Armies of Liberation

The First Report of (Yemen JAC)

on corruption about Yemen in 2007

Background:

The Yemeni Journalists Against Corruption (Yemen JAC) is an Association which consists of journalists, writers, and intellectuals who work voluntary for the sake of fighting corruption and reinforcement of rational governance in Yemen.

The key objective of the Association is to expose corruption and shedding lights on and investigate cases of corruption.

This report comes as an interpretation of that key goal as a first step to fulfill in cooperation with the corruption concerned bodies all the objectives of the JAC Association at large.

The questions to be asked are…what’s corruption? What’s the purpose of this report and on what basis it was based?

There are many approaches that differ in the identification of corruption. One approach identifies it as violation of the law and disrespect of the regime or exploiting the lack of law domination in order to gain personal or collective political, social and economic interests. However, another approach views it as; the irregular misconduct of an employee towards his career and disrespect of his duties. Such misbehavior disagrees with the official requirements and ethics of the public post to obtain particular material or ethereal gains.

Some others go beyond that to the identification of corruption as; every conduct disagrees with the public interest.

This broader classification was undertaken by the team who has worked in the preparation of this report to the bound of including some issues which sometimes irrelevant to corruption but an exposure of a certain point of issue. However, there’s an international consensus on the identification of corruption as recognized by the “Transparency International” as “Any action involves the misuse of the public post for the sake of achieving personal gains for the employee himself or for his group”.

Close to that identification of corruption, comes the recognition of the Yemeni law No (39) for the year 2006 on fighting corruption as “The exploitation of the public post in order to gain personal interests either by violating the law or by using it or using the entitled powers”.

In addition, corruption may include number of behaviors exercised by the public posts occupiers like; bribery, discrimination, intermediation, looting public money and blackmailing. This report comes within the view of the last definition in the observation and registration of whatever the Yemen media published on corruption during the 2007.

This report has been through three different stages as below:

1. Observation

Which means: Recording all the news stories that were published by the different political and independent media outlets; including electronic and printed or any type of journalistic products.

2. Classification

Which means: sorting out all the published items under the title of corruption in while the content is not in line with the definition of corruption mentioned earlier.

3. The formulation

Which means: putting the results of the previous two stages together after conducting the necessary revision and classification under the relevant topics or names of the official bodies where it was witnessed and referred to by the press. Thus, the sources of the Yemen JAC report include what the press reports has disclosed, official reports produced by the Central Organization for Control and Auditing (COCA), parliament reports, Shoura Council reports, the judiciary verdicts, reports of the international and research organizations and the complains of citizens about corruption.

The report was abided by the inclusion of what had been published by the Yemeni press in 2007 about the infringements and braches that happened in the public institutions regardless if they were committed during 2007 or before.

As the Yemen JAC Association presents this first annual report about corruption in Yemen, it aims at disclosing facts and driving the attention of the concerned bodies of investigation and accountability like the Corruption Fighting Authority and the Public Attorney towards such infringements. We at the Yemen JAC are quite confident that the Corruption Authority would react positively with our report and effectively holds the involved bodies responsible. Our confidence stems from the fact that the Authority considers whatever the press had published as guidance assist it to carry out its missions. We relay on our believe and trust in the Corruption Authority as a specialized and authorized body to do its role in view of the current report.

Once again, the Yemen JAC reconfirms that the purpose behind producing this report-which the first of its kind-is to achieve some of its goals of which is to exercise pressure towards investigating those involved in corruption cases and present them to justice and follow up the final sentences. It also meant by this report to practice pressure in order to taking the necessary measures to retain the looted public money and revenues.

The Yemen JAC would be committed to fixed policy of fighting corruption through the production of the periodical and annual reports on corruption cases published by the press including the measures taken to address them. We will pursue our mission in exposing all forms of corruption to public and concerned bodies like the Corruption Authority, COCA, General Attorney, the parliament, the local councils and the local and international organizations.

In addition, we think that it would be a good step if the Corruption Authority would produce its own periodical and annual reports on corruption cases observed and to publish them via the different media means.

Similarly, we do greatly encourage the COCA-and we highly appreciate their valuable efforts in exposing corruption- to get their reports published as well to shed more lights and public intention to it.

Moreover, it is important to confirm our commitment to impartiality and objectivity in conducting our reporting mission as depend mainly on what has been published by press or unveiled by the parliament and the COCA.

Last but not the least, we present our appreciation and thanks to the Women Journalists Without Chains (WJWC) chaired by Mrs. Tawakkol Karman to the efforts exerted to support this report, make it happen and see the light.

Summary

o Ministry of Defense

The financial breaches observed in the Ministry of Defense amounted at 202.872.037.000 YR which was mentioned in the public budget as undistributed expenses which disagree with the transparency that the parliament members demanded from the Ministry when it presented its budget to the parliament.

o The Prime Presidency

The financial breaches observed in the Prime Presidency amounted at 452.227.955.000 YR which was mainly loans and aids funds. The total loans granted to the government amounted at 358.200.000.000 YR for the implementation of some projects without sound planning, sufficient studies and effective monitoring and accountability. Moreover, an amount of 7.721.200.000 YR was the total aids granted to the government but was not properly due to the lack of sound management and the misuse of the grants and aids. In addition, an amount of 66 billions, 518 millions and 32 thousands YR were spent without providing information or commitment to transparency.

o The Republic Presidency

The financial breaches observed in the Republic Presidency amounted at 3.357.823.953 YR of which 2 billions and 14 millions YR spent without the providing the supportive documents, 758 millions YR was spent as advance payment without clearance, 8 millions and 900 thousands was spent without clear justifications and 23 millions YR spent on direct procurements in a clear violation to the tendering regulations

o The Ministry of Health

The financial breaches observed in the Health Ministry 9.404.096.793 YR of which 9 billions and 700 millions were spend against the tendering regulations, 420 millions YR spent on uncompleted projects due to the lack of monitoring and supervision, 184 millions was illegally spent, and 19 millions as the total debts of the Ministry.

o Ministry of Public Works

The financial breaches observed in the Ministry amounted at 7.133.802.000 YR of which 5 billions and 18 millions were spend on uncompleted projects due to the lack of monitoring and supervision, 1 billion and 355 millions YR spent against the tendering regulations and 760 millions was illegally spent.

o Ministry of Agriculture

The financial breaches observed in the Ministry amounted at 10.606.554.000 YR of which 2 billions and 520 millions YR were illegally spent, 2 billions and 630 millions were spend on uncompleted projects due to the lack of monitoring and supervision, 1 billion and 880 millions YR was misplaced, 1 billions and 920 millions YR as violation to the financial law as no valid documentary was provided, 353 millions YR tender breaches, 420 millions as unsettled advance payments and credits and 880 millions YR spent projects which were not implemented.

o Ministry of Civil Service

The total debts unpaid to the Ministry amounted at 21.500.000.000 YR without taking any measures to claim and collect it.

o The Ministry of Endowment

The financial breaches observed in the Ministry amounted at 127200000 YR as collected revenues but spent illegally.

o The Ministry of Social Affairs

The financial breaches observed in the Ministry amounted at 2.960.988.719 YR of 952 millions YR tender breaches, 966 millions YR as the debts uncollected by the Ministry, 127 millions unsettled credits, and 25 millions YR spent without providing supportive documents.

o The Ministry of Transportation

The financial breaches observed in the Ministry amounted at 297.072.347 YR of which 23 millions and 900 thousands YR spend on uncompleted projects due to the lack of monitoring and supervision, 36 millions and 627 thousands YR were transferred to private accounts and illegally spent.

o The Ministry of Trade

The financial breaches observed in the Ministry amounted at 7 billions YR spent illegally.

o The Ministry of Youth and Sports

The financial breaches observed in the Ministry amounted at 5 billions YR spend on uncompleted projects due to the lack of monitoring and supervision.

o The Supreme Commission of Election and Referenda (SCER)

The financial breaches observed in the SCER amounted at 377.906.000 YR as advance payments and unpaid credits.

o The Ministry of Legal Affairs

The financial breaches observed in the Ministry amounted at 155 millions and 58 thousands YR were spent illegally, 13 millions YR as unsettled advance payments and credits and 104 millions spent in disagreement with the financial law.

o The Shoura Council

The financial breaches observed in the Council amounted at 20.986.555 YR as unsettled advance payments and credits.

o The Ministry of Education

The financial breaches observed in the Ministry amounted at 138 billions, 300 millions and 562 thousands YR of which 1 billion and 900 millions were illegally spent, 14 billions and 14 millions as unsettled advance payments and credits, 1 billion and 964 millions YR illegally spent and 645 millions YR as tender violation.

o The Ministry of Fishery Wealth

The financial breaches observed in the Ministry amounted at 4.909.343 YR of which 2.193.000.000 YR as unsettled advance payments and credits, 2.514.000.000 YR spent illegally and 199 millions YR as violation to the financial laws.

o The Ministry of Oil

The financial breaches observed in the Ministry amounted at 62.961.574 YR of which 58.508.000.000 YR as unsettled advance payments and unclaimed debts, 1.581.000.000 YR illegally spent, 3.366.973 YR as loss due to carelessness and poor management and 19.000.000 YR as tender breach.

o Sana’a University

The financial breaches observed in the University amounted at 2.741.322 YR of which 217 millions and 90 thousands YR illegally spent, 2.415.324 YR as unsettled advance payments and credits, 2 billion, 415 millions and 314 thousands YR as unsettled advance payments and unclaimed debts, 7 millions YR as tenders violation and 14 millions spent in violation to the finance law.

o Ibb University

The financial breaches observed in the University amounted at 150.000.000 YR was illegally spent.

o Dhammar University

The financial breaches observed in the University amounted at 488.934.000 YR was illegally spent.

o The Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The financial breaches observed in the Ministry amounted at 200.284.000 YR of which 195.000 YR as uncollected debts and 5 millions and 275 thousands were illegally spent.

o The Ministry of Immigration

The financial breaches observed in the Ministry amounted at 16 millions and 581 thousands were illegally spent.

o The Cooperative Agricultural Credit Bank

The financial breaches observed in the bank amounted at 42.759.830.000 YR of which 21 billions, 693 millions and 563 thousands YR as unsettled advance payments and unclaimed debts and 4.000.000 YR were illegally spent.

o The Civil Aviation Authority

The financial breaches observed in the Authority amounted at 3.681.034.000 YR of which 3 billions, 502 millions and 15 thousands YR as unsettled advance payments and unclaimed debts and 178 millions and 116 thousands were illegally spent.

o The Customs Authority

The financial breaches observed in the Authority amounted at 53.812.035.000 YR of 26 billions as unclaimed debts, 12 billions, 575 millions and 76 thousands YR as illegally freed taxes, 15 billions, 138 millions and 409 thousands YR as illegally freed customs and 98.549.000 YR were spent against the financial law.

o The local Authority

The financial breaches observed in the Authority amounted at 4.839.699.000 YR of which 4 billions as the amounts transferred to private accounts and illegally spent, 234 millions and 186 thousands were illegally spent and 381 millions and 855 thousands YR as unsettled advance payments and credits, 182 millions and 423 thousands were spend on uncompleted projects due to the lack of monitoring and supervision. Besides, an amount of 41.243.000 YR recorded as loss and misused funds.