Human right activists and civil society leaders from all eight SAARC
countries at a seminar in the city today held soul searching
discussions on how to expedite regional integration breaking apart the
shackle of elite run traditional politics.
The civil society
leaders also laid emphasis on evolving a new growth strategy and
alternative models for development over the neo-liberal models having
the globalization and economic exploitation of the poor nations by
industrialized nations and of the poor by the rich within a nation,
especially in South Asian region.
They spoke critically of the ongoing globalization process saying trade
liberalization is only destroying local capacity and job market. It has
taken the form of commercial hegemony instead of fostering prosperity
to the poor.
They also spoke of creating a secular South Asia
through building democratic institutions in respective nations. The
two-day seminar taking place at BRAC Center will end tomorrow with
adoption of a declaration. This is part of a process titled
“Envisioning New South Asia from the People’s Perspectives” organized
by a regional civil society network called “People’s SAARC’.
About
30 civil society leaders from seven SAARC countries are taking part in
it, in addition to large number of civil society leaders from host
Bangladesh . They include a senator from Pakistan , a retired navy
chief from India and such other high profile personalities from the
member states.
The inaugural session of this seminar was
moderated by noted Indian human rights activist Kamala Bhasin. Among
the panelists in this session were Prof Anisuzzaman, trade union leader
representing Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research,
Karamat Ali, and former Human Rights Commissioner of Nepal, Kapil
Shrestha. All of them emphasized that the sub-continent can only
deliver the full potentials of prosperity within the framework of a
People’s Union of South Asian.
There is no alternative to it and
sooner or later it will come true. Karamat Ali said, the region had in
fact lost an opportunity of making the union in 1970-71 and had it been
done, the genocide in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka would not have taken
place. He begged apology of his country’s role in Bangladesh in 1971
reiterating the demand that he favoured the trial of Pakistani war
criminals and their associated that Bangladesh is now holding for its
own perpetrators of war criminals. He said he would continue the demand
for trial of his country’s war criminals until they are brought to
justice.
Prof Anisuzzaman said people have lost confidence in
the SAARC process of integration because it is basically based on
promoting the interest of the elite and corporate business. He laid
emphasis on promoting people’s regionalism to facilitate people to
people contact and bring the benefit of economic prosperity to common
people.
Kamala Bhasin said there should be alternative
approach to expedite regional integration apart from official
platforms. She said people should be encouraged to ignore narrow
national identity, border and such other obstacles which are used now
as divider to the much sought unity of the region.
Kapil
Shrestha laid emphasis on greater involvement of common people in
rights movement and protests actions to get the people’s voice heard
People
