The Counter Terrorist Magazine Asia Pacific issue August-September Issue South Asia: Facing a Challenging Security Transition By Srimal Fernando Page 52

The Counter Terrorist Magazine Asia Pacific issue August-September Issue
South Asia: Facing a Challenging Security Transition By Srimal Fernando Page 52

The Counter Terrorist Magazine Asia Pacific Issue Premier informational journal for law enforcement, intelligence and special operations professionals; our mission is to provide operators relevant information in order to combat terrorism at home and abroad. See why The Counter Terrorist is already the favorite journal for many of your teammates. This magazine brings you writers with operational experience covering topics such as: – Terrorist tactics, techniques and procedures – Terrorist organizations and individuals – Organized crime, gangs and spree crimes of national significance – Policing and security operations – Border security – Military counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency – Emergency and medical services – Technology and science – Propaganda – Cultural study
issuu.com/thecounterterroristmagazine/docs/ct_aug_sept_2014__2___1_

South Asian University Seminar on “Violence and Collective Memory“ By Srimal Fernando ( The Diplomatic Society ) South Africa

South Asian University Seminar on “Violence and Collective Memory“

By Srimal Fernando, Global Editor, Foreign Exchange The Diplomatic Society

The Faculty of Social Sciences of South Asian University (SAU) of India organised a seminar on Wednesday, 13th August 2014 at the university main hall. The keynote speaker Professor Partha Ghosh, Senior Fellow at Nehru Memorial Museum and Library delivered a lecture titled   “Violence and Collective Memory”.

Professor Partha Ghosh was formerly a Professor of South Asian Studies at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in India. He is the author of several books including The Politics of Personal Law in South Asia: Identity, Nationalism and the Uniform Civil Code and Unwanted and Uprooted: A Political Study of Refugees, Migrants, Stateless and Displaced in South Asia and the editor for the India Quarterly Journal. Professor Ghosh’s interests include South Asian politics, migration, ethnicity, majority-minority relations, and domestic politics-foreign policy interface.

Professor Partha Ghosh’s seminar was facilitated by Dr. Diya Mehra and Dr. Ankur Datta Assistant Professors of the Department of Sociology, South Asian University (SAU).  A large number of participants who also have a strong background in Sociology and International Relations attended the seminar.  The participants, mostly students from the South Asian University, acquired knowledge about the South Asian region’s historical cultural encounters that have given shape to all kinds of memory formations which keeps influencing its politics and social behavior. Among the other participants Professor Sasanka Perera, Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences and Dr. Dev N. Pathak, Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, was also present. At the end of the seminar students of the South Asian University (SAU) engaged with Professor. Partha Ghosh and this was followed by an interactive question and answer session.

 Source http://www.thediplomaticsociety.co.za/index.php/home/16-home/1092-south-asian-university-seminar-on-violence-and-collective-memory

The Team Behind the fantastic Work. - Global Life Style Magazine (South Africa ) - French & English Editions

Tropics - Global Life Style Magazine (South Africa ) - French & English Editions

The team behind the fantastic work.  

Marcelle Joselya G
Vénicia Stelle Victoire Guinot
Moudzoki Anderson
Des Richards
Srimal Fernando
Nurdan Duzgun


The TROPICS Magazine team is pleased to release its 52nd issue and announces the first edition of its print-on-demand issue available both in English & French.
Read the digital issue online: http://bit.ly/1qYAQ5a . Contact us to place your order now: tropics.info@gmail.com

The Beautiful Indian City Of Delhi ( Page 47 ) By Srimal Fernando - Tropics Asia Life Style Editor ( French & English Editions )

Tropics Global Life Style Magazine ( South Africa ) in English & French
(http://issuu.com/tropicsmagazine/docs/tropics_20magazine_20__20issue_2052 )








The Beautiful Indian City Of Delhi ( Page 47 )

By Srimal Fernando - Tropics Asia Life Style Editor

Delhi or Dilli pronounced in Hindustani is an ideal destination to visit in India and to discover the imprint of the past. Today, Delhi the capital city of India is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the country . The multi-ethnic National Capital city has emerged as a financial center andstands as the political, cultural and economic center of the country. The city is also modern in every sense of the word with modern shopping centers with the largest retail shopping malls and different shops. The convenient Delhi Metro is a modern public transportation system network consisting of number of lines provides various fast links between the city zones and suburbs. The capital city is divided into Old and New city. The imperial city of New Delhi was created by British Raj and composed of specious tree lined avenues colonial architecture, luxurious hotels and world heritage sites side by side. Connaught place in the middle of the city has radial of roads spreading out in all directions. Delhi has many places of interest. Some of the prominent landmarks in this city are the 42-metre tall hexagonal complex India Gate which is the national monument of India, situated in the heart of New Delhi. In close proximity to India Gate is the Rashtrapati Bhawan the official residence of the President of India and the Rajya Sabha with its specious gardens are perfect choice for tourists to observe the spell- binding scenic views of the city.

Although Mughal Empire has long since vanished its influence continues to be present in every part of Delhi and in Agra . Among them the famous 238 feet Qutub Minar built according to Indo –Islamic architecture, Jama Masjid that can house 20,000 people is the largest and most splendid mosque in India built in 1656 by Emperor Shah Jahan and the Humayun's Tomb, the mausoleum of Mughal Emperor Humayun built according to Mughal architecture in 1565 where 160 members of the Royal family are buried are the other interesting places to visit in this vibrant city. Other than the Humyan tomb the most exotic popular places-of-interest in Delhi are the Purana Qila or Old Fort standing stoically amidst wild greenery near Mathura Road, Safdarjung's Tomb set in a beautiful garden built in 1754 and the 17th century Red Fort complex also know as Lal Qila made of red sand stones.












Delhi positioned in a triangle formed by river Yamuna in the east and spurs from Aravali range on the Northern Indian map, provides the setting for her history that offers the visitors an exhausting list of attractions and unmatched experience. Akshardham, a Hindu temple complex ,the Lotus Temple the Bahá'í House of worship and Gurdwara Bangla Sahib adds up to the contrasts of the city. Gurdwara Bangla Sahib with a pool inside its complex, is the most prominent Sikh gurdwara in Delhi, known for its association with the eighth Sikh Guru, Guru Har Krishan .

Although it is a 210 kilometers drive away from Delhi on the Noida , Greater Noida and Yamuna Expressway one can reach the World famous Taj Mahal Palace the mirror image of India located in Agra. The eye catching marble palace complex gives a perfect place for tourists to observe the spellbinding scenic views of Mughal architecture . The City of Victory or Faithra pur Sikri built during the second half of the 16th century by the Emperor Akbar was the capital of the Mughal Empire. It is a place where visitors could pass through several stages during history . Delhi has been vigorous tourism center for centuries and a traveler to this amazing city will find that things that can see and do are limitless.

South Asia: Facing a Challenging Security Transition By Srimal Fernando ( Published on NOHA) )

 

http://www.noha-students.org
South Asia: Facing a Challenging Security Transition
By  Srimal Fernando
 

(Srimal Fernando ,  International Affairs Expert and Global Editor for Foreign Exchange Diplomatic Society (FETDS) of South Africa)

Abstract
Threats to national security are a global issue facing the world presently. Of the7 billion people of the world 1.4 billion live in South Asia. Even though many parts of the region are peaceful and trouble-free there are still potential threats to national security in many South Asian countries. If right steps are taken by the law enforcement agencies of the respective governments and the rule of law can be applied in peace operations such acts of violence that threatens national security can be prevented. The paper examines the Indian elections in a comparative manner and efforts taken by the new leadership in New Delhi to improve the overall relations and the situation across South Asia. In addition the paper offers the policymakers a brief lesson on the current security situation from the eight South Asian countries.
National Elections of India
The world watched the closely contested elections of India in much anticipation on May 16th, 2014.  India home to the world’s largest democracy with more than 830 million voters chose to elect 543 members to the 16th Loksabha elections. By late evening on May 16th, 2014  the   Barathiya Janata Party led National Democratic Alliance (NDA)  recorded the a massive election victory.  The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) Sensex lifted   to a record figure of 24,121.74 points as the Narendra Modi led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won the historic elections in India.
The Barathiya- Janata Party (BJP) led National Democratic Alliance (NDA)  the main opposition party  in India emerged victorious winning 336 Loksbha seats  with a 38.3 percent vote share. The  major  political   partners of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)  comprised of   Barathiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena  (SS),  Telugu Desam  Party (TDP), Lok Janashakthi  Party (LJP), Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Rashtriya Lok Samata Party  (RLS).
 The  Barathiya Janata Party (BJP) vote share  in the Loksabha elections  made inroads into crucial states  in  North India. The State of Uttar Pradesh  is considered  India’s  most populace state  with  the highest number of   Loksabha seats. In Uttar Pradesh alone the  Barathiya Janata Party  increased their vote bank and  representation  to 71 out of 80 Loksabha seats. While being overjoyed at the   Loksabha  election results Narendra Modi  the Barathiya Janata Party (BJP)   Prime Minister in waiting said in his  victory speech  India has won! This is India’s   victory. “Achche din aane waale hain   (The good days are ahead).
Compared to  previous elections  the  India National Congress   (INC)   and the United  Progressive Alliance   (UPA) saw  its Loksabha  vote bank  erode to  61 Loksabha  seats  with 23 .3 percent   vote share in 2014 . The major regional  parties  such as   All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK)    of   Tamil Nadu  State , Trinamool Congress (TMC) of West Bengal  State  and   Biju Janata Dal  (BJD) of  Odisha      made   significant   gains  in   the Loksbha  elections . All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK)     party led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J.Jayalalitha   won 37 Lok Sabha seats  out of 39 seats .
The Baharatiya Janata Party (BJP)  has been vocal and  had  clearly stated that it wants to improve relations with India’s neighbors.  Narendra Modi   the   Prime Minister designated    has extended invitations to the South Asian   leaders   to attend the swearing in ceremony on May 26th ,2014 in New Delhi. Eight South Asian heads of states were invited to the new Indian Prime Minister’s swearing-in ceremony. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s participation added a new dimension to the India –Pakistan relations. It was a historic moment where the time has grown to heal the wounds between the two nuclear armed neighbors who fought three wars since Independence from Britain in 1947.
Security situation Of South Asia 
India
Even though the newly elected Prime Minister of India is trying to foster friendly relations and lessen tension with neighbors there are potential threats to national security of India. Among them Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Hizbul Mujahideen Kashmiri terrorist groups have caused serious threats to the national security of India. Among the eight South Asian countries  India a  nuclear armed nation with  more  than a  million strong army  personal spends nearly 37 billion American dollars annually for national defense. Decades-old hostility between Pakistan and India continues to serve as the backdrop for instability and tension across South Asia. The state of Kashmir is divided between the  two  nuclear armed countries is at the heart of hostility between the neighbors and was the cause of two of their three wars since independence from Britain in 1947. Also the growing Chinese  influence  in the Indian ocean countries such as  the Maldives and Sri Lanka in the recent years has created a uneasiness for India not only from it northern boarders ,but also from the South. The Palk Bay, which connects northern Sri Lanka and the central part of the Tamil Nadu coastline, constitutes a unique ecosystem. It is a shallow bay circumscribed by sea known for its biodiversity (Venkataraman 2004). Crossing International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) by the Indian fishermen for fishing in Sri Lankan waters has added a new dimension to current situation. This has   brought Indian trawler fishers into regular conflict with the Sri Lankan navy has created tension in the Tamil Nadu state of India. Nowadays India is responding to internal and external security challenges with great creativity to enhance new patterns of global cooperation and partnership .These cooperation’s with countries by the newly elected government of India will see a transformation in regional security strategies that will bring stability and improve the overall situation across South Asia.
Pakistan
Pakistan saw a revival of the Political order coming to dominate the entire country in the past six months under the leaderships of   Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The national security of Pakistan is challenged by internal and external terrorist threats even though the countries defense budget had been increased to 627 billion Pakistani rupees for the coming   financial year. In recent years there has been a high threat from terrorism, kidnappings and sectarian violence throughout Pakistan.
The efforts to negotiate a peace deal with the Tehreek-e-Taliban ( TTP)  or Taliban   was a fitful peace  and the prospect for Pakistan   was gloomy. In the wake of a Taliban attack on the Karachi international airport on June 2014 the Pakistani military launched an assault on the militant hideouts in Northern Waziristan in the North-west of the country. Especially given the ongoing Pakistan military actions in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) it is estimated that more than 300,000 civilians have fled the region .In the recent months there had been regular fire exchanges between the Line of Control (LoC) in the India and Pakistan border. The state of Kashmir in the Indian side mostly Muslim Himalayan region of Kashmir is at the heart of hostility between the neighbors for the past six decades. The invitation extended to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif   to witness the swearing in ceremony of Narendra Modi   the   Indian Prime Minister designated     has fostered new kind of linkage  across the boarders .  The regular United States (US) led drone strikes from Afghanistan causes pressure on the countries government. In the recent past the Government of Afghanistan has accused Pakistan of carrying out terrorist acts in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan
The complicating United States (US) -led efforts to end an intensifying Taliban insurgency has been the main root cause of bringing the required stability to Afghanistan.  The US and British led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) withdrawal would give Taliban an upper hand in Afghanistan.  This also could   give an opportunity   for anti-Indian militants to use Afghanistan as a base. The main goal of the Islamist groups operating in Afghanistan is to re- establish sharia law in Afghanistan. Most of these groups are allied with the Taliban and wants full withdrawal of foreign forces from their country and see the fall of the Afghan central government. Threats are issued by the insurgents on an almost daily basis.  The insurgents conduct frequent and widespread lethal attacks against the International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) and around places where large public crowds gather.  Perhaps most notably the year 2014   marked the most challenging year for domestic politics and the country will experience a change in leadership. The presidential election has been deadlocked by allegations of widespread fraud. The presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah who is of mixed ethnicity, owes much of his support to ethnic Tajiks, has regularly complained that his opponent, Ashraf Ghani an ethnic Pashtun, with the help of the Afghan Independent Election Commission and other Afghan officials, rigged the vote. The Afghan Independent Election Commission has so far postponed the results on more than one occasion to help ease the political crisis in Afghanistan.
Sri Lanka
Even though the war in Sri Lanka  between the Sri Lankan Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) had ended, the  main  problem based on ethnicity is still remains . In certain areas of the Northern and Eastern provinces, life has come to   a reasonable life like in the other areas of the country. With availability of more consumer goods and better housing   the desperate situation of people in these provinces are being alleviated. In Sri Lanka, there are still potential threats to national security. Recovery of an arms cache, and shooting incident involving LTTE terrorist named K.P Selvanayagam a.k.a Gobi is evidence on attempts to reorganize and re-arm the terrorist outfit.  However  the Sri Lankan Security forces were able to  kill K.P Selvanayagam a.k.a Gobi and two other wanted terrorist in Nedunkerni area in April this year. Most Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) fronts are coordinated by the Global Tamil Forum (GTF) with the overarching objective of reviving separatism. Their unwavering intent is the division of Sri Lanka and the establishment of a separate state for Tamil Eelam. Also crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line ( IMBL) that separates Sri Lanka and India by Indian fishermen for fishing in Sri Lankan waters has added a new dimension to the current maritime security situation. This has   brought Indian trawler fishers into regular conflict with the Sri Lankan navy. There are the remnants of the radical groups that were involved in previous insurgencies in the South and are trying to re -organise within Sri Lanka and mobilise people to once again take up their extreme left wing causes.  The Sri Lanka Government raised the defense spending to   1.95 billon American dollars for the current year due to threat of terrorism re-emerging.
Democratization and peace-building are closely inter liked. Political stability has been gradually restored in the former war shattered areas of the country. . The recently held Northern Provincial Council (NPC) elections where the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) won majority of the seats have become a lens through which to observe the political changes in Sri Lanka.
In March 2014 Provincial Council   elections were held in Western and in Southern provinces of the country. The United Peoples Front  Alliance  (UPFA )  the ruling party of the present government was able win 89 seats out of the 150 seats in both the provinces.  Even though  the  main opposition party  the United National Party  (UNP)   was able to  win 42 seats ,it was the Democratic  party and the Marxist  Peoples Liberation Front  also known as the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) party  that increased their vote bank and  representation in the two provinces.
Sri Lankan   Sunday Times newspaper  reported    on 22 June  2014  an  assault and  abuse of a Buddhist monk  and his  three wheeler scooter driver on  12th  June  2014    who  had been on their way  to a  religious  ceremony  by Muslims motorcyclist  in Dharga Town  triggered  violence and  had bred tension between  the Muslim and Sinhalese communities living in the Southwestern part  of Sri Lanka . Later more violence broke out where three persons were killed and another seventy persons wounded due violence. Troops were rushed to supplement police and Special task force (STF) commandos were deployed under a prolong curfew, to bring the situation under control. Although tensions have lessened, between the Muslims and Sinhalese communities there is a potential for the security situation to deteriorate again if right steps are not taken to prevent   such  incidences  by the law enforcement agencies in the future.
Despite India’s abstaining the United States ( US) sponsored resolution at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva which seeks  to authorize the body to set up an independent international inquiry in Sri Lanka to probe  into human rights violations during Sri Lanka’s civil war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 2009 was passed . With 23 members voting in favour of the resolution while 12 voted against on 27th March 2014. The  United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC)   adopted  the  resolution  titled  Promoting Reconciliation, Accountability   and Human Rights in Sri Lanka requesting the Office of  High Commissioner for Human Rights  to undertake  a full  investigation   into  alleged  ,violations  and  abuses of human rights  related crimes by parties concerned   during the period covered by the  Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) which examined the  final year of the Sri Lankan  conflict . However   a home grown solution is the best  way to  bring about  reconciliation  among the two ethnically  divided communities. Therefore, it is necessary to build permanent Peace in Sri Lanka and steps should be taken soon as possible.
The Maldives
Nearly 100,000 ships pass through the Indian Ocean annually. The  immediate threat  to this vital shipping  lane  that   handles sixty  per cent of the world’s oil cargo and over  fifty  per cent of the world’s container traffic,  has been facing piracy threats  in the last few years . The Maldives and Sri Lanka are located very closely to this shipping lane. However the Maldivian authorities are currently detaining a number of individuals suspected to have been involved in piracy .After United States that has an air base in Diago -gracia pulls out by 2016the   Maldivian Coast Guards  needs to get more naval assets so that Maldives has the ability to patrol  the   Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The Government of Maldives led by President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom and Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa held official talks on the regional and international issues of mutual concern on June 2014 during a state visit by the Sri Lankan President to the Maldives . The current security situation in the Maldives is peaceful and trouble-free.  As an emerging democracy, the Maldives faces challenges, and is vulnerable to external shocks to its nascent democracy.
Bangladesh
The current Security situation in Bangladesh is  peaceful on the surface . Although tensions have lessened, political differences  between  the ruling party  and the opposition are unsettled .Political tensions between the Awami League-led Government and opposition parties led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Parties (BNP) led to 500 deaths in politically related violence in 2013. A general election, in which opposition parties did not participate, took place in January2014.  After the Bangladesh government refused to put in place an impartial caretaker government ahead of the elections the main opposition party Bangladesh National Party  (BNP) called the boycott . Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was sworn in for a third term   along with twenty nine cabinet ministers.  In 2013  a United Nations ( U.N) tribunal ended the territorial dispute between Bangladesh and Myanmar preventing a   military conflict between the two sides. Focusing on national security the Government of Bangladesh signed a 1 billion American dollar defense deal with Russia for the purchase of anti-tank missiles, training fighters and helicopters. The country is to purchase its first submarine to improve its naval power in the Bay of Bengal. India shares 4000   kilometers of land border with Bangladesh and is an important neighbor . Both countries have witnessed significant forward movement  in the bilateral relations with the visit by the new External Affairs Minister of India Shrimati  Sushma Swaraj  from June 25 to June 27.
Nepal
Sushil Koirala, a leader of the Nepali Congress party, was elected prime minister in February 2014 after weeks of negotiations with the Unified Marxist-Leninist  party of Nepal (UML). Path of political stability in Nepal would take a positive note after completing the ongoing constitution writing process as per the public aspirations of the Nepali people. Nepal hopes of better days for relations with India when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi  visits  Nepal in the near future.
Bhutan
India-Bhutan relations have a long history. With a broader security agenda and a focus on South Asia the Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi accompanied by External Affairs Minister Smt. Sushma Swaraj paid a state visit to Bhutan from 15 to 16 June 2014 at the invitation of His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the King of Bhutan. The  two-day visit to Bhutan, by Prime Minister of India was his first foreign destination since he took over, office in June . During this visit, India focused on “Bharat to Bhutan” or “B2B” diplomacy .
Conclusion
Democratization and peace-building are closely inter liked to see overall security situation of a country. Elections held in many parts of South Asia is a lens through which to observe the Political stability and the changes in governance that is  taking place  in the region   and have a impacts on the  national security of a country or the region . There are several remnants of the radical groups present in South Asian countries who are involved in insurgencies and acts of terrorism. If one is to analyze the current security situation of South Asia, the region is facing a challenging security transition. However with this likely scenario policy makers must focus on ways to make necessary legislative changes to strengthen the foreign policy, the economy and the national security of a country.

Srimal Fernando ,  International Affairs Expert and Global Editor for Foreign Exchange Diplomatic Society (FETDS) of South Africa

 Source  http://www.noha-students.org/articles/8042/south-asia-facing-challenging-security-transition-srimal-fernando