Challenges of Developing a More Secure Region in South Asia
By David Raja Marpaung S.IP M.Def
There are 3 main problems that face security in South Asia, inter-state conflict, intra-state conflict, and militant groups.
Inter-State Conflict
| India-Bangladesh | India-Sri Lanka | India-Nepal | India-Pakistan |
| Muhurichar Island conflict | Indian Peace Keeping Force (IKPF) sent to Tamil Nadu to disarm the Tamils | Tensions over disagreement on transit treaty | Both countries test nuclear weapons |
| Pyrdiwah village border Conflict | Withdrawal of IPKF demanded by Sri Lankan government | Border dispute on Kalapani River | Kargil conflict in Indian-held Kashmir |
| Exchange territory in order to reduce river boundary | India boycotts SAARC Colombo summit | | Terrorist attack on Indian parliament blamed on Pakistan, |
| | India support to LTTE in Sri Lanka | | Border disputes in Kashmir lead to terrorism and arms race, including nuclear (WMD) |
Intra-State Conflict
| Sri Lanka | India | Maldives | Pakistan |
| Widespread anti-Tamil rioting following the deaths of soldiers in an LTTE ambush in 1983 | Prime Minister Indira Gandhi killed by Sikh body guards after ordering troops to lush out Sikh militants from Amritsar. in 1984 | Attempted coup thwarted with the help of Indian commandos in 1988 | Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ousted in military coup led by General Pervez Musharraf. In 1999 |
| President Premadasa killed in LTTE bomb attack in 1993 | Kashmiri separatist movement gains momentum in 1990 | | On-going Waziristan and Balochistan conflict in 2004 |
| | Hindu-Muslim riots in Ayodhya following the demolition of Babri Mosque in 1992 | | |
Militant Groups
| Problem/Cause | Groups | Demands |
| Fear of Loss of Identity (as a result of arbitrary national territorial formation) | Nagas, Mizos, Meiteis, Assamese, Kashmiris, Baluchis | Secession |
| Fear of Assimilation (out of arbitrary ethnic boundary maintenance) | Bodos, Meiteis, Sikhs, Lhotshampas | Secession or Autonomy |
| Fear of Marginalization (as a result of out group domination) | Tripuris, Meiteis, Assamese, Gorkhas, Sindhis, Sri Lankan Tamils, the CHT tribals | Secession or Autonomy |
| Sense of relative deprivation (as result of denial of equality) | East Pakistanis, Sri Lankan Tamils, Mizos, Baluchis, Mohajirs, Sindhis, Assamese, Meiteis, Tripuris, Gorkhas | Secession or Autonomy |
| Sense of Powerlessness (out of hegemonic majoritarianism) | East Pakistanis, Sri Lankan Tamils, Baluchis, Pakhtuns, the CHT tribals, Sikhs, Assamese, Kashmiris, Dravidians | Secession or Autonomy |
Source: Regional Integration, Trade and Conflict in South Asia (IISD 2007)[1]
To explain more about security problems in South Asia can be analyze with using PESTEL Analysis
Main Problem in South Asia Region
| Politics | - controlling WMD proliferation -insecurity - suppression to civil society - ineffectiveness of regional board such as SAARC - terrorism network and training - international involvement (UN, Russia, US, EU) - high political tension - ethnic and religion conflict |
| Economy | -high population, almost one-fifth worlds population - Lack quality of human resources - South Asia is the least integrated region in the world. - Intraregional trade is less than 2% of GDP, compared to more than 20% for East Asia. - The cost of trading across borders in South Asia is one of the highest in the world - illegal trading trough border - money laundering (trough “hawala” system) |
| Social | -gender issues such as purdah, dowries, and female infanticade - refugees from the conflict area (Kashmir, Tibet, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bhutan) - illegal migrant worker - drugs abuse in society, mainly come from Afghanistan (narcotics, cannabis, hashish, opium, heroin, morphine) - human trafficking (women and children for sexual exploitation and illegal labour) - minority discrimination |
| Technology | - less-developed regional telecommunication access - Nuclear compettion - Energy trade in the region is low |
| Environment | - Nuclear radiation -Opium plants - river and dam dispute as the main agricultural irrigation (Kashmir) |
| Legal | - law enforcement becoming weak - inconsistency in applying bilateral and regional agreements - refuse to joint nuclear proliferation treaty |
Impact of Security Problems
| Level | | Dimension | Impact | | |
| Analysis | Economy | Social | Environment | Politic | Military |
| Individual | - Less education -poverty - unemployment | - High infant mortality -drug abuse - domestic violence | -potential nuclear radiation | -human rights issue -unfairness to the minority conflict | - trauma -Potential horizontal Conflict |
| National | - low economic development -high inflation -minus trading | - lost generation -minority discrimination - invite division society | -nuclear radiation area - agricultural irrigation | - pressing to the minority - weak civil society | - increasing military forces - terrorism |
| Regional | - money laundering - smuggling - illegal trading - 40 percent of the people in region under standard live | - refugees - human trafficking - illegal migrant Worker | - opium plants spreading - river and dam dispute | - political tension -ineffectiveness of SAARC | - nuclear race - terrorism - armed conflict - insurgency group |
| Global | - tariff trading barrier - gap economy in in international environment | - transnational crime - global terrorism and militant groups' solidarity | - Potential destruct ion of World War III | - international attention - influencing pattern of interaction | - peacekeeping operation (UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan/UNMOGIP) - terrorism |
· To develop political will to reverse the course of confrontation.
· To show willingness and commitment to live together based on mutual trust and interest.
· To expand civil societies, both within and between nations.
· To strengthen regional institutions and community integration.
· To make amendment of SAARC Charter in principle to solve interstate conflict.
· To promote joint law enforcement and linkage to international organization
· To develop understanding on security matters within the region while seeking cooperation from contiguous regions.
· To accommodate interests of small neighbors.
· To encourage broader economic cooperation endeavors.
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