Arab Archives Institute - Campaign Against Wasta

Since 2000 and until 2006, the Arab Archives Institute (AAI) has spearheaded efforts to combat Wasta in Jordan – a subject that was quasi taboo to analyse and discus at the outset. An opinion poll on Wasta, the first of its kind in the kingdom, was conducted by AAI as the first activity in the field of transparency as it had joined Transparency International as its representative in Jordan. The poll was released at a national conference entitled “Towards Transparency in Jordan” in May 2000.

“Wasta will not be eliminated, many Jordanians said. It is spread all over.. it is too difficult to go against the current.”

Its true. In the opinion poll on wasta conducted by the Arab Archives Institute back in May 2000 to acknowledge the fundamental problems related to Wasta and the society’s views about it, around 87 per cent of respondents stressed the need to eradicate Wasta because it was one form of corruption, but simultaneously more than 90 per cent believed they would be using it. 

The reason, according to the majority of respondents - 60 percent, is social pressure. But it also has to do with power, social standing, and most importantly, having one’s way of expressing the system of justice he/she believes in, as opposed to the absent set of agreed-upon social values as this study revealed.

The release of the poll during the 2000 conference entitled Towards Transparency in Jordan generated unprecedented heated reaction with people from all spectrums of the society.

Around 200 articles, reports and columns were published regarding the Wasta poll. The debate at the national level, within government and among civil society actors prompted AAI to follow up on the issue. Less than a year later, a book entitled Wasta- The Declared Secret was published.

The book on Wasta came as a preliminary study of the phenomenon of Wasta at a time when political will was more and more adamant on fighting what it termed as the “epidemic” that has to be radically eliminated, and when the society has become increasingly uncomfortable with the repercussions of one of the most discriminatory phenomena in the country.

The Arab Archives Institute attempted to gather in the book all existing material on the subject. And because previous research on the subject was limited, the Institute carried out direct and written interviews with selected personalities from five main fields: politicians, journalists, artists, doctors and lawyers. It is envisaged that further studies on the other sectors, such as banking, engineering, public service, etc. will be completed in forthcoming books.

There is too much damage Wasta has done to the system: whether in poor public services or in discriminatory measures and practices that hamper proper development and affects prosperous investment.

That is why AAI attempted to touch on this basic problem, in the hope that it might lead to a general will by the society and the leadership combined, to eradicate Wasta. This might be carried out through legislation, laws or codes of honour as well as public awareness campaigns. It will also be reduced if projects such as e-government and reform programmes are implemented on the ground with the right mechanisms. But Wasta, or  other forms of nepotism and cronyism, will not be eradicated if people who use them and encourage them are or will be in power...

Special sessions on the implications of Wasta on development and on the respect of human rights in Jordan were organized within AAI conferences. In 2003, in an international conference on Transparency in Jordan organized by AAI , prime minister Ali Abul Ragheb announced the government’s willingness to promulgate a legislation incriminating the use of Wasta in accordance with AAI’s request. Debate in the media and in national activities ensued. Although the final outcome of the law did not meet full expectations, a law incriminating Wasta came to light and was endorsed.

Wasta

In practice, almost all Jordanians use Wasta in one form or another and at a certain point in time. In principle, most Jordanians condemn it, according to an opinion poll conducted by the Arab Archives Institute, Transparency Jordan. Around 87 per cent of respondents stressed the need to eradicate Wasta because it was one form of corruption, but simultaneously more than 90 per cent believed they would be using it. 

Wasta, the use of connections for personal gain, inter alia, is a widespread phenomenon that affects all aspects of Jordanians lives. It has grown to be part of the culture where people resort to it for obtaining jobs, university seats, scholarships, and even for resolving daily problems among people.

Wasta negatively influences citizen’s rights and affects equality between people. It is the primary reason for frustration and lack of confidence in the system. It is a “theft” of rights.

Wasta is not simply mediating to a friend or a relative to restore a right or obtain a job. It involves the lives of people, their livelihood and their future. It affects development and prosperity. It undermines belonging and faith to the country. The more Wasta used, the less respect is given to the individual’s capabilities and qualifications.

Despite the general consensus among Jordanians on the negative role of Wasta on social development, and the general recognition of Wasta as one form of corruption, many see a good side for it.

If Wasta were one form of corruption that should be rejected by the society as Jordanians agreed in the above-mentioned poll, it also meant for certain people the mean to achieve justice and righteousness, which some classified under benevolent Wasta.

1- Wasta, in its broader sense, is corruption. It should be fought at all fronts, but since the overall system allows limited examples and unconvincing application of legislation related to good governance, then,

2- Wasta could and should be used to restore justice, help people in need and most of all, prove one’s rights in front of the others and the society.

Benevolent Wasta is another expression of the public’s lack of confidence in state institutions and their ability to preserve and restore individual’s rights. If rights are usurped, it is Wasta and less so the judiciary system, the media, and the parliament that can restore the right back. The citizen fears to confront a situation where an employee, a civil servant, shows disrespect or disregard to his/her demand. When Wasta intervenes, the citizen is confident that he/she will get the appropriate respect they deserve. Wasta is inevitable so long as the system that supports it remains unchanged.

However, Wasta is becoming a burden on the state. The regime is becoming increasingly restless with the negative implications the extensive use of Wasta is having on the development of the society. Plans and programmes, such as e-government, structural reform from the government’s side and awareness campaigns conducted by civil society (Transparency Jordan) are becoming part and parcel of the overall country’s policies.