A double-edged sword
In Obama's Wars, Bob Woodward discloses that America's ambassador to
Afghanistan believes that Hamid Karzai is a manic depressive who is
"on and off his meds". The episode will almost certainly affect US
relations with a key ally in a strategically important country, and
the book's revelations about infighting and indecision within the
Obama administration have already begun to affect its public image.
The damage caused by the book is clear and wide-ranging, yet the Obama
administration was so keen to cooperate that it encouraged a broad
range of decision-makers and aides to speak to Woodward. At one level,
the administration seems to have hoped to avoid the fate of the Bush
presidency, whose tighter reins on Woodward's access meant that
squabbles and accusations of incompetence between a small number of
heavyweights dominate the public image of its war-planning. At another
level, the curious decision to offer Woodward such comprehensive
access was an acknowledgement that America's national politics is now
dominated by leaks, counter-spin and 'media-messaging' for political
advantage. The idea of open government has become subordinate to
electoral politics and media agendas.
Even open government in its more benign forms can be a double-edged
sword. Tony Blair recently lamented the effects of the Freedom of
Information legislation his government passed in 2000, claiming that
it has been used mainly by journalists keen on scoring political
points and has inhibited the free discussion of contentious issues
within government. India's information commissioners and RTI activist
groups criticise the right to information introduced in 2005,
suggesting that it has been used to solve personal issues instead of
encouraging transparency in government, addressing systemic corruption
or facilitating good governance.
It is true that RTI has had more than its fair share of teething
troubles. Only one-third of people in cities and 13% in rural areas
are even aware of the Act, and many of the urban poor are dependent on
activists and NGOs to fill in applications for them. State information
commissions are underfunded and unable to pursue departments that
default on time-limits for responses, and RTI activists in different
parts of the country have been harassed, attacked and even killed.
Meanwhile, some among the sharper-elbowed aspiring middle classes have
sought to turn the Act into a mechanism for improving their children's
exam grades.
Despite all this, RTI has changed India for the better. The
legislation's roots in state-level activism and laws highlights the
continuing power of...
--
Urvashi Sharma
RTI Helpmail( Web Based )
aishwaryaj2010@gmail.com
Mobile Rti Helpline
8081898081 ( 8 A.M. to 10 P.M. )
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