Thursday, February 22, 2007
 
Corruption costs flight of SR3 trillion worth Saudi funds
Arab News - 22 February, 2007
www.gulfinthemedia.com/index.php?id=287883&news_type=Economy&lang=en
Saudi funds worth SR3 trillion ($ 800 billion) have gone out of the Kingdom as a result of administrative corruption, according to Majed Garoub, a legal consultant and chairman of the lawyers committee at the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Garoub did not say over what period of time this figure is derived.

He made this disclosure while commending the significance of the national
strategy for combating corruption, which was approved by the Council of
Ministers last Monday. The Cabinet also set up an authority to monitor
implementation of the strategy.

Garoub called for greater administrative and financial controls and
establishment of a separate ministry for administration.

"We are also in need of a constitutional court to ensure that our rules and
regulations are suitable and legitimate," he added. There are different
forms of administrative corruption, such as bribery, use of influence or
wasta (personal connections) and embezzlement of public money.

"We are losing billions of riyals every year as a result of corruption,"
said Amri Al-Kholi, professor of law at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah.

While passing the anti-graft bill, the Cabinet urged all government
departments to combat corruption by carrying out their duties in accordance
with the law, reducing and facilitating administrative procedures and
holding all officials, irrespective of their positions, accountable.

The National Authority for Combating Corruption will be under the direct
supervision of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, who has
declared a war on corruption and bureaucratic practices ever since he
ascended the Saudi throne in August 2005.

The head of the authority will be appointed by a royal decree and will have
a ministerial rank, informed sources said, adding that all officials
including ministers would be held responsible for dishonest practices. Salim
Al-Qahtani, a Shoura Council member, said state-owned companies like Saudi
Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC), Aramco and Saudi Electricity Co. would also
be questioned in case of malpractices.

"The decision to establish a national authority for fighting corruption is
not only an acknowledgement of corruption in the country but also an
affirmation of the government's resolve to fight it," Muhammad Al-Qahtani,
professor of economy at the Institute of Diplomatic Studies, told Al-Watan
Arabic daily.

Qahtani said the decline in government services, especially in the health
and education sectors as well as the spread of poverty prove that public
money is not spent in a proper manner. He said administrative corruption was
taking place secretly, adding that all officials involved in graft cases
must be questioned. Saudi Arabia holds a remote 78th position among 160
countries in terms of transparency. "Using government position to realize
personal interests is one of the definitions for administrative corruption,"
Qahtani said. He also spoke about violations in government contracts and
stealing of public land and other properties.

Referring to malpractices taking places in government purchases, Qahtani
asked why the products purchased for government departments are priced five
times higher than their market value. "This is a dangerous but widely seen
practice," he added. Some studies show that government officials take bribes
because of low salaries. "But nobody should be allowed to accept bribes. If
customs officials and border guards take bribes for doing favors it will
have dangerous consequences," he added.

Reproduced by permission of IMRA, Independent Media Review and Analysis, Israel.

http://www.imra.org.il/story.php3?id=33167
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Friday, February 23, 2007
Hamas training men in Iran, Fatah training men in Egypt, Yedioth Ahranoth claims 

 Hamas training men in Iran, Fatah training men in Egypt, Yedioth Ahranoth
claims
Date: 23 / 02 / 2007 Time: 14:35
www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=19799

Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israeli sources have claimed that Israel has information
about hundreds of Hamas fighters training in Iran.

The Israeli daily 'Yedioth Ahranoth' reported that hundreds of Hamas men
have travelled from the Gaza Strip to military training camps in Iran. The
paper said that according to Western intelligence sources, the Iranian
revolutionary guards are in charge of the training of these men, who are
trained as part of the so-called 'Al-Quds army' (Jerusalem army).

According to the paper, Western intelligence believes this training comes as
part of the military cooperation between Iran and the Hamas movement. The
paper adds that Palestinians have said that the Hamas men travelled to Egypt
as tourists and left from there to Iran. Israel is expecting thousands of
these trained operatives to return to the Gaza Strip in the future.

The paper added that Fatah is trying to strengthen its men at the same time.
In particular, the paper says Fatah is training up 3 to 5 battalions of the
presidential guards, including one battalion of 800 men which is undergoing
training in Egypt in order to be stationed in the Gaza Strip. This battalion
is expected to complete its training soon. Some Israeli analysts believe
that this battalion is loyal to the Fatah strongman Muhammad Dahlan, who in
turn is loyal to President Abbas.

As a result of this dual training, Israel believes that, in spite of the
Mecca deal, an atmosphere of distrust still prevails between the two
factions, Hamas and Fatah. The Israeli sources are predicting a return to
internal fighting and therefore, Fatah and Hamas are both training their men
in preparation for what would undoubtedly be a fiercer, and bloodier, round.

Reproduced by permission of IMRA, Independent Media Review and Analysis, Israel.

http://www.imra.org.il/story.php3?id=33188