(These two pieces were parts of a heated discussion on corruption in Nepal at 'Nepal Democracy' Google Group, which is, as some of you know, is a closed club of self-styled pro-democracy activists. So the discussion is not available publicly.) Nepe's theory on corruption: 1. I think, corruption is a default state of any society. So looking for sources of corruption is absurd. (see ? I told you, I have strange theories !) 2. Corruption is something that gets manifested. It is not something that gets originated. 3. A discussion on corruption make sense only in the context of how to prevent it. In everything else, it is absurd. 4. Since corruption does not have a source (it is omnipresent), prevention of corruption is essentially defining/determining it and placing punitive measures. 5. Defining/determining corruption needs- this is second strange theory of mine- a 'point of beginning'. Of course it needs brain and will power too. However, they can do nothing if a 'point of beginning' is not available. 6. The above is where went wrong in Nepal. Any time during the earlier years after 1990 could/should have been a 'point of beginning'. That did not happen. A continuum of pre-1990 was maintained after 1990. This is where the problem lies and therefore where the answer lies as well. 7. A 'point of beginning' is basically a point of total freedom to define corruption. 8. Give Nepal a point of beginning. That's the only way. There is no other way to find cure to existing corruptions. 9. Do not worry about newer corruptions. Because it is pointless. The measure you place to cure the existing corruptions will take care of the newer corruptions. 10. So, the answer to Nepal's corruption is to have a point of total freedom to define corruptions, place punitive measures and let the land of the law become the monarch. The rest will be taken care of by vibrant civil society and full democracy we expect to have in near future. If something still gets leaked--and leaked they will-- we will have to learn to live with that, re-defining them as acceptable corruptions, if needed. *** *** *** *** *** *** Nepe's roadmap to clean Nepal: Corruption in Nepal is so extensive and rooted, some patch work is not going to take care of it. I think we need to think it in terms of a road map just like the one for democracy. I do have a road map for taking care of corruption in Nepal. Once again the major part of it is really strange. Without further ado, let me put down my road map to fight corruption in Nepal. It has three steps. I have already described the step one in some way. STEP 1: A POINT OF BEGINNING As I explained earlier, this is basically an understanding of total power (call it a full democracy, supremacy of the law, republic or whatever). An all powerful state forms an all powerful anti-graft body. CIAA is already there. So basically, making it all powerful and resourceful is what is needed. STEP 2: RECONCILIATION PERIOD Actually, I don't know what name to give to it. However, the idea is to give a very liberal opportunity to all defaulters (of all time, all type and all ranks) to voluntarily submit to CIAA what they have benefited. It is logistically a very complicated issue indeed. However, the idea is an opportunity for a voluntary reconciliation with hope that most of the defaulters will take this opportunity and very little will be left for CIAA to go after. Let's say, CIAA announces a 6 months period for this. Those who will submit during this period will not be taken further action against, except for checking authenticity of the claims if CIAA feels so. STEP 3. NEW ERA OF ZERO TOLERANCE This commences immediately after the Reconciliation period is over. Zero tolerance explains it all. Politically this period might look like a semi-authoritarian statehood (Lee Kuan Yew's Singapore !). I do not know how politically incorrect I might sound, but if a strict implementation of the rule of law is what that is, then so be it. So, this is it. The roadmap to a clean Nepal. It is needless to say that this roadmap is only possible in a full democracy. Compromise, negotiated settlement, hyan-tyan have are no alley to this road. _______________________