Editorial»
Ray of hope
JAN 05 - There may yet be some hope for the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) whose heads of state or government began their three-day summit in Islamabad, the other day. Though heads of state or government of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are gathered in the Pakistani capital, it is the Indian and Pakistani leaders who have, as usual, grabbed all the limelight as if others did not matter. The media attention on the Indo-Pakistan matters is understandable as they determine the course of the 18-year old regional organisation. And it is precisely because there appears to be some sort of thaw in their otherwise cold relationship, that an element of hope has been injected in the present summit. Reports from the Pakistani capital say that there has been an agreement to implement the South Asian Free Trade Area agreement from 2006, after the top bureaucratic officials failed to come to an agreement in their pre-summit meetings. Also reported is the addition of new protocols to the SAARC anti-terrorism convention to make it “more effective”.
These new instruments of cooperation, apart from those already in place, could go a long way towards fostering better cooperation among the seven South Asian countries. Care, however, needs to be taken to ensure that the least developed among the seven countries. This is especially applicable when it comes to real issues while implementing measures agreed upon in the South Asian Free Trade Area. A level playing field is needed if fair trade is to take place on an equitable basis and those responsible must see to it that this is achieved. Otherwise, there will be discontentment among the seven.
The SAARC summit is also expected to adopt new protocols to make the already existing SAARC’s anti-terrorism convention more effective. At a time when the world is reeling under what are called “terrorist” activities, it will be in the interest of the region if the seven countries can come to an agreement regarding the definition of a “terrorist”. The seven can no longer hide behind the facade of the cliché “one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter”. There is little doubt that all must be able to commonly define “terrorist” and “terrorism” if the spate of senseless killings in the region is to end.
The big countries, especially India and Pakistan, must ensure that their territories are not used to mounting violence against another country, especially against the small countries in the region. Whether it be the SAFTA or the anti-terrorist convention or other high-sounding document ~ ~ , little will be achieved until the South Asian leaders display real political will to go forward and are not encumbered by traditional thinking. Bold decisions followed by their bold implementation are the need of the hour in the region. The Islamabad Declaration that will be issued at the end of the summit could give an inkling of whether SAARC really has a future. At the start of the summit, there are rays of hope, which the leaders should not belie.
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