2007 -- South Asia was in focus in contrasting ways

Events in two countries in South Asia, in contrasting fashions, hogged headlines not only in the region but also in the international scene in 2007. Interestingly, one event took place early in the year, which was talked about as a positive issue, while the other at the fag end of the year caused severe adverse repurcussions.
The event in Bangladesh on January 11, 2007 was widely seen as a timely measure to stave off a catastrophic situation stemming from manifold complications. On the other hand, the cruel assassination of former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto on December 27 spoke of a growing turmoil in a neighbouring South Asian nation. Other regional countries were not without developments of significance, but these two events were the cynosure of all eyes in South Asia in the past year.
South Asia witnessed both turmoil and remarkable achievements during the 2007, making the region more talked about in world affairs, compared to many other preceding years. Most nations in the area saw political unrest during the period, while some landmark developments brought the region international laurels.
While Bangladesh was free from political mayhem and instability, barring the first few days of the beginning of the year, some positive developments took place in Nepal, where the government and the radical Maoists forged commendable broad unity despite occasional strain in their ties. India remained by and large without major problems while two small nations -- the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan and the Indian Ocean island state of Maldives -- showed greater readiness to accept democracy as a pattern of governance.
Pakistan, the second largest country in the region remained volatile throughout the year with plenty of developments, mainly centering the general and presidential elections. Sadly, the year ended with the gruesome murder of a charismatic figure of South Asia, who was the first Muslim woman prime minister of the world.
Sri Lanka remained volatile as the civil war showed no respite, it, rather, grew in intensity even though both the government and the Tamil militants spoke of peace. In fact, the nation is bleeding white, with no sign of a negotiated settlement of the more than two decade long civil war in sight. Afghanistan, the latest member in the Saarc family, was more restless internally. On the whole, South Asia saw some positive developments, but the negatives ones weighed heavily in the region.
It appears that the political environment in the South Asian region has both happily improved and unfortunately nose-dived in recent times. A successful conclusion of the last Saarc summit in New Delhi augured well for the region, with the next summit scheduled in the Maldives in the current year. The summits of Saarc leaders often suffer postponements, but the 14th summit in April, 2007 remained very much on track and was largely seen as business-like and productive.
The summit infused some degree of new dynamism in the regional forum, eliminating much of the inertia and frustration that characterised it before, and all are now eagerly looking forward to the15th, summit. Certainly, this bodes well for the region and the Saarc as a whole, even though the progress of the forum remains somewhat sluggish.
In the western front, ties between two traditionally rival neighbours -- India and Pakistan -- are in the process of normalization, and several meetings between the two countries on a variety of bilateral issues was seen a further development in their often-battered relationship. Needless to say, the Saar -- particularly the summits -- had fallen victim to Indo-Pakistan hostilities many a time before. Scheduled conferences of the heads of government had to be deferred indefinitely, and were made possible only when New Delhi-Islamabad ties improved.
The current state of New Delhi-Islamabad relations provides encouragement to the overall South Asian political milieu. There is hardly any denying that their bilateral ties have a bearing on the regional scene, which is largely contingent upon Indo-Pakistan relationship. Their topsy-turvy ties were relatively stable in the preceding year.
Individually, Nepal and Bangladesh bore the brunt of political problems during 2006 causing strain in their political and economic conditions. Things improved for them in 2007, but the expectations of their people have grown high and the governments need to meet these hopes through good governance and policies. Both countries took praiseworthy steps in line with people's expectations to curb corruption, as many high ups, otherwise believed to be beyond touch, were taken to task. Bangladesh and Nepal are now bracing for meaningful elections before the current year is over, and the success of the governments will largely depend on successfully carrying out the agenda.
Nepal capped the year with a momentous decision -- the parliament approving the abolition of monarchy in the country. The government had earlier taken several measures to curtail the king's political and financial powers and facilities, which were highly disproportionate for the small and poverty-ridden country. Seven political parties and the "Maoists" had jointly waged the anti-king movement, and now both have a duty to turn their country into a truly peaceful nation and the lovely land once again into a paradise. More importantly, from a Hindu kingdom, Nepal is moving to become a secular Republic.
Bangladesh was very much in the news from the last days of 2006, and beginning of 2007, centering the upcoming national elections scheduled for January 22, but the political deadlock kept normal life paralysed as the country stepped into the new year. The diametrically opposite positions of the two main stakeholders in the political arena further compounded the situation, with heightening of public tension and anxiety over the shape of things to come.
Finally, the development in the form of a new caretaker government brought relief. The nation expects a healthy and peaceful phase with national elections by the end of the year-end, and it remains to be seen how the developments unfold in the future.
The popular king in the small Himalayan country of Bhutan is showing increasing signs of giving up his total grip on power by a long term plan of some kind of democratisation, and this is being well received in the calm and peaceful kingdom. In the tiny Indian Ocean nation of the Maldives, a long serving president is giving in to the demand for multiparty democracy, and this too marks growing signs of the strengthening of representative government in South Asia.
The region -- the most densely populated in the world -- is fighting to improve the living standard of most of its 1.4 billion people who are mired in poverty. Political problems, unbridled corruption and lack of good governance are among the problems that thwart expected progress in South Asia.
The region, evidently, will wait in the new year for many developments in positive directions as a sequel to healthy trends of 2007, while is also expected that unhealthy and divisive ones, both nationally and regionally, will take a back seat and be discouraged in 2008.One can only hope that those who matter and shape things will not turn a deaf ear.
Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury is a senior journalist.