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DECEMBER 22-23, 2001 - CONFERENCE ROOM |
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ABSTRACT GEO-POLITICS OF PEACE IN SOUTH ASIA IN THE POST COLD WAR ERA
DIPANKAR BANERJEE*
The geo-politics of South Asia in the 20th
century was shaped by the violence of its creation. The expectations of harmonious coexistence between separate and sovereign entities inhabiting a common geo-economic space was belied by subsequent reality. Early conflict in Jammu & Kashmir and related issues led to mutual acrimony, suspicion and military confrontation that lasted the rest of the previous century, each trying to outdo the other in a vicious and never ending zero-sum game. In turn this affected the geo-politics of the entire region and particularly South Asia.
The post-cold war era did open up opportunities of peace and cooperation internationally but its impact was muted in South Asia. Cold war legacies continued in the mind-set and attitudes of political leaders in
both countries and an intensification of violence in Jammu & Kashmir ensured that there was to be no peace dividend in the region. The last decade of the Century saw a continuation and even an intensification of
this violence. The paper examines broadly the backdrop to these developments. The world is now at what is termed as the post-post cold war era. The fault lines, alliances and coalitions of this period
are yet to evolve even though its outlines are beginning to emerge. The present is a state of transition characterised by tension, violence and the potential of violent conflict, even the use of nuclear weapons. At the
same time South Asia may now be emerging from the periphery to the centre of global strategic concern, where it will not be free from direct and indirect influences from outside. In these challenging times, there are
also opportunities of moving towards peace and stability. What would it take to make this possible? Peace will not emerge without the efforts of a strong coalition, the components of which should include, apart from
officials and intellectuals, the support of a large section of civil society. It is necessary to build this through a step-by-step incremental process of peace constructed painstakingly among and with a strong
coalition. This will include intensification of civil sector dialogues, confidence-building measures, economic interactions and political discourse. Some broad parameters of this are examined in the Paper.
* Executive Director, Regional Center for Strategic Studies, Colombo, Sri Lanka
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