SAARC for peace, prosperity, justice and human rights

Sarath Wijesinghe

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The next SAARC summit will be held in Sri Lanka and the Presidency will be handed over to President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Sri Lanka for a period of one year.

This is an important and historic occasion to our country and the SAARC region as this is the only regional (international) organisation of States set up in line with similar powerful organisations such as EU which aiming to be a super State. In the world family we cannot live alone or in isolation as everything is interconnected.

Economic, social and political world orders are such that everything in life is interwoven and inter connected with other countries and individuals. No country can exist without help from others and world and international organisations are the main actors and vehicles of this new world order.

As the host country, we may have to bear the cost which is substantial to us, but the benefits and returns are far reaching and enormous. It will enhance the image of the country and boost the economy and growth in various ways. On the other hand the time has come for us to work as a group of neighbours, who understand one another and who are confronted with the same or similar problems.

Membership and observer status

India in emerging as a world power and China seeking observer status too is a vibrant economy as another emerging world economic power, when the West is feeling the downward trend or facing economic decline.

Aid and assistance from the West is linked to hidden agendas and do not seem to be genuine. We are culturally and physically similar, to India being the origin of our great cultures and religions.

Therefore a United South Asia is the best way forward for our success based on Unity and collective action for the common benefit of all. Our food pattern is the same or similar. We can have a common strategy on combating war on terror and war on essential needs for the needy.

The world economic situation is going from bad to worst. West is too remote and too expensive. They do not understand our problems. Our great religions have taught us human rights and human dignity long before the West understood it quite recently. Our thinking on human rights and thinking is similar. No South Asian countries blame each other for violation of human rights. This is an indication of our closeness and similarities.

History of SAARC

The South Asian Regional Corporation (SAARC) was established in 1985, initially by heads of States of Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Afghanistan joined the “Regional organisation” on April 8, 2006 and today foreign ministers of the SAARC countries agreed on principle to grant observer status to South Korea, European Union, and the United States.

We are a respected and senior member of the world family, having hosted many international events. During Madam Bandaranaike’s time our relations with India and the world have been at the peak. There were declines subsequently due to the mismanagement of the foreign policy for which both India and Sri Lanka are paying the highest price.

Today things have changed. President Rajapaksa has developed close friendship with India and all other world leaders, and today is a popular emerging world leader on his own strength and own style of doing things.

He is a brilliant speaker addressing international gatherings at ease and developing close relationship with emerging world powers and leaders. This is the opportunity for him to make use of his brilliance and goodwill in order to deliver goods for the national good, on this need of the hour.

Barriers and deadlocks

At the initial stages of the organisation, there were deadlocks and barriers for the setting up and continuance mainly due to sceptism and suspicion by mighty India that the neighbours were “ganging” against her. Today things have changed and the South Asian Group is spearheading as a powerful regional organisation which has 1.5 billion people, and covering a large portion of the globe.

India had problems with Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Good news is that now we are a family and the misunderstandings have completely been eradicated.

Therefore it is time for us to grab the opportunity and lead SAARC for our prosperity next year.

The opposition and the media have a vital role to play on this issue throughout the year, learning from Europe, growing faster and better day by day. Europe is economically and politically becoming stronger day by day as a result of unity and strategy coupled with hard work.

SAARC Court of Appeal

It is time for the opposition to work together with the Government in order to change the entire structure and outlook of the system of government, Justice, internal and external security. To obtain membership in the European Union is not easy. The member country should have a good Human Rights record, sound economy and be practising democracy.

Closer co-operation of the group will bring about solutions to many current and burning issues. There will be supervisory jurisdiction including a common system of Justice. There are suggestions for a SAARC appellate court in line with the House of Lords, which requires drastic constitutional changes.

These are suggestions which are on the agenda and the President being a senior lawyer and Human Rights activist will have a proper understanding to lead the member nations during his presidency.

I was fortunate to be an academic at the University of London where the rare opportunity was given to me to launch the project to compare the SAARC and the EU for my post graduate and also an opportunity to assist His Excellency and the Foreign Minister in organising the summit, making use of my knowledge and experience in the United Kingdom.

There are eternal changes in international, regional and political situations, based on various factors. During formative stages of SAARC, Indo-Sri Lankan relations were strained due to difference of political ideologies of leaders and conduct of foreign relations.

President Zia Rahuman of Bangladesh should be credited with carrying the mantel at the formation of the Association initially as a friendly and an economic union on identified subjects such as agriculture, telecommunication, health, transport and human resource development.

Comparison with European Union

The European Union which is a political and economic union of twenty seven member States with almost 500 million citizens sharing 30 per cent of the gross domestic product (US$ 16.8 million in 2007) tracing the origin to the coal and steel community formed among six countries in 1951 and the Treaty of Rome in 1957.

Europe has been a bloody battlefield which has gone through two world wars, having fought with one another for generations, which today is spearheading to hybrid intergovernmentalism and super nationalism aiming to be a super State of Europe in line with the United States. It is going to be more powerful than the only remaining superpower, if and when the plans are materialised.

Progress and achievements

On tracing the SAARC developments and what it is today, the progress of EU has direct effect influence and ripple force on the SAARC achievements, on social economic and more importantly political issues such as combating terrorism for the areas India was reluctant to deal with at the formative stages of the organisation. We act together in combating terrorism with one word.

It is a common problem to all especially to India Pakistan and Sri Lanka. SAARC is the best platform and vehicle to explore properly, Justice and Human Rights. We have taken constructive steps on the economic front by entering into many joint ventures and working arrangements. We have taken steps to form various organisations on law, education, agriculture, telecommunications and many other areas.

The political climate after the end of World War 11 made the way for the unity of Western Europe. The formation of the coal and steel community initiated by France and Germany was to bring coal and steel industries as a first step in the Federation of Europe.

The United Kingdom has been a marked absentee, on initial and important issues and a reluctant member, as India for SAARC at the initial stage Today India is a willing and a fully fledged member of the organisation.

Today the United Kingdom is an active fully fledged member which has sacrificed sovereignty to the EU on various matters, especially on Human Rights and Environment. EU directions on United Kingdom are rigorously implemented irrespective of local legislation.

Regional power and aspirations

Regional power mentalities and superiority complex coupled with hidden agendas prevented those reluctant members of full co-operation and participation. SAARC initially laid more stress on “Core Issues” rather than political issues such as the Kashmir issue and the North and East terrorist issue in Sri Lanka. Today the situation has changed. The twelfth and the thirteenth summits have laid extreme emphasis on greater co-operation among SAARC members to fight terrorism.

Economic co-operation

The eleventh summit in Katmandu provided further impetus to the regional economic co-operation to give effect to the shared aspirations for a more prosperous South Asia.

Over the years, the SAARC members have expressed the willingness on signing free trade agreements which have been prevented due to political and economic concerns. The South Asian Free Trade Area was (SAFTA) was envisaged primarily as the first step towards the transition to a South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) leading subsequently towards a union such as the Common Market and European Union.

EU has developed a single market through a standardised system of laws which apply to all member States guaranteeing of people goods, services, and capital.

It maintains a common trade policy, agricultural and fisheries policy and regional development policy. Fifteen member States have adopted a common currency the Euro. It has developed a common role on foreign policy, representing its members in the World Trade Organisation at G8 summit and of Justice and home Affairs including establishing passport control among many member States under the Schengan Agreement.

This is our land and our nation. No being is perfect. If our intention is to serve the downtrodden and needy that really needs help we can make any sacrifice and forget any difference. This is the time to forget petty differences, petty politics and join hands with President Rajapaksa with whom anybody can work. Rally round him not necessarily the party.

His greatness is shown by giving opportunities to those who canvassed and worked hard against him. A large number of Cabinet and other ministers are those who canvassed against him. Today they serve with one aim.

Please be a party to save our nation and our people.

The writer is the Chairperson of the Centre for SAARC Studies in London, and a senior Solicitor (England and Wales)