Nothing Less than Victory

At any time, to abandon controversial or dissenting voices in any
society is like playing 'Russian Roulette.'

We pray with our bodies when we put them in front of tanks. We pray
with our hands when we link arms together to fight injustice. We pray
with our lungs when we hold breath for as long as it takes to reach the
shores of freedom. We are co-creators with the Divine when we resist
evil. The world is more sacred at these moments.

The Citizen Engagement at Global Round Table:
Victory Over Want (VOW)

VOW is a project for Victory Over Want throughout the world. VOW aims
to reach the goal of Freedom from Want, set by President Roosevelt in
1941, through direct national and international public investment,
coordinated broadly in the way of the Marshall Plan and OEEC. VOW
proposes convening a range of Commissions leading to a World Conference
which will establish a continuing program through the Agency for
Victory Over Want at all Levels (AVOWAL).

VOW Website:
http://members.chello.at/schulte-baeuminghaus/VOW/Index2.html

VOW Discussion Group: http://www.topica.com/lists/VOW

Why does majority of Russians believe that their country is among 10
most corrupt countries (Source: MOSCOW, Interfax, January 31,
2002).

In the view of 59\% of Russian citizens, Russia is among the first ten
countries in terms of corruption among state officials. Another 14\%
believes it is between 10th and 50th place in this regard, and only 5\%
suppose Russia is among the least corrupt countries.
According to the poll, 49\% are convinced that the majority of
officials in Russia are corrupt.

In the view of 57\% of Russians, corruption is impossible to uproot,
while 34\% believe this can be accomplished.

The survey contains much of a very disturbing nature, but in the view
of the entire world it was assumed only a decade or so ago that
communism was impossible to uproot. Corruption does not respect
national or ideological boundaries, it is a cancer affecting countries
throughout the world, but it is particularly rampant in the poorer
countries.

There is no doubt that Russia of 2002 is less corrupt than Soviet Union
was a decade ago. Under communism corruption made it almost impossible
for many people to earn an honest living. Worse, for thousands of
people who opposed the corruption, which spread into every corner of
the society, the price was high - the cost of their lives. Pioneers
like Mr. Soros established the first Open Society Fund in Soviet Union
in 1987 in order to build and maintain the infrastructure and
institutions of a less corrupt society. An open society is not
necessarily immune to corruption, but less likely to tolerate blatant
kickbacks and straightforward bribes. Indeed, corrupt Russian
politicians and businesses are finding it harder today than ever to
hide their activities from the mass media.

But much more work is needed to be done, continued corruption not only
in Russia but in other countries undermines efforts to build democracy,
secure human rights and fight poverty. Totalitarianism and dog-eat-dog
capitalism thrive on the wings of corruption.

Since Sept. 11, few would dispute that the connection between terrorism
and organized crime is irrefutable. Estimates of the total money
laundered around the world range from $500 billion to $1.5 trillion,
most of it from the illegal drugs trade - and around 70 percent of the
world's opium comes from Afghanistan.

Russia and countries of Eastern Europe are lax on money laundering.
There are no regulations against money laundering in Afghanistan, Iran
and Iraq. Corruption is not just a collection of criminal activities in
Russia, it is a perverse system of governance.

Business and politics have long been a hotbed for bribery and
corruption and it is essential that citizens who are at the grassroots
of community promote a clearer understanding in their neighbourhood of
the crucial importance of a free Press to make governments and
businesses completely accountable to the public. Accountability, like
democracy, cannot be partially pregnant.

Business, academic and religious leaders in a growing number of
countries are now backing the struggle against poverty, the main cause
which leads to total and absolute corruption, and the issue is
attracting more public scrutiny than ever before.

In his famous Four Freedoms speech in 1941, President Roosevelt called
for Freedom from Want. Sixty years later - just one month ago - his
successor, President Clinton, in his BBC Dimbleby Lecture, reminded us
that billions, including many in the richest countries on earth, still
live in dire poverty, are homeless or poorly housed, are educated far
below their potential, lack adequate medical care. He told us that one
and a half billion people - a quarter of the world's population - never
get to drink a glass of clean water.

Isn't it time we determined to remedy this tragic situation, to strive
to reach the sixty-year-old goal and to free the world from want?

If governments won't do it, should not the people, in the exercise of
direct democracy, take the matter into their own hands?

That is the essential concept behind "A Democratic Initiative for
Victory Over Want (VOW)."