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.

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