U.S. Ambassador Garber wrote on “Human Rights and Combatting Corruption”

US Ambassador to Cyprus Judith G. Garber wrote an article about Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Day.

Ambassador Garber's article is as follows:

Human Rights and Combatting Corruption

Around the world, the fundamental freedoms owed to every individual are increasingly under threat.  Democracies new and old are combatting dual crises of corruption and democratic backsliding both domestically and abroad. As people around the world commemorate Anti-Corruption Day, let us reflect on the role each one of us plays in safeguarding the ideals of democracy.

President Biden once declared, “Democracy doesn’t happen by accident.  We have to defend it, fight for it, strengthen it, renew it.”  To counteract the global rise in rising inequality and injustice, rights-respecting individuals can and must act together to uphold the principles of democracy.  The most fundamental of these values is an open and transparent society, where corruption is the enemy, government is honest and accountable, and people are treated with dignity.

The Biden administration recognizes that corruption anywhere directly damages democracy and security everywhere.  For this reason, President Biden established combatting corruption as a core national security priority through the National Security Study Memorandum, which outlines how the United States can better modernize, coordinate, and resource efforts to fight corruption, tackle illicit finance, and hold corrupt actors accountable.  In centering anticorruption in both our domestic and foreign policy, the United States commits to leading by example in the global fight to eradicate injustice.

We at the U.S. Embassy are fortunate to engage with dedicated Turkish Cypriot partners on this issue through exchanging anti-corruption data, participating in technical workshops, and sharing best practices for supporting transparency. However, there are still considerable gaps in combating corruption in the Turkish Cypriot community.  According to sobering data based on Transparency International’s methodology, the 2021 North Cyprus Corruption Perceptions Report, 97 percent of businesspeople said corrupt practices are pervasive in the Turkish Cypriot community.  Moreover, 80 percent of Turkish Cypriots report believing politicians and political leaders engage regularly in bribery.

We can see the consequences of corruption playing out in cities and villages in the Turkish Cypriot community every day.  At present, thousands of foreign workers and students are vulnerable to trafficking in nightclubs, factories, farms, and construction sites.  Free, unencumbered media spaces continue to shrink or disappear entirely as journalists and other dissenters are sued, harassed, arrested, and restricted in their movements.   An increasing number of Turkish Cypriots make the difficult decision to leave their homes for more hopeful futures abroad, taking with them the histories and boundless potential which make this island so unique.

There is no “one size fits all” solution to tackle corruption here or elsewhere in the world.  Solutions are often rooted in unique circumstances, political histories, and economic systems, and can be highly technical.  In Cyprus, where communities are small and closely-knit, confronting corruption among family members or friends can seem impossible.    In the United States, rising political polarization and public distrust in institutions complicate efforts to eradicate corruption and other forms of injustice.  However, as President Biden once remarked, “No fundamental social change occurs merely because government acts.  Real progress happens when civil society—the conscience of a country— begins to rise up and demand change.”

It falls to those of us who care about this island to keep moving forward and resisting the instinct to step back, and to keep insisting that no one—regardless of wealth or station—is above the law.  Right now, Turkish Cypriot activists, civil society, and other defenders of democracy are working tirelessly to bring forth real, meaningful change in their communities.  The United States will continue to offer its partnership and support to all those who endeavor to defeat tyranny in all of its many forms, including corruption.  Our actions and our impact are stronger when we stand together.

As my time as U.S. Ambassador draws to a close, I reflect both on the public’s strong desire for justice and applaud all those who work to fight corruption, defend human rights, and preserve the rule of law.  We can and must do better to eradicate the scourge of corruption wherever we find it, and create a fairer, more prosperous society for ourselves and for the generations to come.