(The views expressed in this journal are solely those of the authors)
South Asian Dilemma of Particularism and Globalization
Dr Pramod Kumar, a leading sociologist from India, explores the dialectic of globalisation and in its response the emergence of cultural and national identities that often take aggressive territorial and nationalist forms, which, in turn, often come into conflict with the rising aspirations of indigenous communities. The paradox of globalisation and political marginalisation, according to the author, accentuates intrastate conflicts which in some instances graduate to the level of interstate conflicts. Rejecting politics of mutually reinforcing violence, be that of state or non-state actors, Dr Kumar elaborates a democratic and human paradigm of multiculturism, pluralism and multilateralism while entirely replacing the state-centric security agenda with human security and the people as the real determinant of their fate in a broader South Asian context.
Nepal: Public Health under WTO
Shiv Raj Bhatt, an expert on development issues, reviews the implications, both negative and positive, of WTO for public health, pharmaceutical industry and R & D in Nepal. Taking a proactive position, the author sees greater benefits of WTO for public health while campaigning against the patent rights and monopolistic extension of multinationals. Although 90 percent of medicines are not patented, he takes a cautiously optimistic view of WTO membership and sees a lot of scope in taking measures safeguarding public health for which WTO provides ample room.
India's Regional Trading Arrangements
Prof. Sujata Jhamb, from NMIMS University, shows how trade liberalisation increased intraregional trade to the advantage of India in the context of its regional trading arrangements. Though SAFTA and BIMSTEC are in place, she says, trade within the region will not increase, due to higher tariffs and non-tariff barriers. Ms Jhamb shows that India's exports to its South Asian partners have increased while imports have remained stagnant. However, this may result in trade diversion.
Bangladesh Poverty Alleviation Strategy
Dr Mizanur Rahman Shelley, a leading economist of Bangladesh, surveys poverty, encompassing deprivation in wellbeing, illiteracy, poor health, various vulnerabilities, caloric and food intake, across Bangladesh over the years. Keeping Millennium Development Goals as target, he evaluates the challenge in empirical terms and proposes a strategy of empowerment, nourishment, wellbeing, health, education and rewarding economic participation of the poor. Extending his argument to South Asia, he identifies areas of regional cooperation that can help overcome poverty from the region and in a doable way.
Sustainable Agriculture and Eradication of Rural Poverty
Engineer Abdul Waheed Bhutto, an academician, discusses growth and productivity trends in Pakistan's agriculture sector. Pinning his hopes on agriculture as a mainstay of economy and the largest and the most elastic sector for labour intensive productive activities, the author emphasizes the need for focus on agriculture with a primary aim to eradicate poverty. For that to happen, he says, the nexus between population growth, poverty alleviation and agricultural productivity and the needs of the poor will have to be tackled.
Currency Union for South Asia: A SWOT Analysis
J. Ravikumar Stephen, a management consultant and a peace activist, argues in favour of creating an Optimum Currency Area (OCA) or a monetary union in South Asia, which suits the region most. Since a monetary union requires greater integration in fiscal, monetary and financial spheres and coordination among central banks, the author favours taking all-sided measures, including labour mobility and capital flows to achieve it. He supports a simultaneous approach, rather than sequencing monetary union after first creating a customs union, standardization, tariff rationalization and a free trade area.
Farmers' Suicides in India; Some Sociological Reflections
Dr P. Radhakrishnan, a professor at Madras University, tries to unearth changing relations of production behind the tide of farmers' suicides in Andhra Pradesh and elsewhere in India. Loss of the traditional, the author argues, and devastation imposed by the 'Green Revolution' under the tutelage of multinationals and globalisation have resulted in the pauperization of rural poor who were left at the mercy of rising cost of production and diminishing prices of their products. Although the conditions of the peasantry under the feudal system were no good, the author does not see any hope for the peasants under the new conditions of globalisation as well. What should be the alternative, the paper does not elaborate while pointing a heartrending situation of the peasantry.
Resurgence of Islam in Bangladesh Politics
Sayeed Iftekhar Ahmed, a Ph.D. candidate in Political Science at Northern Arizona University, takes a historical view of the process of Islamization in Bangladesh, and shows how use of political Islam by the ruling elites and their failure to establish a secular hegemony over civil society, has helped Islamists to expand their space. The duality of identity, Bengaliness and Muslimness, the author argues, is being reshaped in favour of Islamic identity due to opportunism of the mainstream parties.
Indo-Nepal Water Resource Negotiation
Rakesh Tiwary goes into the background of the delay caused by the differences between India and Nepal over the interpretation of various clauses of Mahakali Treaty of 1996 and argues a case for removing them and undertaking measures for the most crucial border river project. Appreciating Track-II consultations between India and Nepal, the author proposes measures to promote cooperation between the two neighbours in harnessing water resources for water and human security benefiting the two countries equally.
From Margin to Mainstream
Capt Deepanjali Bakhshi (retired) takes a serious exception to the exclusion of women from permanent commission in the Indian armed forces and restrictions on their tenure and entering mainstream career. Rendered jobless after serving 14 years, Indian women soldiers are seeking an end to the gender bias in favour of men. Capt Bakhshi advocates allowing women to take the fighting career, like men, within the context of services, breaking the martial taboo that prefers men over women.
Debating Water Management and Reservoirs
Dr Zaigham Habib, an expert on water issues, says an upstream storage is a constraint on the water available at the location and downstream flood releases. Higher storage means higher flexibility. However, in the case of Indus Basin, variable storage supplies are not a good planning option, she pleads adding that the actual storage and release patterns of a reservoir are a real-time phenomenon and need sophisticated model studies. Against the backdrop of the current debate on Kalabagh Dam, she argues, not much water will be available downstream Kotri after constructing a reservoir and fulfilling existing environmental needs.
