Towards A Corruption-Free Kupang (and Indonesia)

Hendrik Bera, a 16 years student from Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, fell silent in his chair in the seminar room of Komunitas Salihara. The young man had just heard his hometown named as the most corrupt cities in Indonesia.

"From the 2008 Corruption Perceptions Index survey, Kupang is considered the most corrupt city in Indonesia," said Deputy Secretary General of Transparency International Indonesia Rezki Wibowo in a session of Indonesian Youth Conference (IYC), Komunitas Salihara, Sunday (4/7).

In a survey two years ago, Kupang only scored 2.97 in a 1-10 scale. It means that the majority of respondents rated Kupang as a city polluted with corruption.

"I'm sad thinking of my beloved city as the most corrupt in our country. Why is it and how to make a better Kupang?" asked Hendrik, one of 33 youths from 30 provinces Indonesia who attended the IYC Forum.

Rezki explained, corruption was relatively more widespread in the provinces, because supervision from community as well as central government was less strict. But young people could certainly change the foul situation.

First of all, the youths should spread the awareness of anti-corruption movement. Around 65 million, or 30 percent of the total population of Indonesia, are youths. But not many youths care about the problems of this country, including corruption.

"If the 'virus' is transmitted, we can create a network with friends to control corruption in the neighborhood. Then we must make another network with the media, because they are important to shape public opinion. Now that's a big capital to change our country," said Rezki.

SPEAK (Suara Pemuda Anti Korupsi, or Youth Voice Against Corruption), a new youths organization formed by TI Indonesia for young people who are eager to fight corruption, also gave a presentation. They hoped to raise the youths who participated in the session, that together, they can shoo corruption out of Indonesia.

Met after the session, Hendrik initially confessed he's been pessimist of the possibility of improving his city. But after hearing what Rezki and SPEAK said, Hendrik changed. "Now the government in Kupang may be corrupt and underestimate the youths. But I believe I can change it," he said confidently.

Noor Intania Fitriani, a 20-years-old student from Padjadjaran University, agreed. "I was inspired, and realized we can fight corruption, we should not wait for the adults," she said.

Intania herself claimed she encountered the corruption problem when enrolling into her college. As a taekwondo athlete achievers, she planned to enrol via the special track for gifted students. It should be free and cost her nothing. "But instead of helping, the Education Department confused me with bureaucracy and asked me to pay many millions," she complained. Finally, she decided not to pay the illegal levies.

The anti-corruption session was just one of 16 sessions in IYC Festival that Sunday. There was also a series of panel sessions and workshops involving experts in various fields, including environment, education, health, poverty, nationalism, social entrepreneurship, information technology, creative industries, and media.

Unlike the IYC Forum held on July 1 to 3 which was limited for 33 participants, the Festival can be visited by anyone. However, participants of the Festival must purchase a ticket, priced Rp 50-75 thousand (around US$ 5-7.5). The tickets sold well. No less than 375 young people bought it and crowded the Komunitas Salihara.

IYC itself is an event initiated by Alanda Kariza, a 18 years old Bina Nusantara University student. Alanda thought there were many brilliant and creative young people in Indonesia who could provide fresh perspectives and solutions to the problems of this nation. Her proposal of the IYC event, which was meant as a place for youth to speak out, take her elected as one of the Global Changemakers, a youth activism program designed by the British Council.

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this entry was previously posted in:

http://bungtje.tumblr.com/post/827884288/towards-a-corruption-free-kupang-and-indonesia

and:

http://voices-against-corruption.ning.com/profiles/blogs/towards-a-corruptionfree

pictures are from:

http://twitter.com/clubSPEAK

http://event.indonesianyouthconference.org/

Maximizing the potential of development projects with a focus on anti-corruption through music

Secretary General of Jeunesses Musicales International, Blashko Smilevski reveals how young musicians can contribute in building up a better structure of Macedonian society

Jeunesses Musicales International Music is an international network founded in 1945 in Brussels. Jeunesses Musicales International is consisted of 60 members from around the world which organizes 36,000 activities per year with over 5 million young people. Macedonian branch is known as the Music Youth of Macedonia.

Blashko Smilevski, general secretary of the Jeunesses Musicales International and Youth Policy Advisor for the World Bank reveals how music and engaging young people through music can help in achieving a healthier and more aware youth, accountable for the challenges of modern society, corruption and good governance.

Jeunesses Musicales International work is concentrated in social inclusion, improving the lives of youth and developing a sustainable community through music.

”Music is not only our way of expression but it is a way to achieve our goal - respect for the positive values of society”, says Smilevski.

In Macedonia, the focus on which the work of Jeunesses Musicales International is concentrated are young musicians and their professionalization and specialization that will help them to gain additional skills and experiences that will make them more competitive in the labour market in the music industry.

”We work with all musicians who wish to perform and to present their music somewhere, whether they are professional musicians who have finished Academy of Music or are self-taught musicians who wish to play. We also help those who want to listen to music (audience development) or to work as promoters of good music (development of management structure)”, says Smilevski.

Smilevski says that despite attempts by the Music Youth of Macedonia and promotion of Macedonian musicians there is no space in Macedonia for expression of the musicians.

”The main problem in Macedonia is the lack of representation of musical education in schools and the small number of specialist music schools. Even if you want to learn music, you can’t do it because there are only few schools that teach music. That means less transfer from lower to higher professional music education. That is way in Macedonia we have a situation that is been happening in the last 10 or 15 years witch is decreasing of the number of students in music. Conversely, we have a lot of Macedonian musicians that are studying abroad”, says Smilevski.

Another problem associated with poor promotion of the musicians in Macedonia is the financial weakness of the state, says Smilevski. "Everywhere in the world when there are cuts in the budget, the first thing where the governments’ make cuts is the in field of culture. The same happens in Macedonia”, adds Smilevski. I think that today there is less non-governmental sector in culture, because organizations working in this area get minimal amount of funding from the existing budget of the state, says Smilevski.

According to Smilevski, the problem that is affecting the promotion of music in Macedonia is its centralization. Beside the festivals, cultural events, especially in classical music, are focused only in the capital while in the inside towns of the country there is nothing happening.

Generally, the number of youth participating in NGOs in Europe is very small. In music, young and ambitious artists today have a new trend of direct expression of their ideas and opinions, rather than membership in organizations such as Music Youth of Macedonia.

”For example, hip-hop music today is mass-accepted and very present in the world and in Macedonia and is one way young people directly, without mediation of the NGO express their opinions, their critical attitude and disagreement with the social context in which they live", says Smilevski.

Unfortunately in Macedonia musical youth activism represented by hip-hop music does not reach those to whom the message in their lyrics is intended.

”In Macedonia we don’t produce art just so that there will be something happening. We create many quality works, but we need much more. We have many good ideas, but we have a bad implementation and infrastructure”, says Smilevski.

”We have wonderful musicians, regardless of what music they are promoting. In Macedonia is not the question that we have no idea the thing is that we do not have a good infrastructure to move from local to national level. If you don’t build a stable infrastructure you can not achieve anything”, says Smilevski.

In reality, civil society advocates for good governance, respect for the positive human values and for all issues that apply to young people at local or national level, that should be happening in Macedonia also, says Smilevski.

”Only through this kind of positive campaign, just by promoting positive values, a young man can achieve success in its mission”, says Smilevski.

Blashko Smilevski on the Global Youth Forum - Mobilizing youth against corruption held in Brussels, gave lecture on Culture and Development – Linkages and added value of cultural elements in maximizing the potentials of development projects with a focus on anti-corruption.

Marija Sevrieva

Uganda’s president proposes court martial for corrupt officials

Uganda’s president, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, has asked parliament to amend the constitution to provide for the military court martial to try corrupt government officials.

Delivering his annual State-of-the Nation Address at Parliament this week, Mr Museveni said corruption had affected investors' confidence in the country.

Mr Museveni observed that there are loopholes in the trial of corrupt officials in the civilian courts as they waste a lot of time seeking evidence. He said referring corrupt officials to the Court Martial is an idea, which the MPs should explore.

"One of the impediments to investment is officials asking for bribes and wanting to get free shares. You will hear of casualties if these shameless people do not stop their activities," the President warned.

Opposition MPs and journalists who were attending the address murmured in rejection of the proposal but the president made sure he was not mincing his words "There is no problem with the Court Martial because you can also appeal to other courts, but when you are already somewhere [in jail],”he said.

The Ugandan leader, 65, who became East Africa’s longest serving head of state, after marking 24 years in power this year, referred to corrupt officials as “a disgrace to the nation that could be easily handled through the military court martial.”

President Museveni has ruled Uganda longer than all the country’s former leaders combined. He used the fight against corruption to launch his five-year guerrilla war, which brought him to power in 1986.

The president’s proposal attracted mixed reaction from the public with some individuals supporting him while others described it as “a serious threat to rule of law’”

Uganda law society president, Bruce Kyerere, explained that the proposal is an indication of lack of trust in the judicial institutions by the President. He said the president was looking for an excuse over his government’s failure to fight corruption.

“You cannot subject civilians to the army court over issues that have nothing to do with the gun. This is militarising every aspect of the society,” Kyerere said.

The lawyers suggested that the Government should instead focus on addressing the challenges facing the civilian courts, such as lack of manpower, poor facilitation and its budget, as well as equipping the Police better to enable them investigate cases in time.

The World Bank estimates that Uganda looses over 500 billion shillings annually due to corruption.

For example, in the space of a few weeks; an undersecretary in the police force was arrested and hauled into jail for allegedly creating ghosts on the payroll; a permanent secretary in the health ministry was interdicted for disobeying instructions; an accountant in the same ministry is being investigated for under-declaring his wealth; and the head of the National Forestry Authority was sent to jail after he failed to explain the origins of Shs900 million that went missing from under his bed.

The president’s speech came at a time when most Ugandans are eagerly waiting to see the action he will take after a critical report of the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on the Special Audit Report of the Auditor General on the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2007. The report reveals huge amounts of money lost in outright fraud, substandard or undone works, and recklessness on the part of the government negotiators during the contract talks.

Embracing Youths to Fight Corruption

Sadly, youth consider corruption as a normal practice.

"Sir, I think the Sunshine Principle can be used to prevent corruption," said a student in a class. The sun has the power to kill germs, he said.

He then asked in which parts of the body germs like to stay. "Underarm, foot, and, hehehe, genitals, because all three are rarely exposed to sunlight. The sun is just like transparency, killing corruption germs," he said answering his own question.

This little know-it-all guy appears in a one-minute short animation, made by Affiliated Network for Social Accountability in East Asia Pacific Youth (Youth ANSAP-EAP).

"A sugarcoated media like cartoon is good and important to attract youths," said Marlon Cornelio, 25 years, ANSAP-EAP Youth activists from the Philippines, in the Global Youth Anti-corruption Forum in Brussels, Belgium, Friday (28/5) then.

"We also have to add humor as well," he said while smiling, referring to the joke about genitals in the animation.

The animation is used as one of ANSA-EAP Youth's campaign tools to drive youths to stand up against corruption. Involving young activists in the Philippines, Indonesia, Mongolia, and Cambodia, ANSA-EAP Youth also made a social networking web site in www.ansa-eapyouth.ning.com to attract more young people.

No one can deny, involving youth in anti-corruption movements is very important for a cleaner and fairer future. "Young people are future leaders, we must invest to instill anti-corruption values in their mind and behavior," said Marlon.

Problem is, most youths feels the anti-corruption issue is too heavy and difficult to understand. Due to rampant corrupt practices in daily life, sometimes they also think of corruption as something common, just part of the reality of life. In the Global Youth Anti-corruption Forum, which was held the World Bank Institute in Brussels May 26 to 28, these challenges always arise in the stories of about 50 young activists who were there.

"One survey in the Philippines showed, more than 70 percent of young people simply don't like the government nor politicians, and do not want to talk about it. If they don't want to talk about it, how they could be interested in fighting corruption," said Marlon.

Something similar happened in Lebanon. "The young generation considers corruption as a normal practice, and they feel powerless to change it," said Raghda Allouche, 24 years, Project Coordinator of Lebanese Transparency Association (LTA).

Of course, Raghda said her organization cannot take it. "The presumption is unacceptable. Young people are the future, and only by our involvement, change can happen," she said.

She believes if youths are mobilized and engaged in anti-corruption movement, a better future can be realized. LTA implement various training and anti-corruption workshops for youth. The topics are diverse, ranging from good governance, transparency, accountability, access to information, and monitoring the elections budget.

Through Youth Civil Society Leaders, LTA also encourages young people to design anti-corruption projects of their own. LTA disburse funds for selected projects.

Youths are usually tech-savvy, so technology can be used to involve them as well. Take example of the Kenyan Pauline Wanja Kamau, 25 years old, Program Officer of Kibera Community Development Agenda, did. "We asked youths to report corruption in Kenyan via short text messages," she said.

Kenyan youths, especially in the capital Nairobi, welcomed it. About a hundred messages flood the Kibera cellular numbers every month. "Most are about corruption in schools, and one message to another are usually interrelated. Then, we go to the schools in question to investigate reported cases," said Pauline.

Meanwhile, Ocasa in Colombia and the Regional Youth Initiative in Bulgaria held virtual courses through the Internet to train the young generation to understand and implement anti-corruption values.

"The key is, activities for youths should be interactive, and the demands of the public must be taken into account when creating them," said Atanas Dimitrov of the Youth Educational Forum, Macedonia, 21 years, through a video conference.

Civil societies need solid strategy to be erected, but it also needs to be flexible to adapt the ongoing changes. And as an agent of change, of course activists should set an example first by setting high standards and achieving them, said Atanas.

Training and workshops can be still considered too serious and not cool enough for youths. One bullet may be the perfect tool for shooting the younger generation to catch the anti-corruption "virus": music!

"People love to listen to music, and the message will go straight into our brains," said a Congolese musician, Katya Vinywasiki Emmanuel, 26 years. His band, named Katya Emmanuel, often make songs of social criticism.

"Our lives, our families, suffer because of corruption. We must fight it, and we choose to do it through music," he said. The cross-country band - its members coming from the Congo and Kenya - blends reggae and hip hop music to reach young people.

Music is also a choice of Malawi reggae-rock band, Mafilika, and an Arab hip-hop group formed by Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, I-Voice, to encourage the youths to fight corruption.

Katya Emmanuel, Mafilika, and I-Voice came to Brussels as the winners of the Youth Fair Play music competition held by the World Bank Institute and the Jeunesses Musicales International. The three bands then collaborated to arrange a song titled "Together Against Corruption", which was proudly played in a gig in the Brussels Jazz Marathon last week.

Their fight against corruption reminds me of Slank in Indonesia, a very famous band who always support anti-corruption activities.

The role of mass media certainly can not be detached from efforts to involve young people to confront corruption. The problem is, the mainstream media usually deliver dry, unattractive corruption news.

Marcelo Soares, 33 years, proved that corruption news can be delivered lighter, sometimes naughty, but at the same time triggering youths to act and fight it. The Brazilian journalist plans a political program for MTV Brasil. Once a week, he presents the political news with a different angle, easy to understand, with a pop but very informative graphics.

"And this year for the first time, MTV Brazil will make a special coverage of the general elections," he said proudly. In Brazil and around the world, television is the medium that reaches most audiences, including youths, including those who cannot even read.

With his blog and Twitter account, Marcelo is also active in cyberspace. His blog Com Isso E voce? (What Will You Do About It?) and Twitter (who is followed by nearly two thousand people) is connected with the MTV website. Interactions and discussions with youths about politics, transparency, accountability, and corruption, occurred in Marcelo's spaces.

Three days was far from enough to exchange ideas and plan solutions for problems of 50 young activists. But on the third day of the Forum, all participants agreed the struggle should not end in Brussels. "This is a beginning for our fight together. People now might feel that if they did not corrupt, they would get nothing. But we, youths, can break the circle," said Gina Romero, 30 years, Director of Ocasa of Columbia, with confidence.

Beside me, there was no other Indonesian representatives in the Forum in Brussels. But we need not to be discouraged, because I know that Indonesian youths are not left behind in the anti-corruption movement.

I know there is one Retha Dungga, 29 years old, from Transparency International Indonesia, who is now very busy designing anti-corruption program for high school students. There is also a Dermawan Bakri, 19 years old, and his friends, who were successful in dismantling corruption in their school, SMA Negeri 3 Surakarta, Central Java, in the year 2008.

Corruption Eradication Commission has programs targeting youth in various provinces as well. Meanwhile, anti-corruption watchdogs of Indonesia, such as the Indonesian Corruption Watch, Education Anti-corruption Coalition, and Indonesia Budget Centre, are also filled with young people eager to move this country towards a brighter future.

Jargons

Youths

United Nations defines youth as individuals aged 15-24 years. Teenagers and young adults are part of youths. In 2005, the number of young people around the world was 1.02 billion people, or 15.8 percent of the world population, which was 6.47 billion people. The number of youths in 2025 is predicted to increase to 1.22 billion.

(Source: website of the United Nations)

Global Youth Anti-corruption Forum

Held by the World Bank Institute to connect young activists from around the world in the effort to create a cleaner world. "To give a strong impact, we need a coalition. This forum will give them opportunities to build networks and share knowledge and experience, "said Boris Weber, Team Leader of Youth Program, World Bank Institute.

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credits:

video "Sunshine Principle" : screen captured from http://voices-against-corruption.ning.com/

pictures of Marlon, Marcelo, and Gina: me

pictures of Raghda, Pauline, Boris, and Fairplay poster: from http://voices-against-corruption.ning.com/ (Raghda's taken by Brook duBois, Pauline's by Marlon Cornelio, Boris's from his profile page, Fairplay poster made by JMI)

this is an edited and translated version of my previous post, "Merangkul Anak Muda Melawan Korupsi"

Tak Usah Jauh-jauh Memerangi Korupsi: Mulailah Dari Dunia Pendidikan

Sekolah mencetak cendekiawan, tapi juga koruptor. Di banyak negara, institusi pendidikan justru disesaki oleh koruptor dan perilaku korup. Mengusir korupsi dari negeri bisa dimulai dari lingkungan terdekat anak muda: sekolah dan perguruan tinggi.

“Nilai jelek bisa dikatrol dengan menyuap guru, ijazah bisa dibeli... Bagaimana bisa generasi berikutnya bebas korupsi, kalau pendidiknya korup?” kata David Riveros Garcia, pemuda 19 tahun asal Paraguay, dalam Global Youth Anti-corruption Forum di Brussels, Belgia, Jumat (28/5) lalu.

Ia sadar betul korupsi adalah penyebab kemiskinan warga Paraguay, yang membuat ibunya dulu di umur tujuh tahun sampai harus memakan tanah karena kelaparan, yang memaksa ayahnya saat masih kecil harus menyemir sepatu demi mencari uang. “Karena itu saya melawan korupsi agar tidak ada lagi yang harus bernasib seperti mereka,” ujarnya penuh semangat.

Maka tahun 2008, pada tahun terakhirnya di Sekolah Menengah Atas, David memimpin empat ribu murid berdemonstrasi melawan korupsi yang marak di sekolah. Mereka mogok sekolah selama tiga minggu. “Kami dilabeli sebagai teroris, dan tentara menangkapi kami,” kata David.

Peserta demonstrasi dan mogok berangsur berkurang karena segala macam ancaman yang mereka terima. Dan satu hari, tiba-tiba David ditelepon Menteri Pendidikan. Sang Menteri mengatakan pemerintah akan menyelidiki sistem pendidikan di Paraguay.

“Dua tahun dari kejadian itu, tidak ada satupun pejabat yang ditindak. Tapi saya percaya kami tidak gagal. Kami berhasil membuka mata orang bahwa kami berbeda dengan generasi sebelumnya, kami tidak tinggal diam melihat korupsi terjadi,” ucapnya. David kini sibuk dengan organisasi Youth Change Reaction, yang mengajak anak muda aktif mendorong transparansi dan akuntabilitas sosial di lingkungannya.

Filipina memilih cara yang tidak sekonfrontatif David untuk membenahi dunia pendidikannya. Sebelum 2002, harga buku sekolah tergolong mahal, sekitar 120 peso (kurang lebih Rp 24 ribu) per eksemplar karena proses pengadaannya sangat panjang. Laporan korupsi pengadaan buku teks kerap dijumpai, dan Departemen Pendidikan dianggap sebagai lembaga terkorup di pemerintahan.

Departemen Pendidikan lantas bermitra dengan organisasi masyarakat sipil untuk membenahinya. Dengan teliti, buku sekolah diperiksa kualitas dan jumlahnya, serta dilacak pengirimannya.

"Kami melibatkan pandu (Pramuka) untuk memeriksa dan melacak buku," kata Marlon Cornelio, 25 tahun, pemuda dari Filipina yang aktif di Affiliated Network for Social Accountability in East Asia Pacific Youth.

Hasilnya, harga buku bisa ditekan hingga separuhnya, sedangkan kualitas cetakan terus membaik. Proses pengadaan buku kini hanya membutuhkan waktu 12 bulan, separuh dari 24 bulan yang diperlukan sebelum kerja sama ini dimulai.

Di Peru, ada Jorge Mori Valenzuela. Pria 28 tahun yang menjadi Direktur Universidad Coherente itu mendorong mahasiswa mengawasi pengelolaan universitasnya.

"Kami mempromosikan akuntabilitas pengelolaan universitas negeri. Kami membangun jaringan nasional kelompok pengawas universitas, dan berharap mahasiswa yang terlibat di dalamnya akan menjadi penggerak pembangunan sosial dan ekonomi Peru," ucapnya.

Organisasi yang digagasnya itu juga memiliki situs web mengenai pengelolaan 35 universitas negeri. Situs tersebut meraih nyaris seribu kunjungan (visits) per bulan.

Adapun di Kamerun, Laurent Gabi Wambo, 44 tahun, dari RECAAD-Cameroon, membina sejumlah sekolah untuk menjadi pulau integritas. Artinya, meski sistem pendidikan secara keseluruhan masih korup, sekolah-sekolah itu memulai “hidup baru” dan mendeklarasikan diri sebagai institusi yang bersih.

“Semua tindak korupsi bakal diberi sanksi. Dulu guru bisa menjual nilai, tapi sekarang tidak lagi. Kami mendatangi murid-murid, melibatkan mereka, mengajak mereka berbicara tentang korupsi di sekolah,” ucap Laurent.

“Tiap laporan dari mereka ditindaklanjuti dengan sanksi agar ada efek jera,” ujarnya melanjutkan. Di salah satu sekolah, tak kurang dari empat guru dipecat karena terbukti korup.

Bagaimana dengan Indonesia?

Saya mencatat ada Dermawan Bakri, 19 tahun, yang pada tahun 2008 dengan kawan-kawannya di Organisasi Siswa Intra Sekolah (OSIS) membongkar korupsi di Sekolah Menengah Atas Negeri 3 Surakarta, Jawa Tengah. Mereka mengumpulkan bukti penyelewengan dana Anggaran Pendapatan dan Belanja Sekolah, yang tercium sejak lama namun tak pernah dilawan seniornya.

Film dokumenter “Sekolah Kami, Hidup Kami” besutan sutradara Steve Pillar Setiabudi menunjukkan Dermawan, Rio Satriawan, Agung Nurjito, dan sederet kawan lainnya mengorganisir tim untuk mengungkap kasus itu. Mereka menyeleksi ketat yang bisa bergabung dengan tim tak boleh punya konflik kepentingan: bukan kerabat guru atau kepala sekolah, tidak mengikuti les privat guru atau kepala sekolah, bukan pacar anak guru atau kepala sekolah.

Satu hari, tiba-tiba mereka menggelar demonstrasi di sekolah, memaksa Kepala Sekolah dan jajarannya menjawab cecaran pertanyaan mengenai anggaran sekolah. Murid menuntut audit menyeluruh dilakukan terhadap penggunaan dana sekolah.

Walikota Surakarta Joko Widodo akhirnya memerintahkan Badan Pengawas Daerah (Bawasda) menyelidiki SMAN 3. Bawasda telah menyatakan Kepala Sekolah bersalah melakukan korupsi, dan merekomendasikan pemecatannya.

Di level nasional, ada pula Koalisi Antikorupsi Pendidikan, terdiri dari sejumlah lembaga swadaya masyarakat, yang aktif mengkritisi anggaran pendidikan. Koalisi ini menuntut sekolah memenuhi Undang-undang Keterbukaan Informasi Publik dengan membuka data tentang pengelolaan anggaran.

Bunga Manggiasih

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English translation available... soon.

Merangkul Anak Muda Melawan Korupsi

Generasi muda menganggap korupsi sebagai praktek normal

Brussels, Belgia - "Pak guru, saya pikir prinsip Sinar Matahari bisa dipakai untuk mencegah korupsi," kata seorang murid dalam kelas. Mentari ampuh membunuh kuman, ucapnya.

Ia lalu bertanya bagian mana dari tubuh yang paling banyak dipenuhi kuman. "Ketiak, kaki, dan, hehehe, alat kelamin, karena ketiganya jarang terkena sinar matahari. Matahari sama seperti transparansi, membunuh kuman korupsi," ujarnya menjawab pertanyaannya sendiri.

Murid yang merepet di depan kelas itu muncul dalam animasi singkat sepanjang satu menit, buatan Affiliated Network for Social Accountability in East Asia the Pacific Youth (ANSAP-EAP Youth).

"Bungkus yang bagus seperti kartun itu penting agar anak muda tertarik," ucap Marlon Cornelio, 25 tahun, aktivis ANSAP-EAP Youth asal Filipina, dalam Global Youth Anti-corruption Forum di Brussels, Belgia, Jumat (28/5) lalu.

"Bumbu humor perlu juga ditambahkan agar animasi tidak terasa berat," katanya sembari tersenyum, merujuk pada diselipkannya gurauan tentang alat kelamin dalam kartun pendek tersebut.

Animasi ini dipakai sebagai alat kampanye ANSAP-EAP Youth mempengaruhi generasi muda untuk melawan korupsi. Organisasi yang melibatkan aktivis di Filipina, Indonesia, Mongolia, dan Kamboja tersebut pun membuat situs web jejaring sosial semacam Facebook di www.ansa-eapyouth.ning.com untuk menarik lebih banyak anak muda.

Tak ada yang bisa menyangkal, melibatkan generasi muda dalam gerakan anti-korupsi sangat penting demi masa depan yang lebih bersih dan adil. "Anak muda adalah pemimpin di masa depan, kita harus berinvestasi menanamkan nilai-nilai anti-korupsi pada benak dan perilaku mereka," tutur Marlon.

Masalahnya, umumnya generasi muda merasa isu anti-korupsi terlalu berat dan sulit dipahami. Tak jarang karena praktek korup merajalela dalam kehidupan sehari-hari, remaja merasa korupsi adalah hal yang biasa, sekadar bagian dari realitas hidup. Dalam Global Youth Anti-corruption Forum yang diadakan World Bank Institute di Brussels 26-28 Mei lalu, kedua tantangan itu selalu muncul dalam cerita 50 aktivis muda yang hadir.

"Satu survei di Filipina menunjukkan lebih dari 70 persen anak muda tidak menyukai pemerintah maupun politisi, dan tidak ingin membicarakannya. Kalau membicarakannya saja tidak mau, bagaimana mereka bisa tertarik melawan korupsi," kata Marlon.

Hal serupa terjadi di Libanon. "Generasi muda kami menganggap korupsi sebagai praktek normal, dan mereka merasa tak berdaya mengubahnya," ujar Raghda Allouche, 24 tahun, Koordinator Proyek Lebanese Transparency Association (LTA).

Tentu, tutur Raghda, organisasinya tidak tinggal diam. "Anggapan itu tak bisa diterima. Generasi muda adalah masa depan, dan hanya dengan keterlibatan kitalah perubahan bisa terjadi," ucapnya.

Ia yakin jika anak muda dimobilisasi dan dilibatkan dalam gerakan anti-korupsi, maka masa depan yang lebih baik dapat terwujud. LTA melaksanakan beragam pelatihan dan lokakarya anti-korupsi untuk pemuda-pemudi. Topiknya beragam, mulai dari tata kelola yang baik (good governance), transparansi, akuntabilitas, akses terhadap informasi, hingga pemantauan anggaran pemilihan umum.

Melalui program Youth Civil Society Leaders, LTA pun mendorong generasi muda untuk merancang proyek anti-korupsi mereka sendiri. LTA mengucurkan dana bagi proyek yang terpilih.

Keakraban anak muda dengan teknologi bisa juga dijadikan jalan masuk untuk melibatkan mereka. Seperti yang dilakukan warga Kenya, Pauline Wanja Kamau, 25 tahun, Program Officer Kibera Community Development Agenda. "Kami meminta pemuda-pemudi Kenya melaporkan korupsi melalui pesan pendek," katanya.

Anak muda Kenya, terutama di ibukotanya, Nairobi, menyambut dibukanya jalur pesan pendek itu. Sekitar seratus pesan membanjiri nomor seluler Kibera tiap bulan. "Kebanyakan tentang korupsi di sekolah, dan satu pesan dengan lainnya biasanya saling terkait. Kami lalu turun ke sekolah yang dimaksud untuk menyelidiki kasus yang dilaporkan," tutur Pauline.

Sedangkan lembaga swadaya masyarakat Ocasa di Kolumbia dan Initiative Regional Youth di Bulgaria mengadakan kursus virtual via internet untuk melatih generasi muda memahami dan menjalankan gerakan anti-korupsi.

"Kuncinya, aktivitas untuk anak muda harus interaktif, dan keinginan masyarakat harus dipertimbangkan dalam perancangan kegiatan itu," kata Atanas Dimitrov dari Youth Educational Forum, Macedonia, 21 tahun, melalui telewicara video.

Masyarakat sipil perlu pula menyusun strategi yang solid namun fleksibel terhadap perubahan yang mungkin terjadi sewaktu-waktu. Dan sebagai agen perubahan, tentu aktivis harus memberi contoh terlebih dahulu dengan memasang standar yang tinggi dan mencapainya, ujar Atanas.

"Orang suka mendengarkan musik, dan pesannya bakal sampai langsung ke otak kita," kata musisi asal Kongo, Katya Vinywasiki Emmanuel, 26 tahun. Grup bandnya, yang dinamai Katya Emmanuel, kerap membuat lagu bertema kritik sosial.

"Hidup kami, keluarga kami, merana karena korupsi. Kami harus melawannya, dan cara yang kami pilih adalah melalui musik," ucapnya. Band lintas negara itu -- anggotanya berasal dari Kongo dan Kenya -- meramu musik reggae dan hip hop untuk menjangkau anak muda.

Musik juga menjadi pilihan band reggae-rock asal Malawi, Mafilika, dan grup hip-hop Arab yang dibentuk pengungsi Palestina di Libanon, I-Voice, untuk mengajak generasi muda melawan korupsi.

Katya Emmanuel, Mafilika, dan I-Voice datang ke Brussels sebagai pemenang kompetisi musik Youth Fair Play yang diselenggarakan World Bank Institute dan Jeunesses Musicales International. Ketiganya lantas berkolaborasi menyusun satu lagu berjudul "Together Against Corruption" (Bersama Melawan Korupsi), yang dibawakan pula dalam pentas di Brussels Jazz Marathon akir pekan lalu.

Apa yang mereka lakukan mengingatkan Tempo akan langkah Slank di Indonesia, yang begitu gencar mendukung kegiatan anti-korupsi.

Peran media massa tentu tak bisa pula dilepaskan dari upaya melibatkan anak muda terjun melawan korupsi. Hanya saja, media massa arus utama (mainstream) lazimnya memuat berita korupsi yang "kering", kurang menarik generasi muda.

Marcelo Soares, 33 tahun, membuktikan berita korupsi bisa dibuat lebih ringan, "nakal", namun sekaligus memicu anak muda bergerak. Jurnalis kawakan asal Brasil itu merancang program politik untuk MTV Brasil. Seminggu sekali, ia menyajikan berita politik dengan sudut berbeda, mudah dicerna, dengan grafis yang sangat pop namun informatif.

"Dan tahun ini untuk pertama kalinya, MTV Brasil akan membuat liputan khusus tentang pemilihan umum," ujarnya dengan nada bangga. Di Brasil dan di seluruh dunia, televisi adalah medium yang menjangkau paling banyak khalayak, termasuk generasi muda, termasuk pula orang-orang yang tak fasih membaca.

Dengan blog dan akun Twitternya, Marcelo aktif juga di dunia maya. Blog E Voce Com Isso? (Apa Yang Akan Kau Lakukan?) dan Twitter Marcelo (yang diikuti alias di-"follow" oleh hampir dua ribu orang) terhubung dengan situs web MTV. Interaksi dan diskusi dengan anak muda mengenai politik, transparansi, akuntabilitas, dan korupsi, terjadi di ruang-ruang bikinan Marcelo itu.

Waktu tiga hari rasanya jauh dari cukup untuk bertukar ide dan merancang solusi atas permasalahan 50 aktivis muda itu. Tapi di hari ketiga Forum, semua peserta sepakat perjuangan tak berakhir di Brussels. "Perjuangan kita bersama-sama baru dimulai. Orang sekarang mungkin merasa kalau tidak korup, mereka tidak akan kebagian jatah. Tapi pemuda bisa mendobrak lingkaran setan itu," ucap Gina Romero, 30 tahun, Direktur Ocasa, dengan yakin.

Selain Tempo,memang tak ada perwakilan Indonesia lainnya dalam Forum di Brussels. Tapi kita tak perlu berkecil hati, anak muda Indonesia tak ketinggalan dalam gerakan anti-korupsi. Tempo tahu ada Retha Dungga, 29 tahun, dari Transparency International Indonesia, yang kini sedang sibuk merancang program anti-korupsi untuk pelajar Sekolah Menengah Atas. Ada juga Dermawan Bakri, 19 tahun, dan kawan-kawannya, yang sukses membongkar korupsi di sekolah mereka, SMA Negeri 3 Surakarta, pada tahun 2008 lalu.

Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi pun memiliki program yang menyasar anak muda di beragam propinsi. Adapun lembaga swadaya masyarakat anti-korupsi di Indonesia seperti Indonesia Corruption Watch, Koalisi Antikorupsi Pendidikan, dan Indonesia Budget Centre, juga dipenuhi anak muda bersemangat yang menggerakkan negara ini menuju masa depan lebih cerah.

Bunga Manggiasih

Jargon

Anak Muda
Perserikatan Bangsa-bangsa mendefinisikan anak muda sebagai individu berumur 15-24 tahun. Remaja dan dewasa muda masuk di dalamnya. Pada 2005, jumlah pemuda-pemudi di seluruh dunia tercatat 1,02 miliar orang alias 15,8 persen dari populasi dunia yang berjumlah 6,47 miliar orang. Jumlah anak muda pada tahun 2025 diperkirakan melonjak menjadi 1,22 miliar.
(sumber: situs web Perserikatan Bangsa-bangsa)

Global Youth Anti-corruption Forum
Diadakan oleh World Bank Institute untuk menghubungkan aktivis muda dari penjuru dunia dalam upaya mewujudkan dunia yang lebih bersih. “Untuk memberi dampak yang kuat, kita perlu berkoalisi. Forum ini memberi kesempatan mereka membangun jaringan, serta berbagi pengetahuan dan pengalaman,” ujar Boris Weber, Team Leader Youth Program World Bank Institute.

----------------------

credits:

video "Sunshine Principle" : screen captured from http://voices-against-corruption.ning.com/
pictures of Marlon, Marcelo, and Gina: me
pictures of Raghda, Pauline, Boris, and Fairplay poster: from http://voices-against-corruption.ning.com/ (Raghda's taken by Brook duBois, Pauline's by Marlon Cornelio, Boris's from his profile page, Fairplay poster made by JMI)

English translation will be available soon -- in the mean time, feel free to use Google Translate ;)

What Does the Term Corruption Really Means?

Though a serial problem, corruption lacks a universally accepted definition. The Oxford Dictionary of English defines corruption as an act of dishonesty especially using bribery or an immoral or wicked act. This definition focuses essentially on the moral aspects of corruption.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank define corruption as “the abuse of public office.”This is a very wide ranging definition which will make the understanding of the concept difficult, especially to the younger generation. Otive Igbuzor, of Action Aid International, Nigeria, probably gives us the best definition of Corruption, which he describes as the perversion of integrity or state of affairs through bribery, favour or moral depravity. This is a broader definition which looks at the moral aspect as well as the distortion of twisting of procedures.

The Transparency International defines corruption as behaviour on the part of officials in the public sector, whether politicians or civil servants, in which they improperly and unlawfully enrich themselves, or those close to them, by the misuse of public power entrusted to them. Although the definition of the Transparency International is very descriptive, it focuses only on the public sector. But there is corruption in private sector with negative consequences for the whole of society.

The Encyclopaedia of Social Sciences defines corruption as the misuse of public power for private profit. Like the definition by Transparency International, this one also focuses on the public sector.

The Corrupt Practices and other related offences Act, 2000 defines corruption to include bribery, fraud and other related offences like gratification. The Uganda anti-Corruption Act, 2000, gave a very wide definition of gratification to mean among other things the offer or promise or receipt or demand of money, donation, gift, loan, fee, reward, valuable security, property or interest in property with the intent to influence such a person in the performance or non-performance of his/her duties.

From the above definitions, three things come out clearly. First is that corruption is a dishonest act, wicked and bad. As a result, it will be expected that good people will not be involved in it. Secondly, corruption is seen as immoral and antithetical to the positive virtues of society. This implies that there should be social disapproval of anyone who engages in corrupt practices. Thirdly, corruption involves an abuse or misuse of position and authority. Any of such abuse is expected to be met with sanction.

Gerald Barebee

Corruption 'A Gone Story with the Force of Youth'

From Asia to Europe, Africa to Latin America - including rest of the world, several young brains are stringed together at the Global Youth Forum against corruption.

Musicians, writers, civil society workers and of course journalists are all set in for the ‘big game’.

“Involving the youth to go against the corruption is very important element as we are the generation next to look after our better future that is definitely possible” said Ms. Bunga, 25, an emerging journalist from Indonesia observed during a debate over measures to curb corruption.

Joseph, 21, another young journalist from Philippines working Asia Foundation insisted “nobody else more powerful and equipped than us [youth] to curb corruption.”

With new ideas chipped in like the use of 'ICT 4 all' in dvelopment prespective will surely help people to contain the corruption.

Muhammad Imran Ali

Music as a weapon to fight corruption

Музиката како средство за борба против корупцијата петок, 28 мај 2010

Младите хип хоп артисти од Африка преку својата музика се обидуваат да извршат притисок врз младите да се вклучат во борбата против корупцијата

Музиката како средство за борба против корупцијата и младинскиот активизам како средство за запознаванје на младите со проблемот на корупцијата се основните средства со кои младите од Африка, Азија, Америка и Европа ќе се обидат да придонесат во справувањето со модерното зло. Нугри Гитуку од Кенија е млад хип хоп артист и активист за човекови права. Самиот себе си се нарекува артивист бидејќи преку својата музика, чија главна тема се проблемите на луѓето поврзани со корупцијата, се обидува да влијае врз младите и преку ритамот на музиката да ги привлече и натера да размислуваат за тоа како можат да придонесат во борбата против корупцијата. “Преку вметнувањето на ритамот на румбата “зачинет” со ангажирана хип хоп поезија се обидуваме да ги заинтересираме младите да ја слушаат нашата музика од една страна и да се заштитиме од владината цензура од друга страна”, вели Катја Њинуасики Емануел музичар од Демократската Република Конго. Емануел вели дека нивните текстови често пати биле забранувани поради тоа што ја отсликувале реалната политичка состојба во земјата, но сега се обидуваат преку “заразни” ритми да ги привлечат младите. Мухамед Ал Турек е музичар од Палестина. Преку својата музика, со која почнал да се занимава во бегалскиот камп во Либија. Од старо напуштено место Мухамед и неговите пријатели успеале да направат центар за изучување и продуцирање на музика. Преку своите ангажирани текстови Мухамед се бори за слободата на Палестина. На Глобалниот младински форум за антикорупција кој се одржува во Брисел, младинските невладини организации,младите музичари и новинарите кои го покриваат Форумот, помеѓу кои е и дел од тимот на Антикорупција и претставник на Младинскиот образовен Форум МОФ, ќе се обидат да помогнат во борбата против корупцијата. Случајно или не, учесници на Форумот се претежно земји кои секоја година се посочуваат како најкорумпирани во светот, Парагвај, Kенија, Конго, Монголија, Индонезија и д Музиката како средство за борба против корупцијата и младинскиот активизам како средство за запознаванје на младите со проблемот на корупцијата се основните средства со кои младите од Африка, Азија, Америка и Европа ќе се обидат да придонесат во справувањето со модерното зло. Марија Севриева This is the aricle that I have published on the website that I work on in Macedonia. This is the direct link to the story, but is only in Macedonian. http://antikorupcija.kirilica.com.mk/antik.asp?id=49240

Artivism

It's a new noun. Activism paired with art.

And the one who's doing artivism is of course called an artivist.

(I'm borrowing the phrase from Ndungi Githuku of Katya Emmanuel Band :)

"I'm a human right artivist... We put human right activism into art," said Githuku in his elevator pitch on Wednesday (27/5).

His fellow band member Katya Vinywasiki Emmanuel believed music can make greater impact to encourage the youth to stand up against corruption than just preaching in classes. "People listen to music, and it (the message) will go straight to your brain," Emmanuel said with confidence.

Of course, music is not the only forms of art that can be used to reach the youth. Adrien Tuyaga of Burundi proved that movies and comics can be the perfect means to reach the child soldiers in his country.

Meanwhile, John Martin of the Pan Intercultural Arts showed us that theatre can be a powerful tool as well. The Pan Intercultural has held numerous theatre training in South Asian slums, involving the people to make their own plays concerning their own issues. Convincing them that an alternate, better future is definitely possible.

But how can art influence people that much? "It gets under the skin, the art can touch the rather dry subject of corruption and governance. Through art, we can change mindset and behaviour," Martin said.

Can't agree more than that, can we?

Using music to raise awareness

Meet Samuel Mkandawire, from Malawi. He is a member of Mafilika band, one of the three bands what won the "Fair Play: Voices Against Corruption" music competition.

During a group discussion at the Global Youth Anti-Corruption Forum in Brussels on 26 May 2010, Mandawire talks about the importance of music to make young people aware of wider issues:

"The thing with music is that youth listen to music. You can write a book about corruption, but the youth will not read it. What we can do as musicians is to write songs and make sure they will be distributed to people."

Starting

This is the blog created by the eight journalists invited to Voices Against Corruption, in Brussels.

Eight Against Corruption are:

Brook DuBois (USA)
Bunga Manggiasih (Indonesia)
Gerald Bareebe (Uganda)
Joseph Mansilla (Phillipines)
Marcelo Soares (Brazil)
Marija Sevrieva (Macedonia)

Rafael Porto Carrero (Belgium)

Click on the names to see our original blogs.