Let not Indo-Pak tensions imperil SAARC poverty alleviation efforts

Mumbai blasts: Mumbai's Muslim community is reportedly breathing a collective sigh of relief over the non-occurrence to date of a violent backlash against its members by the city's Hindu hardline factions in the wake of the recent train bomb blasts in Mumbai which claimed well over 140 lives.

"I will admit that for a brief while I was scared. But now I feel more confident. This city has changed, and I don't think it would be so easy for Muslim-baiters to create tensions. May be because everyone has more at stake and wants to keep business going," a 30-year-old, bank teller was quoted saying.

This optimism is shared by scores of Muslims who feel that provoking violence against Mumbai's Muslim community would not prove easy against the backdrop of the city's increasing economic dynamism and a growing, unvoiced consensus among the city's communities that there is far too much at stake for all of them in economic terms and that such material betterment should not be made a prey to communal hatred and violence. In other words, the popular preference is for, "business as usual".

This is, once again, proof that economics could shape politics in this part of the world and one could be glad that no less a regional organisation than SAARC has taken deep cognizance of it. This is apparently the thinking behind the recent establishment of the SAARC poverty alleviation fund, which has already got off the mark with an initial deposit of US $300 million.

The purpose of the fund is the launching of poverty alleviation projects in the SAARC region. All SAARC countries are expected to contribute to the fund and be joint stake-holders in the anti-poverty thrust.

Hopefully, this major project would yield some fruit and bring a degree of material relief to South Asia's poverty-hit millions.

As has been always pointed out in this column, it is poverty which adds to the appeal of communalism and religious fundamentalism among sections of the region's poor. If such sections are convinced that they too have a stake in a state's increasing economic prosperity, the chances are that communal demagoguery could be defeated.

In this connection, SAARC poverty reports of the past should be used by the organisation to put the correct perspective on poverty-alleviation.

The poor of South Asia should not be regarded as a problem but as the means to resolving the crisis which is poverty. The poverty alleviation measures which are contemplated should essentially, aim at empowering the poor in every respect rather than treat them as objects of state welfare.

Second, the poor of the region should also be induced into participating in the decision-making processes which affect their life opportunities. This is also a means of empowerment which is yet to get off the ground in South Asia.

It should be of concern to SAARC that fresh strains have erupted in Indo-Pakistani relations in the wake of the Mumbai bombings. This is unfortunate because SAARC progress has hitherto proved a victim of tensions in Indo-Pakistani relations. Such tensions have prevented SAARC from emerging as a dynamic regional economic bloc, since India and Pakistan are principal states in the region.

Therefore, it is hoped that India and Pakistan would consider the repercussions their disputes could have on SAARC progress. They need to ensure that SAARC history does not repeat itself.