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Goa Declaration On Terrorism: BUILDING SUPPORT BRICK BY BRICK By Dr S Saraswathi, 21 Oct, 2016 Print E-mail

Round The World

New Delhi, 21 October 2016

Goa Declaration On Terrorism

BUILDING SUPPORT BRICK BY BRICK

By Dr S Saraswathi

(Former Director, ICSSR, New Delhi)

 

The Goa Declaration issued at the conclusion of the BRICS summit is justifiably hailed as a diplomatic victory for India, in its attempts to gather international support for its fight against the philosophy and practice of terrorism.  It called for a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) in the UN General Assembly.

 

The Declaration contains nine points relating to combating terrorism collectively out of the total of 109 points. It strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and stressed that there can be no justification whatsoever, for acts of terrorism, whether based on ideological, religious, political, racial, ethnic, or any other grounds.

 

The Declaration specifically mentions the threat of chemical and biological terrorism and the need to launch multilateral talks to put down the threat. India’s offer to host an international conference to strengthen global resolve to face the challenge of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)-Terrorism nexus was welcomed.

 

The Declaration called upon all nations to adopt a comprehensive approach in combating terrorism, radicalism, recruitment and movement of terrorists, sources of financing terrorism  through organized crime, money-laundering  and  drug trafficking, dismantling terrorist bases, and misuse of information and communication technologies by terror entities.

 

It was indeed a total fight targeting the source, the course, strategies, and support structures and operations that go with terrorism. What is required is the ability and willingness of the partners to act collectively on the Declaration made at the BRICS Summit. No nation or organisation can fight terrorism alone as the enemy mostly works in secrecy and penetrates into normal life unlike traditional foes openly declaring war.

 

India has also maintained its balanced posture knowing it fully well that however important and urgent may be the fight against terrorism, BRICS platform cannot be reduced to deal exclusively with this problem.

 

BRICS was originally BRIC, a multilateral forum formed in 2009 by four countries in three continents – Brazil in South America, Russia in Europe, and India and China in Asia. It became BRICS with the admission of South Africa in another continent. They have a common characteristic of being beyond the powerful hold of western developed nations, and have a common interest in safeguarding their interests and obtaining a higher role in international decision-making as in the World Trade Organization (WTO) or Climate Change conferences.   Global financial crisis brought these countries together and their collective voice gained significance in international platforms.  However, they are all working within the compulsions of economic liberalization that has engulfed the entire world.

 

BRICS presents a united front of some of the fastest growing economies more to defend their interests in globalisation despite some bilateral problems within. Western countries including the US watch with keen interest the proceedings and outcome of BRICS meetings. Each of these countries has its individual relations with other countries and with other regional organisations.   Those links do not and should not affect their solidarity. BRICS is an interest group and not a political alliance.

 

In keeping with the broad objectives of BRICS, the Goa Summit also dealt with several issues besides terrorism. The bloc agreed to institute Agricultural Research Platform, Railway Research Network, a Sports Council and youth-centred forum on which there were no two opinions. The meet reaffirmed the need for comprehensive reform of the UN including its Security Council with a view to making it more representative, effective, and efficient and to increasing representation of developing countries so that it can adequately respond to global challenges.

 

Goa Summit did not remain restricted to highlighting the issue of terrorism as depicted in many reports, discussions, and comments, which tend to overlook or treat as secondary some 100 other points in the Declaration.  China and Russia recorded the importance they attach to the status and role of Brazil, India, and South Africa in international affairs and their support to their aspirations to play a greater role in the UN.

 

Goa also hosted a regional set up, BIMSTEC – Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation – (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar Nepal, and Sri Lanka) along with BRICS providing opportunities for the two groupings to take some common stand particularly against terror sponsors in the region. Prime Minister Modi pressed for action saying “It is time to stand up and act and act decisively. It is, therefore, imperative for BRICS and BIMSTEC to create a comprehensive response to secure our societies against the perpetrators of terror”.

 

The Outreach Summit, of BRICS’ leaders with those of BIMSTEC has received more than normal attention in view of the failure of SAARC. Besides that, Pakistan is not a member of BRICS and BIMSTEC – a factor that provides fodder to interpreters of Goa meetings.

 

BRICS has come a long way and is now acknowledged as an important international organisation that is neither a regional nor a commercially-oriented grouping of countries. The members have no common history or polity. But, each one of them has the ability to speak and hold on to its national ideologies and interests and together can present a pose that cannot be ignored.  It is a unique organisation and its decisions make global news.

 

Bilateral relations within BRICS countries and of a BRIC member with a non-member State have not proved so far a source of conflict for the future of the organisation. India-China issues are a thorn that should be removed in their own self-interest. Some crucial China-Pakistan ties in the vicinity of Indo-Pak differences, India-US strategic partnership and interests in South China Sea, Russia’s defence agreements with Pakistan and joint military exercises, and India’s bid for NSG membership seeking a lead over Brazil and South Africa are some sources that may look incongruous with BRICS unity.

 

However, nations have matured enough in international relations and capable of segregating issues and cultivating healthy relations with different partners for different purposes at the same time. Remember – there are groups to support arts and sports between warring countries, which are fighting at their borders and argue that music, cinema, and cricket are universal products.    There is no danger to BRICS declarations from other bilateral contacts provided the sanctity of the Declaration is honoured.

 

Thus, India’s diplomatic victory cannot be considered as total in Goa. Notably, it has not been able to pinpoint Pakistan as the perpetrator of terror as the “mothership of terror” as the Indian PM put it. It also failed to convince China to believe cross-border terrorism as Pakistan’s handiwork.

 

Modi’s description of Pakistan in the context of terrorism may have drawn global attention, but was not accepted unanimously by all the members of BRICS to become part of the Declaration.  Moreover, China has expressed its dissent to depicting any nation or religion as terrorist or the mother of terrorism. Beijing’s argument that Pakistan has made many sacrifices in fighting terrorism is indicative of the division within BRICS in fighting terrorism despite unanimity in the goal of fighting terrorism.

 

Building BRICS against terrorism is not an overnight job. It has to be done brick by brick. Goa Summit has covered a long way. ---INFA

 

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)

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