Yemen Post received a translated version of the letter sent by the Supreme National Anti Corruption Committee to President Hadi where they said senior leaders in the current government practice corruption. Below is the letter:
His Excellency, Abdrabou Mansoor Hadi, President of the Republic
Greetings,
Subject: The government's decision to stop dealing with SNACC and to prohibit the broadcasting of its news.
On 21/4/2012, seventy dates prior to end of its mandate, SNACC sent your Excellency a memorandum stating that its mandate expires on the date of04.07.2012asking at the same time for moving the legal procedures for the selection of new board members.
For some considerations on your part, your Excellency directed on 07/02/2012 that SNACC continue its work until the end of the transitional period specified in the Gulf initiative.
On 1/8/2013 media reported your presidential orders to the Shura'a Council for the nomination list for the membership of the Supreme National Authority for Combating Corruption, and SNACC welcomed this matter considering it under the authorities of President of the Republic as well as being by operation of law. While at the same date, the official media announced a resolution issued by the Cabinet obligating ministers not to deal with SNACC and at the same time prevents the media from broadcasting any news of SNACC!!!!.
There were no problem at all in the formation of a new body to replace the current; however, what was shocking and regrettable is that the sliding government work to this level of illegality to set a dangerous incident which is not sanctioned by norms and legal principles established in the work of the organs and institutions of the state and the relationship between them. This is as well as disrupting the work of SNACC until the completion of the formation of a new body and handing over anti-corruption files as required by the rules and regulations recognized in the administration work. All that come in addition to what the resolution represents of public moral abuse of SNACC!!!!.
Such strange behavior that embarked upon by the government may have a negative impact on the reputation and credibility of Yemen and its international obligations towards the implementation of the International Convention against Corruption, which was the establishment of SNACC in response to this Convention.
Mr. President Sir,
This behavior has raised questions locally and internationally about its causes and justifications.
The fact of the matter and based on the reality of SNACC dealing with the government in incidents and cases marred by the behavior of corruption, SNACC finds that the reasons behind this attitude are:
• The annoyance of government due to SNACC following-up a number of corruption cases and requesting accordingly from the Prime Minister himself the cancellation of decisions or decisions taken by his ministers in the contracts and agreements harmful to the nation, such as:
- Power purchase contracts that were in violation of the provisions of the laws and the public interest;
- Waiver of compensation owed to the state of the Dubai Port (DP) for violation of their contractual obligations to Yemen and refrain from submitting to SNACC agreements with DP in this regard;
- Manipulation in conducting some procurement bids and supplements contracts;
- Manipulation in the collection of revenues, enacted illegally;
- Non-realization of the necessary checks and monitoring on some fishing contracts;
- Refraining from carrying out the decisions of SNACC regarding arresting those involved in serious corruption cases and not enabling SNACC to investigate them;
- SNACC publishing the names of abstainers from the Cabinet, including the Prime Minister to provide financial disclosures;
- Abstinence for the implementation of the decisions of SNACC regarding the protection of witnesses and reporters;
• Prejudice to SNACC and accusing its credibility as it has been established under the previous regime, which is a public stand in the media by the Minister of Legal Affairs while SNACC has committed at all stages of its work impartiality, objectivity and complete independence. SNACC also has revealed despite the lack of potential human and material for a large area in corruption crimes and returned to the public treasury money owed to the state worth billions of riyals.
Your Excellency, the President,
From all the above, the real reason behind those decisions comes clearly which is government's attitude to escape from questioning and holding accountable those accused in corruption cases and public fund embezzlement. This issue represents a real distinction between the announced public policy of the government and the actual practicing towards corruption cases.
Your Excellency, the President,
About all of the above and since the aforementioned Cabinet's decision constitutes a flagrant violation of the anti-corruption law, SNACC Board of Members in its meeting held on 12.01.2013 agreed to contact you to put your Excellency before this dangerous precedent and the fact that the safety and legality of government work and maintenance of SNACC reputation requiring your Excellency to conduct intervention to invalidate this illegal behavior mentioned above, and restoring SNACC respect with directing to continue working at SNACC until completing the formation of new Board of Members and handing over anti-corruption files according to the law to prevent the clamor and controversial.
Yours Sincerely,
On behalf of SNACC Members,
Eng. / Ahmed Mohammed al-Anesi
Chairman of the Supreme National Authority for Combating Corruption