SAARC Day 2018: Know all about the organisation
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) celebrated its 29th Charter Day today.
The South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was established on 8 December 1985 celebrates another charter day today.
"Promoting peace, stability, amity and progress in the region", this was the first line of the SAARC charter.
The last 32 years has not seen much progress along these lines
History of SAARC:
The idea of SAARC was proposed by the then Bangladesh ruler, Zia ul Rehman in 1979.
Indian leaders like Indira Gandhi were not interested in such an idea of a regional organization.
After her death, her son Rajiv Gandhi signed the SAARC charter for India, hence marking the beginning of the association of regional cooperation.
Following this, the growth of SAARC can be compared to a one step forward, two steps backward growth.
Constituents of SAARC :
The SAARC includes the eight South Asian countries viz. India, Maldives, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
It has a permanent secretariat in Kathmandu, Nepal. The organization was started to promote economic and cultural ties amongst its member states.
With just about 2.5% of the world's land surface area, the South Asian region has 17% of the world's population.
It is also one of the poorest regions of the world, ranking just second to the Sub Saharan region in Africa.
Even with the presence of five of the world's 20 megacities, it is the least urbanized region in the world with an urban population of just about 27%.
The Idea of SAARC :
SAARC Region is also one of the most terror prone regions of the world with frequent tensions and unrest within the member countries as well as amongst the members.
The idea was to establish better cultural and social ties amongst the member states to promote peace in the region.
It was also intended to promote trade amongst the members in order to improve the economic status of its members and to raise it from a region of poverty to a region of economic and social well being.
China, ASEAN and SAARC :
China, which earlier wanted to be a member of SAARC was prevented by India in becoming a member.
Therefore, China never wanted SAARC to be a strong organization. Also, China is trying to establish relations with the member states of SAARC excluding India.
For e.g. China has started CPEC with Pakistan, Hambatota project with Sri Lanka, FTA with Maldives and railroad pact with Nepal.
Whereas, organizations like ASEAN record a trade of 20%, SAARC's trade figures are a dismal low at about 3%, hence, explaining the poor economic growth of the region and the ever increasing poverty and disparity amongst its people.
SAARC had proposed South Asia free trade agreement (SAFTA), for boosting intra regional trade but that is still on paper and is not functional.
On the front of Science and Technology, India launched the SAARC satellite but the other member states were not much interested in a technological cooperation with India.
Pivotal Role of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Madanjeet Singh:
Even with such difficulties in regional integration in South Asia, some people and organisations have played a pivotal role in bringing together the member states and trying to resurrect South Asian integration - one of the most densely populated region in the world.
This includes the former IFS officer, who was also ambassador to several countries including Asian countries, the Late Ambassador Madanjeet Singh and the organization founded by him, the South Asia Foundation in the year 2000.
He came up with the proposal of a common South Asian parliament and a common currency on the lines of the European Union (EU).
He can thus rightly be called the Jean Monnet of South Asia, who was the first to coin the idea of EU.
Singh was applauded for his activities involving South Asian integration and was conferred the title of UNESCO goodwill ambassador.
The SAF established by him has eight UNESCO Madanjeet Singh institutions of excellence spread across the SAARC countries, which include three in India, two in Pondicherry and one in Chennai.
These institutions offer scholarships to South Asian students under various disciplines.
For eg. The UMISARC Centre for South Asian studies in Pondicherry University has students from all SAARC countries and these students are offered scholarships to pursue M.A in South Asian studies.
Such courses not only bring out the cultural, social and other relevant aspects of living in South Asia but also bring about contact between the young generation of these countries.
This centre which was established in the year 2008 by the then Vice Chancellor Prof. J.A.K. Tareen along with the Madanjeet Singh foundation enters its 10th year now.
In the wake of a miserable cooperation between the member states of SAARC, the growth of this institution, is an example of how ties between nations could also grow along academic lines.
On the other hand, the South Asia University at Delhi funded by SAARC member states is still in its infant stages and has not grown since its foundation.
It therefore faces an existential crisis at the moment. A resurrection of such institutions requires better funding from the member states to start new courses, recruit qualified faculty and provide good infrastructure.
Problems and People's Participation in South Asia :
The South Asian region faces several negative issues like terrorism, pollution, poverty, unemployment, rapid unorganized urbanization, refugees, political instability, corruption and several communicable and non communicable disease outbreaks.
In a competing world, where we see countries forming groups like the EU, ASEAN, AU and so on, SAARC could be a pillar for the countries of the South Asian region to establish their identity in trade and also to alleviate the afore mentioned evils persistent in the region.
Solely relying on the governments to bring about an integration of the region may not be enough.
An active participation of the fifth estate (social media) and citizen journalism can strengthen people to people contact and hence bring about regional integration.
With 35% of the youth in this region, the region is the work force of the 21st century when the rest of the world has an ageing population.
Hence, with a good cooperation among the member states, the region can become a strong economy and a better society in the near future.
Recent Events : A lifetime Opportunity for SAARC, India and Pakistan to redeem SAARC
In an event that is bound to affect SAARC , Pakistan is opening Kartarpur corridor to enable Sikh community of India to visit their holy places in Pakistan.
This is also the result of Sardar Navjot Singh Sidhu's meeting with Pakistan Army Chief Gen.
Bajwa on the occasion of Prime Minister Imran Khan's oath taking ceremony.
This is a positive step and as the logical next step, Both India and Pakistan must implement Common Normal Visa regime, easy visas, or visa on arrival by elders, on reciprocal basis to encourage Tourism, trade and good will.
Also in South Asia, let us open transit trade regime like in EU. Let's begin a new era of TAPI, a new era of SCO, a new era of SAARC.
We have suffered 70 years since independence, we must stop suffering and live in peace and friendship as good neighbours, and this may even lead to eternal best relations.
Religious pilgrimages revive commerce and economy. Both India and Pakistan can benefit tremendously with these.
We can hope to see Hindu pilgrims coming to Katas Raj in Pakistan the same way.
Economic opportunities are endless. It would be a folly to only focus on war.
It is an occasion for joy as the border is opening so that brothers, sisters and friends on both sides can freely meet each other.
SAARC would benefit from the stability that India and Pakistan at peace would bring.
We need to make the masses in India, Pakistan, South Asia educated and prosperous. Good times are ahead.
-Article by Dr.Santhosh Mathew, Assistant Professor, Centre For South Asian Studies, Pondicherry Central University, India.
Also read: Foreign ministers of SAARC states to meet today: Know more about SAARC and its objectives
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