SAARC: Mired in disillusionment

In almost quick succession in July-November, 2022, the world has witnessed at least three high-profile regional and international summits. They were G-20, G-7, ASEAN and APEC. The summitry, presumably or in all probability, coincided with the global financial turmoil prompted by the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Around forty heads of state and government took part in these meets. A few economically powerful nations had common presence there. When all continental or regional meets are invariably bringing into their focus the Russia-Ukraine war and its global impacts, seven South Asian nations seem to be least bothered about this global volatility. The countries are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. These seven nations joined hands under the umbrella of SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation). Its goal has been declared as working together to uphold the socio-economic security of the peoples belonging to the SAARC forum: and at the same time it should join all global efforts to attain global peace. 

This apathy on the part of the South Asian nations towards the world economic instability and also their nonchalance over the fast deteriorating ties between Russia and Ukraine appears stunning to many global forums. At least India and Bangladesh cannot skirt their responsibilities in the theatre. It's mainly because the then superpower Soviet Union (Now Russia) in 1971 played a great role in restraining the US which threw its weight behind Pakistan --- the common adversary of India and the emerging nation of Bangladesh. Both India and Russia were unable to jointly persuade Pakistan and the US government to uphold the cause of the about-to-be independent Bangladesh. In the war that followed, Pakistan had to concede a humiliating defeat at the hands of India thanks to the Soviet Union's air power. 

In recalling the 1971 episode which witnessed the birth of the independent and sovereign Bangladesh, the latter cannot be expected to disappoint Russia in any resolution against the then USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics). However, Bangladesh government once voted against Russia in a recent UN resolution condemning Russian bombardments on Ukrainian civilians. It abstained from another resolution condemning the Ukrainian adversary, once the largest of the 'states' in the former Soviet Union. Despite the government's non-commital stance on the Ukrainian issue, its bias in favour of Russia has remained clear all along. In the latest UN General Assembly resolution condemning Russia, Bangladesh abstained from the vote. India voted against resolution. Evidently, the large South Asian country and China has lately been trying to bury their hatchet. Their inching towards rapprochement continues becoming noticeable --- to the discomfort of the USA. However, Bangladesh has proven its maturity and an active role in asserting its role in a difficult global parley. 

All this is no interference in the case of two-state hostilities. The SAARC charter has clearly spelt out the precondition of non-interference in the fracas of the third-party nations. The said episode, however, has occurred fourteen years before the founding of SAARC in 1985. Bangladesh and India have quite skilfully played their respective roles in cooling off the tensions between Russia and Ukraine. In the present state of lull in the SAARC activities, what would have happened is understood. With the SAARC functionality grinding to a veritable halt, the socio-economic irritants keep compounding. In the 21st century, rigid diplomacy has been made to give way to realpolitik. This is necessitated by the need for compromise on the part of intransigent parties, meaning sovereign nations. 

The veritably dormant South Asian regional cooperation platform had been burdened with dozens of irritants since its early days. Most of them involved thorny Indo-Pak ties over territorial incursions in the Jammu & Kashmir region. They reached their zenith in the district of Kargil in the three months from May to July in 1999.  Earlier, in 1985, the third India-Pakistan engagement i.e. the Siachen Glacier War proved the mutual rancour the two South Asian nations nurtured for each other; and also the mistrust inherent in them. Termed the longest military engagement between the two countries, the Siachen conflict lasted from April 13, 1984 to Nov 25, 2003. The Siachen Glacier is located in the disputed Kashmir area. Apart from the three wars mentioned, there have been a number of short-duration conflicts. The most notable of them was the first 'Indo-Pak War', which raged in 1947-1948. 

How atrocious it sounds when foreign war strategists define SAARC with sarcasm: it's an association indeed which is born to keep searching for the seeds of peace and cooperation. It could also be said the search in reality is for the ever simmering sparks that enjoy flying across the two country's borders to spark small and big wars. Many love to call the two country's leaders war addicts. Or else, how could they declare war on each other in the years of their birth instead of engaging in jubilations! Nowhere on the earth could one find the existence of a peace forum, two members of which are at each other's throats from the very years they were freed from the colonial rule. It's now everybody's knowledge that SAARC has long been on way to its natural death. The thought hurts many. The regional forum started its journey on a rough path. Great dreams also accompany the peace-loving peoples of the seven member nations. They are now disenchanted.  Perhaps bilateral bonhomie often gives in to an unexplainable hostility.  

[email protected]