Member nations of South Asian Association of Cooperation (SAARC) have experienced many changes in the political showground of the region. From Afghanistan to Bangladesh, many changes have been taken place, most of those are positive in nature.
Afghanistan, the youngest member of SAARC, is still running through the same problems emerged from the Taliban militancy. As of information appeared on media, the Afghan society over the years have become more conservative than ever before though the government is working with a secular manner. Moreover, most of the members of the government are western trained and committed to reconstruct the nation as a modern secular state. In spite of this commitment and presence of US-led allied military, the Talibans are emerging strong in the society, especially in the rural belt.
The recent development in this nation is that US administration is going to strengthen its military presence in terms of number of personnel and fire power. The administration is trying to keep grip on the society, but in reality it is losing as social power structure is contradictory to the secular philosophy. However, diplomatic support for Afghan government can be seen as a constant positive developed.
Pakistan is a country, which after a series of tumultuous events got an elected government and parliament along with a powerful presidency. But, the nation is yet to address the burning issue of South Asia region, the militant activities in the country. It is being blamed for a safe haven for many regional based militant groups. After the assumption of state power by an elected political civil government, it was expected that Indo-Pak relationship would be warmer but many incidents including the Mumbai attack pushed the relationship towards a war like situation.
As a nation, Pakistan only got an important change in political system that is an elected political government. But the war in its North-Western Frontier Province (NWFP) against militant factions is remaining the same as it was in the time of Taliban rule in neighbouring Afghanistan.
India, the largest among SAARC nations, is heading to a national election in near future. Elections in provinces are emerging as acid test for the ruling Congress-led UPA government. The nation has witnessed tremendous advancements with technology, improved social sector and a rapid economic growth despite the present global slowdown, though it is facing an extra stress of terror with a vulnerable cross-border.
Maldives, too, has a very significant development in politics and social power structure. Once autocratic-like governance system of this country has been replaced by a democratic system with the presidential election through popular vote. This change pushed the nation to reconstruct the power structure in social and political level. As a matter of fact, the island-nation has started its journey through democracy towards social changes.
Sri Lanka is also a war trodden nation like Afghanistan with different character. Presently the army achieved a very important military victory over the LTTE, the politico-military organization of minority Tamils. It is an apparent victory of the government over LTTE, however, problem should be resolved by political initiatives as the source of the problem had been emerged from political causes.
As of available information, the government and military of the country are tempted to resolve the crisis, but only military operations cannot erase the prime concern. Tamils are legitimate citizen of Sri Lanka and the issues related to them are political; LTTE is only one of those issues. The change in the Sri Lankan political attitude is Tamil issues could be resolved through military drive, though once they have a belief that issues should be settled politically.
Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh have sharp changes in their political milieu. Nepal was a kingdom just a few days ago; presently the nation is a democracy and has an elected government that is running under the leadership of a Maoist party, who were engaged in guerrilla warfare for at least 14 years. The social power structure of Nepal was a mixture of feudalism and democratic essence. Now, though the kingdom is virtually non-existent, the social power structure remained in the same nature. But as the democratic and anti feudal political forces are governing the government, local bodies and administration, the weave of the change giving pressure on the walls of old fashion social power structure.
Bhutan, a small Himalayan Kingdom, has got an ornamental monarch, a democratic government and a significant level of economic growth despite global economic crisis. Only important pending political issue is the refugee crisis of ethnic Nepalese. In Bhutan, Capital getting roots in to the deep of society and pushing slowly the society to many phenomenal changes. Though the nation has a king, who is very respected and beloved to the citizen, the society is moving towards a capitalist nature.
Talking about Bangladesh, it was under the rule of an extra-constitutional military backed interim government from January 2007 to December 2008. Bangladesh observed parliamentary election on December 2008 and a nationwide local body poll on January 22, 2009. The result of the both of poll went in favour of a political alliance led by Bangladesh Awami League (AL).
Mentionable that the AL-led alliance got an absolute majority in parliament, which is a record after 1973. This overwhelming support came in favour of the alliance aspiring many changes in governance system, process of administration and to make the local government active & autonomous. Though changes in practical field of the said issues are not yet in reality, the people’s mind is already in the process of change. The people of this nation are thinking about the changes in socio-political behaviour, delivery system of public offices and in the fields of political economy & development philosophy.
SAARC is the forum of South Asian nations to discuss the problems and prospects of the people of the region. It is the platform of economic activities. This regional association is the common stage of decision makers of the member nations. The changes are going over the region should be understood by the people-concerned. Particularly, terror and militancy is a vital issue for the SAARC members to be addressed in a proper and urgent way. If the socio-political and psychological changes in the mass are not understood by the policy makers, it would be a difficult task to prioritize and address the issues.
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