Shirini
Encyclopedia
Shirini, which literally means “sweets” in Persian language
("shirin" = sweet) and its Dari variant spoken in Afghanistan
, is the euphemism
commonly used for bribes.
In Afghanistan under the Karzai administration
, the rampant culture of corruption and especially graft from low-level police officers, who receive low salaries and are said to take bribes to subsist, to the highest level of government officials, became a major source of general discontent and cynicism
. Many interactions with authorities require shirini – like getting a new driver's license or paying a water or electricity bill.
This discontent drove a wedge between the government and the Afghan people, who under this administration grew more and more resentful of the established politics. It would turn people toward the fundamentalist
Taliban, which were perceived as relatively "clean".
By the western donors of Afghanistan and also by Afghan politicians, taming corruption is seen as crucial to the future of the country ; all candidates in the presidential elections in 2009
pledged to fight it.
According to a survey by Integrity Watch Afghanistan in 2007, the average Afghan household had to pay round about $100 yearly in petty bribes, while 70 percent of the families in the poverty
-stricken country survive on less than $1 a day .
The report of United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
(UNODC) titled Corruption in Afghanistan: Bribery as Reported by Victims , published in January 2010, calculated that Afghans had paid a staggering $1.2 billion bribes over a 12-month period ending Autumn 2009 - roughly equal to one quarter of the national GDP .
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
("shirin" = sweet) and its Dari variant spoken in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, is the euphemism
Euphemism
A euphemism is the substitution of a mild, inoffensive, relatively uncontroversial phrase for another more frank expression that might offend or otherwise suggest something unpleasant to the audience...
commonly used for bribes.
In Afghanistan under the Karzai administration
Karzai administration
The Karzai administration is the official government of Afghanistan under President Hamid Karzai, who became the head of state of Afghanistan in December 2001, after the Taliban government was removed. He was appointed at the 2002 Loya Jirga as the Interim President of the Afghan Transitional...
, the rampant culture of corruption and especially graft from low-level police officers, who receive low salaries and are said to take bribes to subsist, to the highest level of government officials, became a major source of general discontent and cynicism
Cynicism
Cynicism , in its original form, refers to the beliefs of an ancient school of Greek philosophers known as the Cynics . Their philosophy was that the purpose of life was to live a life of Virtue in agreement with Nature. This meant rejecting all conventional desires for wealth, power, health, and...
. Many interactions with authorities require shirini – like getting a new driver's license or paying a water or electricity bill.
This discontent drove a wedge between the government and the Afghan people, who under this administration grew more and more resentful of the established politics. It would turn people toward the fundamentalist
Fundamentalism
Fundamentalism is strict adherence to specific theological doctrines usually understood as a reaction against Modernist theology. The term "fundamentalism" was originally coined by its supporters to describe a specific package of theological beliefs that developed into a movement within the...
Taliban, which were perceived as relatively "clean".
By the western donors of Afghanistan and also by Afghan politicians, taming corruption is seen as crucial to the future of the country ; all candidates in the presidential elections in 2009
Afghan presidential election, 2009
The 2009 presidential election in Afghanistan was characterized by lack of security, low voter turnout and widespread ballot stuffing, intimidation, and other electoral fraud....
pledged to fight it.
According to a survey by Integrity Watch Afghanistan in 2007, the average Afghan household had to pay round about $100 yearly in petty bribes, while 70 percent of the families in the poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
-stricken country survive on less than $1 a day .
The report of United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime is a United Nations agency that was established in 1997 as the Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention by combining the United Nations International Drug Control Program and the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Division in the United Nations...
(UNODC) titled Corruption in Afghanistan: Bribery as Reported by Victims , published in January 2010, calculated that Afghans had paid a staggering $1.2 billion bribes over a 12-month period ending Autumn 2009 - roughly equal to one quarter of the national GDP .