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SAARC and Security issues in South Asia Dr Smruti S Pattanaik
Given the transnational network of the terrorist groups that are operating, fighting terrorism cannot remain the concern of a single country. As has been seen in the past terrorist have threatened to derail peace processes between India and Pakistan as happened in the case of Parliament attack in December 2001 and later the Mumbai blast that saw the cancellation of Indo-Pakistan Secretary level talks in 2006. In the case of India-Bangladesh the porous border has added to the problem. Recent incidents of Bangladeshi nationals being involved in bomb blasts in India could create unnecessary bitterness between the two countries. It must be mentioned here that the 17 August 2005 bomb blasts that saw explosion of 459 bombs across the Bangladesh attest the danger of terrorism and their international linkages. Some of the bomb making material was procured from India. It would not be farfetched to say that there exists better synergy between the terrorist groups operating within South Asia compared to the state actors. The terrorist groups realize this and have taken advantage of the disaffection between the countries.
Tackling Terrorism in SAARC Padmaja Murthy
All the member countries of SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) face the problem of terrorism and those linked with extremism and separatism. Rightly so, the issue of terrorism has been on the agenda of SAARC since the first summit held in 1985. Since then detailed comprehensive roadmaps have been drawn to address the issue of terrorism; its links with drug trafficking, the financing of such activities; the cross border, regional and global links of these non-state actors; and the impact all these have on socio economic development and stability in the region. There is a clear realisation among the member countries of SAARC that there is no other alternative but to have co-ordinated strategies to respond effectively to terrorism. The paper raises the question - Why then does co-operation not take place, for in not doing so the region as a whole and not just one or two countries will loose ? The paper argues that there are suspicions that the terrorists and those linked with separatism and extremism tendencies are on many occasions being supported morally or politically or in other ways by one or more of the member countries or some groups and organsiations within these countries itself. The paper asserts that it is not just the Indo-Pak differences but the many layers to the trust deficit in the SAARC region which need to be addressed for effective regional cooperation, especially on the sensitive issue of terrorism which is presently on the rise. The paper concludes that in the meantime, the member countries to build the elusive trust need to make their national development polices inclusive to limit dissent, strengthen positive bilateralism to respond to cross border linkages among thee non-state actors and finally private entrepreneurs need to get together and actively invest jointly to make economic cooperation apolitical so that the profits and benefits which trickle down to the common man would thereby contribute to build trust and confidence.
ASEAN and SAARC: A Comparative Perspective on Energy and Resource Security Dr Bharti Chhibber
The main objective of energy security is to assure adequate and reliable supplies of energy at reasonable prices and in ways that do not jeopardise higher national values and objective. The 1970’s oil crisis brought the issue of energy security to the forefront aggravated by the fast depletion of fuel wood as a source of energy. Today we are straining the Earth’s carrying capacity (the largest number of any given species that a habitat can support indefinitely). Part of this could be attributed to the process of modernization. What is needed is environmentally sustainable economic growth. Individual states especially in South Asia and Southeast Asia cannot protect themselves from these energy security threats alone. So, to deal with these problems, they should regionally cooperate. The need for energy security is an important dimension of both ASEAN and SAARC security that has environmental implications. In the South Asian region, significant infrastructural constraints, including inadequate provision of energy are major impediments for sustainable development. Ironically, there is abundance of energy resources within the region. However, the regional states have not been able to tap its full potential. On the ASEAN front, to mitigate the region’s heavy dependence on Middle East oil, coupled with the fact that oil exporters like Indonesia and Malaysia are expected to become net oil importers after 2010, ASEAN is pursuing a sustainable energy development agenda under its ASEAN Plan for Action in Energy Cooperation (APAEC) 2004 -2009 apart from other measures. Thus natural resources in the regions can be shared to enhance energy security. Need is for political will to take steps in the direction.
Bringing SAARC Closer to South Asia Rahul Tripathi SAARC will be able to bridge the trust deficit that exists between India and other South Asian countries, especially Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal. A discussion on contentious issues in a regional forum often allows the much needed outlet that otherwise is not possible in either bilateral interactions - where often stated positions get repeated; or multilateral forum where the threat of an external imposition always exists. SAARC summits at times have been known to be great icebreakers at times when bilateral relations seem to have come unstuck in some cases. The ‘pressure valve’ role of SAARC must be formalized rather than remain an ad hoc one. India will definitely have to show greater openness and resolve in opting for the regional option as the bigger and more responsible actor in regional cooperation as it is often at the center of controversy in many of the vexed South Asian issues. While SAARC may not become a problem solving platform as some of the problems in the subcontinent are endemic, rooted in deeper history and ideology, it can nevertheless become a starting point of key confidence building measures across the region. As the interests of external powers (China and US) especially after the entry of Afghanistan in the grouping grows, internal coherence within SAARC will be of paramount importance.
Pakistan and SAARC: A Quest for Pragmatism in the New World Order Mohor Chakraborty
The political situation in South Asia has undergone distinct phases of transience, and is a fascinating mosaic of oscillating relations between the two neighbours of the sub-continent with long histories, India and Pakistan. This has had its pertinent effect on the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), not only in terms of its functioning, but also with respect to its viability in the dynamics of international relations. While regional cooperation within the SAARC framework has been a hostage of the bad blood between India and Pakistan, since Partition in 1947, a rejuvenated deportment of the latter was evident in the wake of the 12th Summit of the Association, thereby accounting for an alteration in Islamabad’s perception of the salience of SAARC as a cooperative regional forum. It is in this backdrop, that the paper endeavours to underscore the change in Pakistan’s perception vis-à-vis SAARC and its positive manifestation for the region as a whole.
China’s Entry in to SAARC Abanti Bhattacharya
China’s entry in the SAARC is indicative of its deepening regional strategy which, in turn, suggests its foreign policy imperatives and its assertion for global power status. Indeed, China’s own security needs including energy and maritime security as well as its great power ambitions have propelled its entry into the SAARC. Also, its entry is facilitated by its existing strong bilateral relations with almost all the South Asian countries and by the fact that India generally has troubled relationship with most of its South Asian neighbours. By implications therefore, China’s entry into SAARC has considerable foreign policy ramifications for India and the region. Instead of panicking due to China’s presence, India should frame creative policies to overcome political bottlenecks, and build relationships on trust and mutual cooperation with the South Asian nations and keep the mantle of South Asian leadership in its hands.
Bhutan’s perspective of SAARC Anil Kumar Mohapatra
The relevance of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation to Bhutan is greater today than never before. Since the inception of SAARC Bhutan has been playing a key role in its evolution and working. There were certain compelling considerations that urged Bhutan’s joining in the regional forum as one of its seven founding members and today there are sufficient reasons for the Himalayan Kingdom for its continuation. In addition to regularly contributing to the SAARC budget Bhutan is also actively involved in different programmes and committees of the forum. SAARC is another vehicle facilitating and accelerating the promotion of Bhutanese unique conception of Gross National Happiness (GNH). From economy to ecology, information to identity, development to distance bridging, society to security - SAARC has been a facilitator to Bhutan. The regional forum has provided an opportunity to Bhutan to assert its sovereign identity and to consolidate its position in the South Asian Region. The organization helps Bhutan to secure its foreign policy objective and to extend relations with the outside world beyond India. Bhutan too utilizes the forum to share its own experiences with others. A democratic Bhutan however expects a lot more from this body in the years to come to achieve sustainable development, wider connectivity, stability, comprehensive security and self reliance.
SAARC Expands its Wings: Insinuations in the new global order Prof. Tridib Chakraborti
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) came into existence in 1985 with seven members, namely, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives owing to the initiative of the former leader of Bangladesh, Zia-ur-Rahman. The history of this regional organization is shrouded with animosity particularly between India and Pakistan, and consequently, other issues of regional and international import had hardly been able to make way into the deliberations of the Association. However, after almost twenty-two years of its functioning, at the 13th Summit held in Dhaka in November 2005, it was decided by the SAARC members to expand its membership to include Afghanistan, besides granting observer status to China, Japan, South Korea, Iran, the European Union and the United States at the succeeding Summit, that took place in New Delhi in April 2007. The process of expansion of membership of SAARC holds great potential for infusing an enhanced spirit of assistance, transcending geographical constraints, thereby keeping the bogey of conflicting ideas behind. In the context of the New World Order and increased inter-state interdependence, it is the phenomenon of extending the orbit of any regional forum beyond the doctrinaire limits that can pave the way for more collaborative and viable performance and make SAARC a successful organization for economic, political, social and humanitarian cooperation. |
