The Right to Care; the Responsibility to Protest

by Tisaranee Gunasekara -April 9, 2016, 8:51 pm 

"Power concedes nothing without demand. It never did and it never will."
Fredrick Douglassi

The Panama Papers reveal a truth which is timeless and universal. Power and corruption are conjoined twins. The 148 politicians implicated so far, by the 11.5 million files from the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, span every divide, starting with race, religion and ideological persuasion. They have one common denominator – the possession of power; and a willingness to use that power to their own financial advantage.

The Panama Papers is a reminder that no country, no political class is immune to corruption. But in a functioning democracy there is a slight chance of achieving a degree of accountability, however minute or ephemeral; in a non-democracy no such possibility exists.

The Icelandic Prime Minister didn’t admit to any wrongdoing, didn’t want to resign. But he was forced to ‘step down’ due to an outburst of popular anger. No such fate is likely to befall Russian President Vladimir Putin, implicated in the scandal through close associates. Mr. Putin’s spokesman condemned the Panama Papers as a conspiracy, hatched to destabilise Mr. Putin before the upcoming election.

British Prime Minister David Cameron is in hot water, trying desperately to answer questions about his father’s offshore fund and persistent tax avoidance. Families of several top Chinese politicians, including the brother-in-law of President Xi Jinping, are implicated in the scandal. Beijing’s reaction was to dismiss the leaks as ‘groundless’ and ensure that Chinese citizens cannot search the internet for information about their leaders’ kleptocratic practisesii.

Pakistani President has promised an independent investigation about the offshore accounts of his children. The Saudis and the Emirates haven’t turned a hair, even though the Saudi king is among those implicated in the scandal.

(Amongst those mentioned in the Panama Papers are three Lankan clients, though their names are yet to come to light.)

The Panama Papers also serve as a reminder that corruption is a societal ill. Amongst the named are economic heavyweights and sports and cultural icons, from orient to occident. Those outed by the Panama Papers also include the head of the Chilean branch of Transparency International, the global anti-corruption watchdog. (He has since resigned).

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