Contemporary South Asia

CONTEMPORARY
SOUTH ASIA
WHAT IS SOUTH ASIA?
GEOGRAPHY OF THE REGION
ASPIRATIONS FOR DEMOCRACY
• A recent survey of the attitudes of the people in the five big countries
of the region showed that there is widespread support for democracy
in all these countries.
• Ordinary citizens, rich as well as poor and belonging to different
religions, view the idea of democracy positively and support the
institutions of representative democracy.
• They prefer democracy over any other form of democracy and think
that democracy is suitable for their country.
THE MILITARY AND DEMOCRACY IN
PAKISTAN
In the period that followed, Pakistani
GENERAL AYUB KHAN politics centred around the competition
between her party, the Pakistan People’s
AFTER Party, and the Muslim League. This phase of
MILITARY TAKE elective democracy lasted till 1999 when a
OVER IN 1966 military stepped in again and Nawaz Sharif
was removed
GENERAL YAHYA KHAN
EAST PAK BROKE &
General Pervez Musharraf.
BANGLADESH EMERGED, In 2001 he got himself
ELECTED GOVT. IN POWER
elected as the President.
ZULFIKAR ALI
BHUTTO(1971-77)
Zia deposed Bhutto in a Pakistan continues to be ruled by
military coup and declared
martial law in 1977
the army, though the army rulers
have held some elections to give
GENERAL ZIA-UL-HAQ their rule a democratic image.
Zia faced a pro-democracy movement from
1982 onwards and elected democratic
government was established in 1988
BENAZIR BHUTTO
IMRAN AHMED KHAN (PM)
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf
What are the factors which have contributed to pakistan’s failure in building a
stable democracy.
The social dominance of the military, clergy, and landowning aristocracy

has led to the frequent overthrow of elected governments and the
establishment of military government.
Pakistan’s conflict with India has made the pro-military groups more powerful.
These groups have often said that political parties and democracy in Pakistan are
flawed, that Pakistan’s security would be harmed by selfish-minded parties and
chaotic democracy, and that the army’s stay in power is, therefore, justified.
DEMOCRACY IN BANGLADESH
• Bangladesh was a part of Pakistan from 1947 to 1971. It consisted
of the partitioned areas of Bengal and Assam from British
India.
• The people of this region were against the domination of
western Pakistan and the imposition of the Urdu language.
• So they began protests against the unfair treatment with the
Bengali culture and language.
• They also demanded fair representation in administration and
a fair share in political power.
• Sheikh Mujibur Rahman led the popular struggle against
West Pakistani domination. He demanded autonomy for the
eastern region.
• In the 1970 elections in the then Pakistan, the Awami League
led by Sheikh Mujib won all the seats in East Pakistan and
secured a majority in the proposed constituent assembly.
• But the government dominated by the West Pakistani
leadership refused to convene the assembly.
• Sheikh Mujib was arrested.
• Under the military rule of General Yahya Khan, the Pakistani
army tried to suppress the mass movement of the Bengali
people.
• Thousands were killed by the Pakistan army.
• This led to a large scale migration into India, creating a huge
refugee problem for India.
• The government of India supported the demand of the
people of East Pakistan for their independence and helped
them financially and militarily. This resulted in a war
between India and Pakistan in December 1971 that
ended in the surrender of the Pakistani forces in East
Pakistan and the formation of Bangladesh as an independent
Bangladesh drafted its constitution He was assassinated and another
declaring faith in secularism, military takeover followed under the
democracy and socialism. leadership of Lt Gen H. M. Ershad
Students were in the
forefront. Ershad was
forced to allow
In 1975 Sheikh Mujib got the political activity on a
constitution amended to shift from limited scale
the parliamentary to presidential form
of government. He was later elected as
President for five years
He also abolished all parties
except his own, the Awami
League Mass public protests made
Ershad step down in 1990
he was assassinated in a
military uprising in August
1975. Elections were held in 1991. Since
then representative democracy
based on multi-party elections has
been working in Bangladesh.
The new military ruler, Ziaur
Rahman, formed his own Bangladesh
National Party and won elections in
1979
MONARCHY AND DEMOCRACY IN NEPAL
• Nepal was a Hindu kingdom in the past and then a

constitutional monarchy in the modern period for many years.
• Common people of Nepal have wanted a more open and
responsive system of government.
• But the king, with the help of the army, retained full control over
the government and restricted the expansion of democracy in
Nepal.
• The king accepted the demand for a new democratic
constitution in 1990, because of strong pro-democracy
movement.
TRIANGULAR CONFLICT
REBELLION
During the 90s, the Maoists of
Nepal were successful in spreading MONARCH
their influence in many parts of
Nepal. They believed in armed
insurrection against the monarch
and the ruling elite. This led to a
violent conflict between the Maoist
guerrillas and the armed forces of DEMOCRATS MAOISTS
the king.
2002
• In 2002, the king abolished the
parliament and dismissed the
government
• In April 2006, there were massive, country wide,
2006
prodemocracy protests. The forces achieved their
first major victory when the king was forced to
restore the House of Representatives that had been
• dissolved in April 2002.
• Nepal becomes a
2008 republic.
Promulgation of a new Constitution 2072 by President Dr. Ram Baran
Yadav
ETHNIC CONFLICT AND DEMOCRACY IN SRI LANKA
• Got independence in 1948.

• But it faced a serious challenge, from ethnic conflict leading to the demand
for secession by one of the regions.
• After its independence, politics in Sri Lanka (it was then known as Ceylon)
was dominated by forces that represented the interest of the majority
Sinhala community.
• The Sinhala nationalists thought that Sri Lanka should not give
‘concessions’ to the Tamils because Sri Lanka belongs to the Sinhala
people only.
• The neglect of Tamil concerns led to militant Tamil nationalism.
• From 1983 onwards, the militant organisation, the Liberation Tigers of
Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has been fighting an armed struggle with the army of
Sri Lanka and demanding ‘Tamil Eelam’ or a separate country for the Tamils
of Sri Lanka. The LTTE controls the northeastern parts of Sri Lanka.
INDIA’S INTERVENTION IN SRILANKA
The government of India has from time to time tried to negotiate with the Sri
Lankan government on the Tamil question.
In 1987, govt of India -directly involved.
India signed an accord with Sri Lanka and sent
troops to stabilise relations between the Sri
Lankan government and the Tamils.
In 1989, the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) pulled out of
Sri Lanka without attaining its objective.
Norway is regarded as a peace-helper rather than a peacemaker or a

mediator. Norway plays a role as facilitator where it supports the warring
parties to come up with a solution themselves. In the case with Sri Lanka,
Norway had built closer ties with the island by its charity work through
NGOs. Not only this time , but also at the time of Tsunami.
QUE-In spite of the ongoing conflict, Sri Lanka has
registered considerable economic growth and recorded
high levels of human development. Explain.
ANS=
• Sri Lanka was one of the first developing countries to
successfully control the rate of growth of population,
• the first country in the region to liberalise the
economy,
• it has had the highest per capita gross domestic
product (GDP) for many years right through the civil
war.
• Despite the ravages of internal conflict, it has
maintained a democratic political system.
1. In Sri Lanka.
1. The given cartoon is related to which country?
2. The full form of LTTE is Liberation Tigers of Tamil
2. What is the full form of LTTE?
Eelam (LTTE)
3. What was the main demand of LTTE?
3. Leading to the demand for secession by one of the
4. Rajapakse is trying to perform which political
regions.
act?
4. Raja Pakse is trying to balance Sinhala hardliners &
Tamil militants.
INDIA-PAKISTAN CONFLICTS
Name the two leaders – Man Mohan singh &
Pervez Musharraf
Imagine any two problems they might be

discussing?
How to solve Kashmir issue through mutual
talks
How to control terrorism
In which sector can improve trade
What changes can be made in visa
formalities.
Mention the outcome of their discussion.

To arrange a security level meeting of both
the nations.
Visiting of concerned ministers & to take
steps towards agreement b/w both countries.
To conclude the problem by not referring to
other nations.
To strengthen socio-cultural and eco trade
b/w the countries.
INDIA- BANGLADESH RELATIONS
INDIA- NEPAL RELATIONS
INDIA- SRILANKA RELATIONS
INDIA- BHUTAN RELATIONS
INDIA- MALDIVES RELATIONS
• Maldives remain warm and cordial.

• In November 1988, when some Tamil mercenaries
from Sri Lanka attacked the Maldives, the Indian air
force and navy reacted quickly to the Maldives’
request to help stop the invasion.
• India has also contributed towards the island’s
economic development, tourism and fisheries.
OTHER CONFLICTS OF THIS REGION
Nepal and Bhutan, as well as Bangladesh and

Myanmar, have had disagreements in the past over
the migration of ethnic Nepalese into Bhutan and
the Rohingyas into Myanmar, respectively.
Bangladesh and Nepal have had some differences
over the future of the Himalayan river waters. The
major conflicts and differences, though, are
between India and the others, partly because of
the geography of the region, in which India is
located centrally and is therefore the only country
that borders the others.
How external powers influencing bilateral relations in South Asia
China and the United States remain key players in

South Asian politics. Sino-Indian relations have
improved significantly in the last ten years, but
China’s strategic partnership with Pakistan
remains a major irritant. The demands of
development and globalisation have brought the
two Asian giants closer, and their economic ties
have multiplied rapidly since 1991.
American involvement in South Asia has rapidly

increased after the Cold War. The US has had good
relations with both India and Pakistan since the end of
the Cold War and increasingly works as a moderator in
India-Pakistan relations. Economic reforms and liberal
economic policies in both countries have greatly
increased the depth of American participation in the
region. The large South Asian diasporas in the US and
the huge size of the population and markets of the
region also give America an added stake in the future of
regional security and peace.

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CONTEMPORARY

The social dominance of the military, clergy, and landowning aristocracy

• Nepal was a Hindu kingdom in the past and then a

• In April 2006, there were massive, country wide,

• Got independence in 1948.

Norway is regarded as a peace-helper rather than a peacemaker or a

Imagine any two problems they might be

Mention the outcome of their discussion.

• Maldives remain warm and cordial.

Nepal and Bhutan, as well as Bangladesh and

China and the United States remain key players in

American involvement in South Asia has rapidly

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