SAARC
Regionalism In A Time Of Globalism

By C D Bhatta

REGIONALISM is a Cold War phenomenon, a major development in the international affairs after the Second World War. Most of the regional blocks then were initially formed to serve political interest by maintaining the international relations mainly to ward off the threats emanating from the two super powers. However, as time passed by, these blocks have simultaneously taken interest towards economic front and achieved remarkable progress in the field. For examples ASEAN, EEC, NAFTA, APEC etc. are now thinking about the need for a lager market for their factory productions.
Phenomenon

The phenomenon of forming regional cooperation by forging alliances based on the common interests has entirely dominated the international relations. South Asia cannot be an exception of this trend. They also followed the suit by forming the SAARC mainly to maintain and establish a sense of all types of cooperation in the region. To some extent one can presume that formation of SAARC is a Cold War phenomenon, since ideas of having regional cooperation were germinated while the Cold War was still dominating the international relations. It was expected that SAARC would herald a new era in the regional cooperation between the hostile countries of the region. Nevertheless, during the course of time everything seems impossible within the framework of SAARC mainly due to the continuous hostile relations between the countries and SAARC's inability to address on these problems.

However, after the Cold War, there has been a sea change in the modalities of forming regional cooperation. As Samuel P Huntington in his book, 'Clash of Civilisation and Remaking of the World Order' states that global politics is being reconfigured along cultural lines and peoples and countries with similar cultures are coming together. Peoples and countries with different culture are coming apart. Alignments defined by ideology, superpower relations and economic factors are giving way to alignments defined by culture and civilization. He further states that political boundaries increasingly are redrawn to coincide with cultural ones, ethnic, religious, and civilisation. Countries such as India and Pakist, an partners of different superpower during the Cold War, now re-define their interests and seek new association reflecting the realities of cultural politics.

While, applying Huntington's theory in the formation of regionalism at a time of globalism, it is true that only those regional cooperation will be successful where there is a less difference in cultural, ethnic and linguistic components in the binding countries. The pundits of International Political Economy (IPE) also state that the economic cooperation is only viable and workable when the countries of the said block have genuine interest on the block, secondly the variance in the size of the economy of the countries need not require to have vast difference and thirdly contiguous border is required, fourthly common political and cultural structure are the key points for the successful launching of any types of regionalism.

These factors, to some extent, seem to have lacked in the case of SAARC. In addition to these inherent problems between the South Asian countries. Border issues, debate on natural resources are major factors in the dysfunction of SAARC. The location of Sri Lanka and Maldives do not allow them to be in the SAARC. Similarly, landlockedness of Nepal and Bhutan is another stumble for the success of SAARC. In terms of size, India is the largest country in the region and it controls entire economy under her clutches. India never follows the principle of 'big brother' rather tries to be a master in the region. Again, the legacy of separation of Pakistan from India and Bangladesh from Pakistan has left the huge scar in the region, which will not be healed at all. Another factor is the religion. The frequent religious violence between Hindus and Muslim community in the region has sparked heavy tension both at grass root and ruling level.

At this backdrop, it can be said that SAARC has been formed without understanding the ground realities of the region. It has been formed by the like-minded people of the time only wherein an attempts was made to integrate the countries of the region, which do not unite in anyway. Particularly every South Asian country is almost perpetually plagued by intra-regional conflicts and crises based on the narrow consideration of caste, religion, ethnicity, language, and community and thereby distorting the national and regional unity and integrity in the region. Moreover, constant and often excessive preoccupation with domestic problems render such state to external threats and interference, which also challenges their sovereignty. In other words, the persistence of multifarious problems, both within and between the South Asian states have been hampering the sustenance of environment wherein the SAARC can prosper.

The standoff that lies in SAARC as claimed by India is that progress on the two economic accords has been stalled due to Pakistan's insistence that SAARC first discuss political issues such as Kashmir whereas India insists that SAARC Charter does not allow discussion on the bilateral and political issues such as Kashmir.

Paradoxically, the recent appearance of Indian Prime Minister Atal Biharee Bajpayee at the ASEAN Summit in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penn has triggered a fresh suspicion whether India is about to give up SAARC. India's interest in ASEAN raises certain points on the vitality and longevity of SAARC in terms of its functioning in the region. There are points to believe this fact because India has become a very progressive economy and is ready to forge any alliance, which it can benefit most. SAARC has never been able to deliver any positive result and the lofty goals set up by the block are seem to be never achieved at the existing situation. So India's looking east policy and Pakistan's growing interest to join other Arab Islamic and Central Asian countries gives no hope for SAARC to live long. When the regional blockings around the world play significant role in nation building by uplifting the socio-economic status of the people and thereby playing a role model for development, the SAARC is swinging between the political limbo and uncertainty that exists between the countries of the block.

Less chances

At this juncture, it can be said when the idea of regionalism is superseded by the globalisation, the formation of regional cooperation is only possible when there are likely components between the countries that can bind them together, otherwise there seems to be less chances of their survival in the long run. Then, question arises why countries should be rationalised when the globalised view is superseding the concept of nation-state.

Population Growth: A Big Threat

By Shirish B. Pradhan

WHEN the world population reached the 6 billion mark in 1999 the world community realised that the population bomb may explode any time. The increase in world population without proportionate increase in productivity and per capita income will create an imbalance between the population and the resources, which is bound to worsen the lives of the people on earth. In fact, today's challenge is not really to control the population but to manage it so that scarce resources can be effectively utilised to fulfill the demand of the growing number of people. The world production is not growing as fast as the population is. The inequalities within and among the nations are also posing a new challenge to the world community.

Trend

According to an estimate there was just 300 million people in 1 AD, and it took 1,600 years to double the population. But today because of modern health care facilities and reduction in infant mortality rate the world population doubled in just 60 years. The world population has grown from 1.65 billion in 1900 to 3.02 billion in 1960. It further grew by two times to 6 billion in 1999. Now it is likely that if the present trend continues the earth would have to feed and accommodate nine billion people in 2050.
Today half of the world's population is living on less than 2 dollar a day and one fifth of them are living on just one dollar a day. The world would not have been left with a single poor person if the population of 1960 remained unchanged even today. In the last four decades the earth received 3 billion poor people, most of whom live in the developing countries.

The world population report 2002, released worldwide on December 3, has stressed on the need to reducing poverty, achieving social balance and empowering women. Releasing the report in London. Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund Thoraya Ahmed Obaid observed that research based evidence shows that promoting better reproductive health also promotes economic growth and reduces poverty. Actions that lower fertility help produce economic growth, he added. The report suggests to increase social investments that help reach the goal of slower population growth and hence help attain higher economic growth.

In 2000 the world community set Millennium Development Goals (MDG) which includes besides other things the aim to reducing extreme poverty by half by 2015. Reproductive health information and services have been recognised as essential factors for meeting the Millennium Development Goals. The report also points out the danger of fertility and population growth, which are found highest in the 49 least developed countries. The population of the least developed countries is estimated to triple in the next 50 years, from 600 million to 1.8 billion. The situation will further worsen with increasing inequality among the people living in the developing countries.

The eight Millennium Development Goals include eradication of extreme poverty, achieving universal primary education, empowering women, reducing child mortality, improving maternal health, combating HIV/AIDS, ensuring environmental sustainability and developing a global partnership for development.

Today there is a widespread recognition of the fact that smaller families allow more investment in each child's health and education. The World Population Report has envisioned a new concept called Demographic Window, which opens when a large number of working-age people need to support only a fewer number of older and younger dependents. This window, which opens with lower fertility rate, provides opportunities for investment in economic growth. The demographic window opens only once for a generation and it closes again as another generation comes into being. Taking advantages of the demographic window has accounted for a third of the annual economic growth of the East Asian "tigers", states the report.

The report also stresses on the need to strike a balance between resource use and ecological requirements, and advises to take effective policy measures in order to avoid urban population migration and promote sustainable rural population growth. There is a need to forming a global partnership for accelerating the pace of development in a rapid way. Population and reproductive health programmes as well as availability of affordable drugs for treating deadly diseases like HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis and availability of contraceptive requires greater international cooperation. The report also points out that between 2000 and 2015 about 1.5 billion young men and women will join the club of 20-24 age group. They along with other millions of teenagers will form abundant human resources. They will fuel political instability if they remain illiterate and jobless, whereas they will be the driving force of the economic growth if they have jobs.

Nepal's current population is estimated to be 23.15 million, of which about 51 percent is female. The population growth rate is estimated at 2.6 percent, which is quite high as compared to other developing countries. About 54 percent of the population comprises economically active group, which provides great opportunity if we could educate and provide them with jobs. However, the adult literacy rate is just 57.6 percent, which has increased nearly by 50 percent since restoration of democracy in the country. The current per capita income is US $ 236, which is quite low. Nearly 50 per cent population of the country still live below the line of abject poverty.

Campaign

Therefore, effective population policies, population education and social awareness campaign should be launched if we are to uplift the majority of our people who are poor. Here it is worthy to recall the statement by former US President John F. Kennedy: "If a society cannot protect the many who are poor it cannot save the few who are rich." Thus, the government should pursue sound policies to effectively manage population and increase its investment in social fields including health care, education and family planning in order to allow overall economic development to take place.

An Unpleasant Experience

By Gandhi Raj Kafle

TO get a seat in a city bus is always a pleasant surprise. Most of the time you have to stand either in the gateway or mid-part space catching a iron-rod above your head. What can the helpless commuters of the public buses do? The city is not an elastic so that its roads can be expanded to give space to unlimited number of vehicles for the comfort of the people. So, be it crowded or not vehicles are a must for commuters to reach destination in time. This seems to be the nitty-gritty of city life.

Different people have different travel experiences. This scribe wants to recall an experience mixed with both pleasant and unpleasant surprises while traveling by a city bus. It is pleasant because this traveller didn't face any trouble while travelling. And it's unpleasant because it so happened that this scribe directly felt unhappy for a fellow passenger, who unluckily got his pocket picked while travelling the same bus.
It was not a rush hour time. So, wishing to go to Baluwatar conveniently, this scribe searched for the bus at Koteshwor, which has now become one of the busiest traffic points in Kathmandu. Three brand new mini-busses were seen plying on the road of Tinkune. Does this bus go to Baluwatar? This sribe asked. "Yes" the answer came from the smiling driver of the first bus.

There was no passenger on board. I was the first, so, I was delighted to take the frontal seat at the side of door of the bus. The seat was comfortable. The balmy winter mid-day sunlight was passing through the window screen. The mini-bus was truly warm and cosy. There was music to make the travelling really entertaining. How can this all not become pleasant surprise for a commuters like me, who have suffered many jolts while riding city buses?

But, unfortunately the short journey's big pleasure did not last longer. Within a few minutes the mini-bus's seats were completely occupied. There was space only to stand for the new comers. The comfortable mini-bus soon converted into a crowded vehicle. There was no luxury inside it. The cosy atmosphere vanished. The mini-bus became hotter even in the winter. The passengers begin to express their discontent. The old people needed help. The women, who were carrying their babies, had to struggle while standing.

"This route has become very crowded these days", commented a traveller. "Why does the bus stop frequently for the passengers even when there is no space to breath inside it", grumbled another passenger. Troubled commuters made several comments, in which the government, the metropolitan management and Kathmandu's traffic police too were criticised.

But, trouble reached the climax, when a fellow traveller began to exclaim all of a sudden. "I lost my wallet containing 17,000.00 rupees," he cried. "I had come here for the treatment of my relative. How could I do it without money? We are destroyed badly", the unlucky man lamented before the other passengers. What could the passengers do for him? Even though human sympathy came out from their heart. Stop the bus to find out pickpocket, they gave their united voice. Some searchers were made, but nothing was found out. The person, who lost money, was struggling to stop tears from the eyes. But, for me, the short travel, which was pleasant in the beginning, ended in an unpleasant way. I got off at Baluwatar.