Collective accountability

How exactly does SAARC help the common people of all of the countries of the region? It does not ensure that these countries have standards with regard to education, nutrition, health care or even democratic freedoms. As a Maldivian, these issues are of utmost importance to me. For the past four years, the Maldives has been going through a major political and social transformation, with many opposition activists having been jailed and tortured for protesting against the autocratic regime of President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. Where was SAARC then? No one used the platform to speak out against this dictator who has ruled for decades with an iron fist, all the while talking democracy but showing few signs of allowing political reform. Far from acting as conscience keepers and supporting democratic initiatives in the neighbourhood, SAARC countries, including neighbouring Sri Lanka, are still entertaining this president of 30 years' standing. India must share the larger burden of responsibility for doing too little, as it is a perhaps the only power in the region that could have truly pressured the Gayoom regime.

In order for SAARC to be truly effective, it is imperative that it lay down certain democratic and human-rights standards, which every member must uphold. Without such an agenda, certain countries will inevitably be weaker or stronger than the others. As for daily life, the general Southasian public has not benefited much from the existence of SAARC. SAARC nationals visiting or working in other SAARC countries still have to go through massive amounts of red tape, restrictions and complicated visa procedures. Here in the Maldives, labourers from other SAARC countries have no rights, and receive little respect. Maldivian health services are far below those of Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan, as are our education standards. In this day and age, we do not even have a university.