Challenges facing SAARC

by Lynn Ockersz

If terrorism is emerging as a priority concern at the upcoming SAARC Summit, this is only understable because political terror seems to be relentlessly stalking the SAARC Seven. The recent bomb blasts which rocked New Delhi, claiming over 50 lives, were an ominous reminder of the pervasive presence of terror.

Significantly, it was only a couple of months back that a series of bomb explosions rocked Bangladesh, which will be hosting the SAARC Summit this time round. Religious fundamentalists were believed to be behind these blasts, with the clamour that Islamic law be introduced in Bangladesh emerging as their battle cry. Given the intensification of religious animosities in some parts of India, it could be surmised that religious extremists have had a hand in the Delhi carnage too.

The general backdrop to the rise of religion - based violence in South Asia is, of course, September 11, 2001 and the subsequent US-led "war on terror" which has taken the sole superpower to Afghanistan and Iraq in a staunchly military interventionist mode, the disturbing consequences of which are only too well known and which are on-going.

Although to us in South Asia, Afghanistan and Iraq are the bloodiest and hottest testimonials to global US military intervention, US military planners are believed to be visualizing a broader arch of military and political influence, beginning in the Caspian sea and Persian Gulf regions, and cutting across the Middle East, Western and Southern Asia to East Asia and the Pacific region.

This is mainly because besides being oil rich these regions are in close proximity to the sea lanes which carry the bulk of the world's merchandise. The crippling of these sea lanes would severely affect the economic fortunes of states in East Asia and the Pacific, with which the US has close economic ties.

These, in broad outline, are the "spheres of influence" carved out by the US and it goes without saying that such a pervasive US presence would provide the rationale for the emergence of terror, including the religion-based kind.

The best that SAARC could do in these circumstances is to adopt a politically neutral position or the principle of nonalignment and also forge closer security ties among its members which would help prevent the grouping from being made an accomplice in the "war on terror".

In other words, current global developments could be turned into a springboard for increased regional cooperation and solidarity by SAARC. This is one means through which the spectre of terror could be staved off by SAARC.

However, such solidarity initiatives would need to be premised on a commitment by the SAARC Seven to promote a political culture characterized by secularism, religious tolerance and democratic accommodation.

This measure would help send out a clear message to the forces of ethnic nationalism and religious hegemony and intolerance in the region that violence would in no way be condoned or tolerated by SAARC member states, as means to their ends.

As could be seen, ethnic and religion-based violence has considerably dampened SAARC's growth prospects, besides bringing disharmony among its membership. A commitment to work towards humane values could help in checking the growth of extremist political forces in this region. This measure along with a staunchly non-aligned policy could prevent SAARC member states from getting into collaborative relationships with global hegemonic powers.

The time is also ripe for SAARC to assess the effectiveness or otherwise of its efforts towards forging closer economic cooperation. It could be wondered weather SAARC economic collaboration has made any substantial progress. Bilateral economic collaboration is welcome but what of the regional grouping's efforts towards creating a SAARC Free Trade Area ?

The SAARC region is remaining highly impoverished and backward despite the trumpeting of the "virtues" of economic globalisation by the more influential sections of the world community. Clearly, SAARC has to charter an independent course on development issues.