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South Asian Angle Different authors highlight various factors dominating the South Asian region By KESHAB POUDEL Even after decades long initiatives, South Asian countries have been unable to push any agenda for regional cooperation. The region, where more than one fifth of the world's population live, has failed to develop common strategy to fight the rampant poverty. As regional cooperation is fostering throughout the world to deal with the problems through regional approach, South Asia is yet to wake up. As long as all the countries in the region do not treat themselves as equal parts of South Asia, it is impossible to bring them together. Due to political and other differences between India and Pakistan, moves by other countries of the region fail to bring South Asian countries together. At a time when the suspended SAARC Summit is in a limbo with no indication of it starting anytime soon, a book on South Asian perspective shows how important regional approach is for the development. With the initiative of New Delhi-based Center for Policy Research, some intellectuals have tried to bring the ideas and opinions of various renowned intellectuals of the region. There are many similarities and commonalities in the region including in the areas of culture, society and economy. But when the issue of relations between nations come up, these similarities fail to impress any of the country. Due to political differences, the countries are unable to initiate people to people contact. The problems like cross-border trafficking of women and children, smuggling of arms and drugs and ethnic conflicts are some of the common challenges. Such transitional problems defy national solutions and should compel the concerned governments to develop regional management strategies. "The genesis of this volume was in collective initiative called South Asia dialogues that, over a period of seven years from 1991-1997, brought together several leading members of the civil society from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh with an aim to develop a South Asian Community. This collection of essays is invaluable in giving voice to those who believe in the idea of South Asia, who think as South Asians and share the vision of developing a regional civil society of South Asia," say authors in their preface. The book consists of articles by three Nepalese intellectuals Dr. Devendra Raj Pandey, Durga Prasad Pandey and Dev Raj Dahal along with other dozens renowned intellectuals of the region. The book is divided into five parts. The first part has articles including Voices of Civil Society, Mubashir Hasan, Dr. Devendra Raj Pandey's A Nepali Vision of South Asia, Bhabani Sen Gupta's Conflict Resolution in South Asia, K.M. de Silva, G.H. Peris and Radha Coomaraswamy's articles South Asia: Politicized Ethnicity: Problems of Human Rights; and Environmental Issues. In the second part under Country Reports, the authors highlight profiles of different countries of the region. Under the chapter democracy and polity, the authors discuss democratization process including the issues including the decentralization. Human rights, Women and Culture are other prominent issues discussed in the book. Perspectives on South Asia |
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