Saul Mullard

Corruption and climate researcher, hoping for real change

[Caitlin Johnstone @caitoz]

Some guy broke into my house and set up residence in the study room. He says his grandparents used to live in this house and now he won't leave.

My family and I tried to kick him out but he got very violent. He brings in his friends and they help beat us up if we ever try to make him leave.

They keep saying I hate the guy because of his religion. I don't even care about his religion, I just don't like sharing my house with some random outsider who broke in here out of nowhere and took my stuff.

"The poor guy just wants one room to call his own," his friends say in his defense. "You and your family have all the surrounding rooms in the house, and yet you have a problem with the guy having sovereignty over ONE room? That's kind of bigoted and evil."

He keeps throwing stuff at me and my family if we get too close to his door, saying we make him feel afraid. His friends say it's understandable because his room is surrounded by enemies who hate him just for existing, but we don't hate him for existing, we hate him because he forcibly inserted himself into our home and keeps throwing stuff at us.

And what's weird is whenever I explain my situation to normal people they completely understand where I'm coming from and agree the guy is being a dick, but if I talk to the police or the local paper they always side with the guy. Almost everyone in town hates this guy now because of how he's been acting, but everyone in power does everything they can to protect him. It's like there's a total disconnect between the authorities and the will of the public on this particular issue.

It's having a nastier and nastier effect on the community at large all across town. The police have been showing up to arrest anyone who says they think the guy's being an asshole. The paper keeps printing these obnoxious lies telling everyone that me and my family are the real criminals and the guy is actually sweet and awesome. It's really unfair.

Things have been so tense and hostile ever since this guy showed up. I honestly think it would be better if he'd never moved in here at all, but whenever I say that his friends claim I'm saying the guy should be exterminated and try to get me in trouble.

It's a real mess, man.

That guy sucks.

[Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur oPt @FranceskAlbs]

A small step, the smallest step, but it's a beginning.

Norway still has to answer this: how can a country that champions human rights, allow its vast sovereign wealth fund, one of the largest in the world, to invest in entities linked to an occupation the ICJ has found illegal?

[Joseph Pozsgai-Alvarez @jpozsga1]

Many in the anti-corruption world have chosen to speak up regarding the death of Navalny, yet too many remain silent after the death of nearly 30k Palestinians. Hopefully this will wake them up (when nothing else has). https://t.co/j86MyP4ZAf

[Juan Camilo @lecoupdetheatre]

🌎 As the 1.5-degree target of the Paris Agreement will be missed, climate adaptation will take centre stage. On this blog post, @SaulMullard and I explain why a focus on adaptation is worthwhile and how corruption undermines local-level efforts to face the climate challenge👇🏽

[U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre @U4_ACRC]

The six countries sharing the Mekong River Basin have governance systems that reinforce corrupt behaviour. This affects choices for regional cooperation on natural resource governance.
Latest U4 Issue at 👉 https://t.co/HNpllHVZka

[Saul Mullard @SaulMullard]

@DavidLammy @Conservatives @UKLabour Couldn't agree more! It is time for a government that works for people.

[U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre @U4_ACRC]

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has catalysed new efforts to tackle illicit financial flows, and the global systems that support them, including secrecy, professional enablers, and SLAPPs.

Our thread 🧵on <<addressing SLAPPs to combat corruption & tax evasion >> below.
1/

[Climate Reality @ClimateReality]

Our bodies aren’t built to handle the climate crisis.
https://t.co/TUpCmwPdqK

[Saul Mullard @SaulMullard]

@U4_ACRC Western countries also need to reflect upon how the current invasion of Ukraine is supported by transnational corruption as @oxanahuss and @jpozsga1 have noted https://t.co/Y7hdwLlLs8

[U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre @U4_ACRC]

18. U4 stands with Ukraine (thread).... cc
@cmi_no @ACE_soas @GlobalIntegrity @CIPEglobal @BaselInstitute @FCDOREDGCSD @LizDavidBarrett @mihaly_fazekas @keatingetom @RUSI_org @USAID @FCDOResearch @jandersonlewis @Jimnosredna @hamarquette @Fromagehomme @CGDev @PeterEvans_Guv

[U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre @U4_ACRC]

17. We hope that this thread is a small step beyond tweeting in solidarity. Please add any comments or resources that you think will be useful for those committed to helping Ukraine, and tackling the scourge of corruption.

[U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre @U4_ACRC]

16. ...in politically unstable countries such as South Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, Libya, additional food price shocks & hunger could increase the risks of corruption associated with the delivery of humanitarian assistance.
We stand with Ukraine, and with those affected everywhere.

[U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre @U4_ACRC]

15. A global crisis: Knock-on effects of fuel price rise incl food price rises in low & middle income countries, which can put new pressure on already high levels of public debt & spark new regional & local crises – hunger, pol upheaval, corruption in emergency supplies....

[U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre @U4_ACRC]

14. And we're very concerned about corruption & exploitation in migration – incl/ trafficking of women & children – likely to get worse in the crisis. https://t.co/VkBgcVhSf7
Ukraine has long been a source country for trafficked people.
https://t.co/Rl44h71XEj

[U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre @U4_ACRC]

13. We know from bitter experience that corruption thrives in conflict and emergencies – including in humanitarian responses. Every dollar must get through – here’s some essential reading.... https://t.co/YFkK91wZOn

[U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre @U4_ACRC]

12.But let’s chase down the loot, not allow it to move to even shadier jurisdictions. We want loot to reduce, be frozen, be worthless, not just be displaced.
As some anti-corruption researchers have put it “Whack the mole” & keep on whacking! https://t.co/HlxazlLNaf

[U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre @U4_ACRC]

11..action on Shell Companies, tax havens, Beneficial Ownership, Golden Visas, Professional Enablers.

We know what needs doing– let’s do it! Invest in it! Investigate, prosecute & sanction it!

The returns– peace, revenue, a sustainable future – will repay us many times over.

[U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre @U4_ACRC]

10.The problems are clear- but there has been a tendency to look the other way, incl. by OECD countries.
Expansion of anti-corruption research to <global illicit financial flows> makes western inaction/complicity clear.
https://t.co/rUFhWszh3x

<WE MUST ACT>

[U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre @U4_ACRC]

9. Stepping back, evidence on how transnational corruption drives bad politics, violence, oppression has been clear for years – as has the way consolidation of kleptocratic power in Russia emboldened repressive domestic policy, & foreign interference.
https://t.co/Zc8XpD2a9H

[U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre @U4_ACRC]

8.…and in fact, Ukraine’s progress in tackling corruption may have been yet another reason for Russia’s aggression: see this Dec 2021 piece by @dkaleniuk and @OlenaHalushka of https://t.co/TEizHlXbxI . https://t.co/HzjSuYNEOH