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Mistrust, conflicts cast shadow over S Asia

By Staff Correspondent
Abiding mistrust and con flirts have stymied South Asian nations to face the challenges of the post-Cold War era.
This was observed by speakers at a seminar on 'South Asian Security and its Interna) Dimensions' here on Saturday
Organised by the Bangladesh Institute of Strategic Studies (HISS), the threc-day
around the region.
The conflict scenario in the region remained 'virtually unchanged' by the withdrawal of cotnpclitfvc Involvement of extra-regional 'great powers' from the region, pointed out A K M Abdus Sabur, a senior research fellow at BISS, in his fact-paper at the Inaugural session of the seminar.
The region remains bogged down In numerous intrastate and inter-state conflicts while the world has made a decisive shift away from conflict to a course of cooperation,' he added.
The nations of the South Asian region draw many shirred features and values from deep-rooted historical, ethnic, Ungulslk. cultural and religious Ues Ihcsc same reasons also contribute to the making of It as a region of 'mutual distrust, endemic tension and occasional hostilities' experts opined.
The complex linkages, most proi ilncnt in South Asia than anywhere else In the world, of ethnic, religious and linguistic overlap has affected not only developments, but also inter-state interactions In a profound manner. pointed out Professor Baladas Ghoshal. Chairman. Department of International Relations at Jadavpur University, al the seminar.
The asymmetrical character of the region is a source of both stability and tension, which Is further complicated by the fact that while other South Asian states do nol have a common border with each other, India alone Is everyone's neighbour.
'All seven South Asian states have always agreed on one thing — mutual distrust is the banc of Iheir mutual relations,' he added.
Inter-state relations In the region arc characterized by the existence of a number of bilateral disputes which proved to difficult to resolve In the past.
Abdus Sabur Identified that the main issues over which South Asiai. stales 'quarrel* arc territorial disputes and demarcation of land and maritime boundaries, the sharing of waler resources of common rivers, conflict involving ethno-linguistic and religious groups with erpsa-border afflM'— alion. conflicting economic Interests and smuggling and Illegal cross-border activities along with a number of other issues.
"One of the main characteristic features of bilateral dis pules in South Asia is the fact that virtually all of them involve India or arc Indo centric.' he pointed out. The only notable exceptions arc the dir pules between Bangladesh and Pakistan over the sharing of common assets and repatriation of stranded Pakistanis.
He noted that the transfer mallon of intra-state conflicts into inter-slate ones has always been and still remains the single-most dominant factor contrlbuling to violent conflkt* in South Asia
Defying the global trend In reduced tension* following the end of the cold-war era. inter-alate relations In the region have shown 111 Ik- signs of improvement in recent years, speakers agreed. Areas and Issues of conflict have increased while those of cooperation remain under-explored.
However, the South Asian sub-system as a component of the changing International system cannot be insulated from the emerging global scenario. To Inal extent, postcold war era relaxation of tensions may remove souk- of the external Inputs to South Aslan conflicts, speakers pointed
It would be preposterous lo imagine that conllfcls in the region, particularly the IndoPakistan rivalry, will disappear with the withdrawal of the superpowers, said Dr Gowher Rizvi. Macarthur fellow at Oxford University, at the seminar
'But the absence of external power which bolster* the smalkr stales or creates a lopsided balance of power will have a powerful psychologkal impact, which may well make the South Asian slates more accommodating,' he added.
In the present context. South Asian nations will have to travel a long way lo find out the wisdom tn making compromise solution lo bilateral disputes that would facilitate a departure from conflict to a course of cooperation tn the region.
The region remains entangled in numerous conflicts and. at the same time. It has given regional cooperation within the framework of SAARC at best a low-key profile when the need of the hour
called for closer cooperation. Abdus Sabur explained.
'The tremendous difftcul lies suffered by South Asia and the gigantic tasks ahead will create insurmountable pressure on II for evolving a mechanism, for the proper nutn-agement and resolution of in-tra-and Inter-state conflict*,' he said, adding 'and thus, embarking upon a path of meaningful cooperation for mutual benefit.'