Non-Aligned Movement
Give It A New Life

By Chiranjibi Poudyal

THE 114 member nation Non Aligned Movement (NAM) summit being held in Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur has a greater role to play to defuse tension in the Middle East, particularly the possible war over Iraq, fight terrorism, enhance economic cooperation, reduce poverty, resolve problem of HIV/ AIDS and increase the role of developing countries in the United Nations.

Alternative

Established as an alternative grouping to the eastern bloc of the Soviet Union led Warsaw pact communist nations and USA led bloc of the western capitalist nations during the cold war, the focus of the NAM has changed in the present context of the world. The focus mainly has been economic and political interests of the developing countries. Its focus has changed from resisting the pressures of the major power blocs: the USA and the then Soviet Union led grouping and maintaining independence and opposing colonialism and neo-colonialism to promoting the interests of the least developed and land locked countries of Asia and Africa.

NAM remained only as a pressure group during the Cold War era and even after the end of that era, its activities have not been so effective. Though the NAM leaders have stressed the need to pay special interests in the economic development and south -south cooperation, it has not seen materialised.

The post cold war era NAM summits have focused on some issues including the strengthening of democracy in the developing world, globalisation, south-south and north- south cooperation, relaxation on debt, increasing economic cooperation from the developed countries to the developing countries, international trade and disarmament and investment flow to the developing countries. Almost all the NAM nations are poor. Among them majority are least developed and landlocked, crippled with the civil war and internal crisis. Many of the NAM member countries are former colonies of the developed countries and they are still influenced by their former colonial power. The NAM nations have not been able to present their united voice in any international forum including in the United Nations.

Despite the representation of over two third of the population of the world, the role of these nations is almost neglible in the decision making process of the United Nations and other international forum. Only China is the permanent member of the UN from among the developing NAM countries. The NAM has not been able even to establish its own permanent secretariat. The leaders of the developing countries gather only in three years time and express their commitment through declaration and there is no any mechanism to implement the commitment and further enhance the cooperation among the NAM members. "The poor countries' club" named by the developed countries also seems applicable due to its inactiveness. The possible war over Iraq, HIV/AIDS, transnational crimes, international drug trafficking and low trade and investment flow even after the end of cold war era are some of the major problems faced by the developing countries. The civil wars and many other internal problems have engulfed these nations into the mire of crisis.

Despite their strength of over 114 members with over two third populations of the globe, their voice is very weak. They have not been able to convince the developed countries in international forum and make decision in favour of the poverty stricken people of the developing world.

The poverty is rampant and nearly half of the population of the NAM members is living under the poverty line. The NAM countries accounted for 880.50 billion US dollars or only 14.3 per cent of world's total export and only 736.90 billion US dollars or by 11.4 per cent of world imports in 2001. Over 95 percent of the HIV/ AIDS affected people are living in NAM members.

Except some Scandinavian countries, most of the developed countries have not provided the economic assistance as committed to provide to the developing countries. And the assistance provided by the rich countries has not been properly utilised due to rampant corruption. There is no true democracy, no transparency and no accountability and therefore the corrupt governments have no moral power to raise their voice for the interests of the country and the innocent people. The developed countries have understood this reality.

They are considering all these things, it seems there are only two alternatives before the NAM nations. NAM should be either dissolved or reinvigorated. The founders had great dream. It has been successful to free most of the countries of the Asia and Africa from the chain of colonialism. It can be reinvigorated with those strong feelings of the 25 founder members of the NAM. Focus should be laid on economic cooperation, poverty reduction, combating terrorism, HIV/AIDS, control of drug trafficking, greater economic and political cooperation through democratisation process in the member countries to give a new life to the NAM comes into existence only during the summit. The leaders of the NAM should be able to convince Iraq and the North Korea both members of the NAM to end the storing of biological, chemical and atomic weapons of mass destruction to avoid war which can further complicate the situation of the NAM. The NAM should be able to sort out the differences among its member nations and always present a united voice in the international forum. There is a need to take strong decision to make the NAM an effective grouping of the developing countries.

The words of the present chairman of the NAM and South African president Thabo Mbeki very clearly reflect the reality of the NAM countries. He said, "NAM is not a club and it should not be given to be like a club of inactive persons, it is the organisation of majority of the population of the world and the life of NAM is connected to the future of millions of people of the Third World."

Reality

These feelings should be translated into reality to fulfill the dream of the NAM founders and save the lives of millions of people from drowning into the mire of hunger and disease.

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