International Day of Peace: Peace and South Asia in the 21st Century

South Asia: The Stakeholders

As per the CIA World Factbook, the Southern part of Asia, or ‘South Asia’, comprises India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Nepal, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Bhutan. The number of people residing in South Asia is approximately 1,967,103,368, as per the Worldometer, making up a significant portion of the world’s population. South Asia has particularly been through a lot of turbulence over the past two decades. A potential highlight list might include the Indo-China dispute, the deadly terrorist attacks in Indian territories of Jammu and Kashmir/the North-Eastern provinces, the terrorist attacks in Pakistan, the Tamil Tigers reaching their most potent state in 2005 and organising multiple attacks in Sri Lanka, or the most recent reinstitution of the Taliban in Afghanistan which resulted in the scrapping of a budding democracy in the region. These incidences have made it safe to say that South Asia is going to be the Boiling Pot of world politics in this decade, likely including numerous UN interventions, peace talks, and proxy wars.

Peace in the last two decades has been elusive, to say the least. Regional governments have been quite shaky, with democracy approaching its deathbed in Afghanistan and China having their own internal challenges that directly affected the Gulwan valley tensions. Moreover, although China is not exactly a part of “SouthAsia'', the fact that it is suspected to be the origin of the Covid-19 outbreak with substantial evidence, it is inferable that the huge effect it has had on the socio- economic balance of South Asian countries. Coming to the heart of it, the stakeholders of the situation in South Asia are its citizens; the around 1,967,103,368 number of people aforementioned. This population includes countless working sector people, indigenous tribes, technological giants of the world, colossal production and shipping sector, etc. Therefore, it would be fair to say that it is not just South Asian citizens but the whole world that depends on these countries; global peace is at stake too. To be fair, the World is a stakeholder in the situation of South Asia.

Elusive Peace The matter of peace has been very cloudy lately in the South Asian territory. Situations appear to improve for a moment, only to collapse soon after. The last two decades have been particularly tense. For instance, India and Pakistan are in a ceasefire as per the 2003 Ceasefire Agreement, but the high militarisation, the massive number of alleged violations as well as the number of unreported deaths paint another picture.

Source: MHA: Annual Reports, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. In Afghanistan, the situation is one of immense concern, with the safeguarding of their fundamental human rights, rights of children, women, access to justice, access to education, healthcare, and many basic rights that must be available in the 21st-century forefront. Similarly, with the mass immigrant crisis in Bangladesh and the diplomatic battle to gain power over the Indian ocean, which is a proxy war battleground is gripping Sri Lanka, it would be safe to say that peace is elusive in South Asia.

Many have speculated that South Asia will be the battleground for World War III, including renowned media outlet “The National Interest”. I personally believe that we are always in a state of war; it is just a difference of declaration matrix and extent. The situation is not equitable, and it is clearly visible that major world powers will not stop turning this into a proxy war for their ulterior motives, just as they did in the Gulf region in the past. Even in our waters, there is a constant struggle for power. For instance, the fishing water dispute between India and Sri Lanka has led to numerous prosecutions affecting the life of multiple fishermen and citizens on both sides. Our leaders need to realise that this is not only a matter of peace but also of sustainability. Immense proportions of previously allocated budgets that could be utilised for certain developmental progressions, moving towards environment-friendly alternatives, and better life quality for citizens are currently being used by South Asian countries to increase and weaponise their arsenal.

Peace and the Future of South Asia

As a broad concept, the term "peace" cannot be reduced to a narrow meaning that is fair and accurate. Peace is equality, and it is the ability to settle conflicts without needing an escalation matrix, deployment, or the involvement of third parties in the conflict. In a state where elections are held on the basis of growth, development, and reforms rather than bolstering arsenals and bombing, peace is the power to choose.

The issues that South Asian countries are dealing with are extremely different, making it difficult to define peace in this context in a single term. People in Afghanistan require equal rights, the freedom to pick their own leaders, and a variety of other human rights. India and Pakistan must overcome their 70-year-old disagreement and work together on a mutually beneficial basis in order to prevent any third country from profiting from their conflict. Bangladesh must carry out its own internal reforms, while Nepal must strive for internal stability and reach an agreement on the scope of their respective border issues. Sri Lanka must stabilise and resolve its fishing water conflicts in order to avoid escalation in its disputes by a third nation seeking to take advantage of its strategic placement in the Indian Ocean.

The most astonishing aspect that inflames the dreamy feeling of potential and induces eagerness for the future is the abundance of riches, captivating traditions, and amazing people in South Asian nations. The benefits and services they can provide to their country and the world are innumerable. Theoretically speaking, if South Asian nations could create an alliance similar to the European Union, there would be no limit to what they might achieve as an alliance; this would serve as a model for the rest of the world to follow. There would be peace, and the parties involved would come out on top.

The United Nations General Assembly established the International Day of Peace on September 21, 1981, and it will be celebrated for the 40th time on September 21, 2021. It has been a historic day of resolutions and debates aimed at preserving global peace and stability. Peace in South Asia, I believe, will play a significant role in the future development of humanity. Therefore, I would want to promote the idea of a peaceful South Asia in the future, which is in keeping with the theme of "United for Peace."