive. #anticorruptlka #lka (1) BUT…
— Gehan Gunatilleke (@GehanDG) August 28, 2017
Q2 -most significant enabling factor for #corruption in #lka at all levels is #impunity – knowing u can get away with it #anticorruptlka (2)
— Gehan Gunatilleke (@GehanDG) August 28, 2017
Q2 – lack of discipline in curbing corruption at top tiers of society, normalization of corruption & impunity seen at large #anticorruptLKA
— Mohamed Hisham (@mhmhisham) August 28, 2017
Q2.???? ??????? ???? ?????? ??? ???????? ??? ???? ????? ??????? ???????? ?????.??? ???? ?????? ??? ???? ?? ??? ???????? #anitcorruptlka
— Jeevanee Kariyawasam (@JeevaneeK) August 28, 2017
a feeling of being above d law when politicians are revered like demigods
— Tikiry Liya (@TikiryLiya) August 28, 2017
The results of this impunity disproportionately impact marginalised communities.
Q3. Corrupt Public Sector service delivery impacts the poor disproportionately – eg citizen recently complained of (1/2) #anticorruptlka
— Asoka Obeyesekere (@asokao) August 28, 2017
chit system in general hospital being schemed by staff to favour those who have bribed #anticorruptlka citizens in Pvt hospitals avoid (2/2)
— Asoka Obeyesekere (@asokao) August 28, 2017
On the other side corruption feeds in to inequality by constructing a system based on privilege (monetary, favours, bartar) #anticorruptLKA
— Mohamed Hisham (@mhmhisham) August 28, 2017
Q3 – "You don't get to access state services without compensating me first". Corruption is also a #powertrip #lka #anticorruptlka (3)
— Gehan Gunatilleke (@GehanDG) August 28, 2017
There were interesting views raised on the role of political will.
Q4 political will is super important. Not just in word though, but in action. #anticorruptlka
— Hashtag Generation (@generation_sl) August 28, 2017
Q4. Essential-because patronage politics is a foundation of corruption-however tough, as patronage is a citizen expectation #anticorruptlka
— Asoka Obeyesekere (@asokao) August 28, 2017
Different potential solutions put forward in terms of the public sector’s role, including advocating for the use of the Right to Information Act to hold state bodies accountable.
Q5: if appointments/transfers/promotions were depoliticized, we'd definitely have more champions for #anticorruptlka within public secror
— Hashtag Generation (@generation_sl) August 28, 2017
Q5. Inadequate. The passport office expedited service brings potential #anticorruptlka within system – we need to replicate such innovation.
— Asoka Obeyesekere (@asokao) August 28, 2017
Q5.??????? ????? ?????? ???? ??? will ???? ?? RTI ??????????? ??????.?? ?????? tool ???? ????? ???? ???? ?????.#anticorruptlka
— Jeevanee Kariyawasam (@JeevaneeK) August 28, 2017
The private sector and its complicity in buying into a corrupt system was also discussed:
Q6.Bribery Act empowers CIABOC to act on a Bribe giver -CIABOC must make Pvt Sec accountable if Pvt Sec are ever to champion #anticorruptlka
— Asoka Obeyesekere (@asokao) August 28, 2017
???????? ????? ??? ????? ???????? ???? ????? ?????? ????? ???? ????.?????? ???????? ???????? ?????? ???? ??? ?????? ??.#anticorruptlka
— Jeevanee Kariyawasam (@JeevaneeK) August 28, 2017
Finally, the conversation moved on to steps the public could take to combat corruption.
Q7. i)Before the next election ask candidates to publish asset decs ii) hard as it is hold off corruption being your default #anticorruptlka
— Asoka Obeyesekere (@asokao) August 28, 2017
Q7 – Public must demand that gvt empowers standing independent institutions such as ciaboc #anticorruptLKA. (1)
— Gehan Gunatilleke (@GehanDG) August 28, 2017
Resist. At all cost. Even if it means paying the price of inconvenience #anticorruptLKA
— Hashtag Generation (@generation_sl) August 28, 2017
Q7.??????? ???? ???????? ????.? ?? ??????? ??? ???????? ???? ???? ?? ???? ????? ??? ????? ???????? ???.#anticorruptlka
— Jeevanee Kariyawasam (@JeevaneeK) August 28, 2017
A series of polls on Twitter which collectively had over 100 respondents showed that many did continue to pay bribes to access public services. The services chosen were based on Transparency International’s Global Corruption Barometer.
Which of these services have you paid a bribe for to access? #lka #SriLanka #corruption
— Groundviews (@groundviews) August 21, 2017
It was revealing that many asked for the ‘none of the above’ option – proving that a few did choose to pay the price of inconvenience.
Which of these services have you paid a bribe to access? #lka #SriLanka #corruption
— Groundviews (@groundviews) August 22, 2017
The second round of polls showed that most of the respondents paid bribes either to the police or to the Department of Motor Vehicles. The Twitter conversation too noted this complicity, adding that the only way out was to refuse to participate in this system – even if it meant extra hassle. It was interesting too to see open discussion about the pervasiveness of corruption and the many personal anecdotes shared around the topic. Words aren’t enough. Although politicians like de Silva have spoken out forcefully about corruption, this needs to be followed through with concrete action – and recent events, such as Marapana’s re-appointment are therefore cause for deep concern.
View an interactive data visualization of the discussion here. An archive of all the tweets can be accessed here.