Fruits of Unity


Written by Huma Iqbal • Region • May 2010

South Asia, home to one-fifth of the total global population and a region credited with one of the most ancient living civilizations, has unique features that speak volumes for its bright future. And yet nearly half of the population in South Asia lives below the poverty line, while the region is beset with the menace of terrorism, global warming, water tussles, economic crisis and nuclear fights. However, one problem that stands prominent amongst the rest is the mutual distrust among the South Asian nations. Does the region really look forward to regionalism?

A two-day regional workshop on 'Restructuring of SAARC', recently organized by the Program on Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution and the Department of International Relations at the University of Karachi provided a thought-provoking insight on the subject and came up with well-researched solutions to be passed on to the respective governments through the platform of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). Presided by Mr. Nihal Rodrigo, former Secretary General of SAARC, and hosted by Director Program on Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution, Dr. Moonis Ahmar, and attended by peace program directors, research analysts, security analysts, political scientists, diplomats, academicians and media persons from the region, the workshop aimed to address the trust deficit between member states of SAARC and discussed ways as to how to overcome the impediment in the process of regional cooperation.

Formed in 1985, SAARC will celebrate its silver jubilee in December this year. Though the association has made considerable headways as its member states tally has shot to eight with as many powerful Observer states, regional analysts say that despite holding several summits and ministerial meetings since its inception, SAARC has failed to come up to the expectations of the people of South Asia.

Participants at the workshop defined the fault lines of SAARC which have prevented its transformation as a viable regional organization. Apart from a lack of political will among SAARC members to effectively deal with issues which relate to easing restrictions on the free movement of people, goods, services and capital, asymmetric power was identified as a major impediment for unleashing the process of regionalism in South Asia at the event. India is blamed to not pay much heed to Kashmir and water issue with Pakistan, refugee, water and border problem with Bangladesh, the LTTE factor with Sri Lanka, and Maoist issue with Nepal, thereby souring its bilateral relationship with its neighbors. Analysts believe these differences and tensions can be overridden amicably within no time provided India demonstrates statesmanship to abridge the trust gap with its neighbors to prioritize socio-economic development of the region.

Participants highlighted various initiatives to be taken in this regard through the platforms of SAARC to facilitate healthy economic activities within the region. These include a South Asian Agreement on Services which is to be completed shortly. The Agreement would include transport, travel and tourism; insurance; investment and financial services; migration and medical services. Progress in these areas will also help balance some regional asymmetries.

SAARC can also learn from the economic and political models of the regional cooperation bodies like the European Union (EU) or the ASEAN which applied the economic cooperation principle, sidelining their political differences, to integrate their region economically.

Independent analysts at the workshop asserted that SAARC can become an effective instrument to quicken economic and trade cooperation for the benefit of teeming millions through tension free equitable executions of potential free trade agreements like SAFTA, SAPTA etc.

Regionalism symbolizes collectiveness and at the end of the day it is the people's power that can bring about a change on how the world looks at the South Asian region.