Following the recently aired documentary entitled ‘Yefteh Seqoqawoch’ literally mean ‘The Suffering in the pretext of Justice’ and the news that has been circulated wildly on mainstream and social media regarding the looting and plundering of the country’s 36 billion USD over the past 27 years, a large number of fellow citizens have been expressing their outrages in different ways and demanding the government to bring criminal individuals to justice.
Many believe that such shocking news items are just the tip of iceberg as many hidden criminal activities and grave human right violations would be soon publicized by pertinent bodies. More recently, the incumbent has also been toughening measures against illicit money flow in the country that is why some individuals have been arrested in the attempt to money smuggling amounting over 62 million Birr at various checkpoints of the country within five months.
It is obvious that the so far looted money has been accumulated in some foreign banks and so the government needs to discuss ways of bringing back the money with countries that allow the opening of offshore accounts via strengthening its diplomatic relations and carrying out serious financial investigation on suspects of such crime sooner than later.
Moreover, the government and other pertinent bodies have to come up with latest solutions regarding illicit capital flight. Also it has to take tough measures against those businesspersons who are good at misinvoicing amid country’s hard earned money smuggling. In truth, there has been some crackdowns on black market money changers.
This has to continue in more coordinated and integrated manner. This is because such illegal act has been adding fuel to the problem. Indeed, the government needs to re/examine its laws that have been enacted to encourage FDI flow and domestic investment as the laws might have some loopholes in preventing illicit financial flow in a timely manner.
On the other hand, strengthening the financial and judicial institutions is crucial to curb the problem from the grassroots in ensuring transparency and taking legal measures against criminals regardless of their power and reputation. The country is also expected to extend unreserved support to those businesspersons who are bringing ample forex currencies exporting various goods and products coupled with creating thousands of job opportunities to the youth.
This by itself will discourage illicit financial flow to some extent. No matter what hunting down criminals will proceed and those who are pled guilty of committing corruption, squandering public money and involving in grave human right abuses will be held accountable. It is a matter of time the money that has transferred out from Ethiopia illegally will be returned using all available legal means and working together with the countries where these corrupt individuals have opened offshore accounts.
In general, combating illicit financial flow requires global alliance in order to thwart growing threats and to break the criminals’ network in this regard. There should be also regional and continental forums revolving around illicit financial flow in a view to raising the awareness to this end. The government and the public at large have to be on alert around the clock and keep an eye on the fugitive criminals .
By doing so,the criminals that are still on the run will be thrown into jail in the very near future. In his recent public message, the Prime Minister Dr. Abiy said human right abusers would be hunted down no matter where they are and corrupt individuals could not enjoy life any more using dirty blood money as both will be brought before justice soon.
The Ethiopian Herald, December 18/2018
