In Memory of an Anti-Corruption Fighter

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing on 30 November 2012 of the Hon Jabulani Mangena, Vice-Chair of APNAC Zimbabwe and a member of the African Parliamentarians’ Network Against Corruption (APNAC) Executive Committee.

Mr Mangena was a committed anti-corruption leader in Zimbabwe and throughout the APNAC region. His absence will be felt across the anti-corruption world. In his time in office, Mr Mangena not only served his constituents in the Bulawayo region, but also dedicated himself to fighting corruption for the benefit of all the citizens of Africa.

Born in July 1959 in Mberengwa, Zimbabwe, Mr Mangena became active in politics at an early age and was member of the Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front. He served in the President’s Department from 1984 until 2008, when he was elected the Member of Parliament for Mberengwa North, a position he held at the time of his death. He is survived by his wife Marilyn and two children.

GOPAC is in many ways a family for parliamentarians committed to combating corruption, and we will feel the loss of our friend at all levels of the organization.

New Appointment for GOPAC Vice-Chair Garcia Cervantes

GOPAC congratulates our Vice-Chair, Ricardo Garcia Cervantes, for his recent appointed as Mexico’s Deputy Attorney General for Human Rights, Crime Prevention, and Community Services. This appointment is a testament to the dedication and hard work Mr Garcia Cervantes has shown in the name of good governance over the years. He is an exemplary leader in the fight against corruption and GOPAC is fortunate to count him as a member of our Executive Board and part of our broader membership. We wish him great success in his new role.

GOPAC Anti-Money Laundering GTF Chair Addresses Anti-Corruption Advocates in Turkey

The Hon Roy Cullen, Chair of GOPAC’s Anti-Money Laundering Global Task Force (GTF-AML), was in Ankara, Turkey at the beginning of December to address participants at the International Conference on Promotion of Transparency and Accountability for Strengthened Integrity Systems. The event was co-hosted by the Government of Turkey and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). Mr Cullen spoke as part of a panel on openness and transparency in the financing of political parties and election campaigns.

During his speech, Mr Cullen highlighted the importance of transparency and accountability in political parties and election campaigns financing. He stressed that public confidence in

the integrity of the electoral processes, including political finances, is critical if citizens are to believe that their democratic rights are respected and secured.

He also reminded the participants of Article 7(3) of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption which calls all States Parties to “consider taking appropriate legislative and administrative measures, consistent with the objectives of this Convention and in accordance with the fundamental principles of its domestic law to enhance transparency in the funding of candidatures for elected public office and, where applicable, the funding of political parties.”

GOPAC Australia and GOPAC Timor Leste Collaborate for a Stronger Force Against Corruption

Collaboration between GOPAC chapters is crucial to the fight against corruption. In December, the Chair of GOPAC Australia, John Hyde, joined members of GOPAC Timor Leste at the Raising public awareness to combat corruption in Timor-Leste national forum. Among the many members of GOPAC Timor-Leste in attendance were Fernanda Borges, GOPAC Timor Leste Chair, Cipriana da Costa

Pereira, GOPAC Timor Leste Vice-Chair, and Francisco M. Branco, Member of Parliament.

The Centre of Studies for Peace and Development, Interpeace, and MISEREOR hosted the national forum in Dili. Mr Hyde presented as part of a panel that explored national and international perspectives, and he focussed on parliamentary immunity.

New GOPAC Chapter in Indonesia

Indonesian citizens have been increasingly citing corruption as their country’s single greatest challenge. Just this month, Transparency International’s 2012 Corruption Perception Index marked Indonesia down to 118th from 100th place, out of 176 countries surveyed.

This crisis of confidence in the political process led 18 of Indonesia’s Members of Parliament (MPs) to form a GOPAC national chapter to support their efforts to combat political corruption. At the beginning of December, these 18 MPs along with representatives from the South East Asian Parliamentarians Against Corruption (SEAPAC), GOPAC’s regional chapter in South East Asia, gathered in Jakarta, Indonesia for the official launch of GOPAC Indonesia. The process was supported by GOPAC’s Global Task Force Advisor Priya Sood.

As part of the launch, the new GOPAC members signed a Declaration calling for a comprehensive and inclusive approach to eradicating corruption that focuses on promoting ethics, avoiding conflicts of interests, and strengthening integrity among state officials. The Declaration also invites members of the House of Representatives who support the eradication of corruption to join GOPAC Indonesia.

During the launch, Mr Pramono Anung, Vice-Chair of the Indonesian House of Representatives and Chair of GOPAC Indonesia, called on parliamentarians to commit to a wide and open alliance to fight corruption. He was joined by Attorney Regina Geraldez, speaking on behalf of SEAPAC Chair Senator Edgardo Angara. Ms Geraldez congratulated the Indonesian MPs for taking a step in the right direction and encouraged them to take a very specific and targeted approach on areas of concern. She also commended Indonesia’s anti-corruption efforts to date, particularly in the areas of restoring integrity in public service; establishing effective prevention, investigation, and prosecution procedures; institutionalizing corporate responsibility and accountability; and encouraging public participation.

The Honourable Kamarudin Jaffar, a member of the GOPAC Global Task Force on the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), also attended and applauded Indonesia for taking this important step, and he expressed the hope that similar measures would taken in his home country of Malaysia.