South Asia is turning into an arena of imperialist military intervention. It is not that the imperialist powers are intervening in the region for the first time. Ever since the end of direct colonial rule in the countries of the subcontinent excepting Nepal (which was not a colony) after second world war, owing to anti-imperialist struggles of the people of these countries and weakening of the ruling colonial power Britain, the imperialist countries have been intervening in the affairs of these countries. The ruling classes of these countries have been economically comprador, militarily dependent and politically subservient to the imperialist powers. 

In the earlier period the main aim of the imperialists was to keep this region as a zone of economic exploitation and check the growth of communist and progressive movements in these countries. But in the conditions where imperialist powers are not divided into rival hostile camps engaged in military conflicts and there is no socialist country in the world, U S imperialism, the sole superpower, is trying to militarily dominate every corner of the world. For this it is attacking third world countries and is trying to crush every struggle or the force challenging its domination of the world. By this, on the one hand, it is trying to pre-empt any revolutionary struggle from threatening the imperialist system which is sitting on a powder keg. On the other, it is trying to dominate the entire world so as to prevent any imperialist power from challenging its hegemony in future. Its “global war against terrorism” is to serve this purpose. Its targets are revolutionary movements, third world govts. not willing to carry out its dictates and also other imperialist powers who are currently its allies. US imperialism wants to lay down the ground rules through its military domination of the world for other imperialist powers to follow. It is planning a world strategy to perpetuate and consolidate its world hegemony. Unable to confront US imperialism militarily and unwilling to let US alone dominate the world, other imperialist powers are joining in US led coalitions for aggression against other countries in order to keep their share in the military and economic domination of the world.

US imperialism is focusing its attention on South Asia for a variety of reasons. It wants to strengthen its control over this area of vast natural resources and trained technical manpower. This is also the region where the comprador ruling classes have not embarked on any independent development and hence can be made to serve its strategic interests. It can be the jewel in the crown of the new world hegemony.  It is situated close to Central Asia and West Asia, two areas of vast energy resources. Domination over this region is also vital for encircling China and Russia whom it perceives as future rivals. Control over South Asia can be a springboard for dominating the vast land mass of Asia. Further, in these countries, the social contradictions are intensifying and the people’s struggles against imperialist domination are growing. US imperialism reckons with the need to intervene militarily to crush these movements.

With its strategic economic and military aims, US imperialism is steadily increasing its military presence in the region. It is utilizing the conflicts within these countries and among these countries for this purpose. US army and its advisors are already present in most of these countries. The reactionary govts. of these countries, representing the comprador bourgeoisie and big landlords, are being utilized as conduits for US military presence. They are doing the bidding of US imperialism lest their regional rival or opponent scores over them in currying favour with US imperialism.

To implement this strategy, US imperialist rulers have enlisted the support of Indian rulers, giving them the bait of acting as junior partners in policing this region. For many years the military ties between US and India have been increasing and joint military exercises are being undertaken. Indian rulers eagerly jumped onto the bandwagon of US led “global war against terrorism” and offered military bases for attacking Afghanistan. Port and calling facilities have been granted to US navy and both US and Indian navy are jointly patrolling the Straits of Malacca. US troops are undertaking “joint training” in Agra. However, while taking Indian rulers along, US imperialism by no means wants to operate only through them and is also strengthening its military bases in the subcontinent.

Ever since choosing Afghanistan as its strategic target in the region for military presence, US Army is stationed in Pakistan as well and is using all its military air bases. These are allegedly for smashing Al Queda network. That the military might of the superpower and a number of countries is only hunting Osama Bin Laden and Al Queda operatives is to fool the gullible.

For increasing its military presence in the region, US imperialism is utilizing the conflict between rulers of India and Pakistan over Kashmir. Giving ambivalent statements and through backroom manoeuvres, US imperialist rulers are keeping the cauldron of conflict boiling. However, before it reaches flashpoint, the merchants of death and destruction, of arms and ammunition, descend on the scene as peacemakers. Through their skilful ‘peace making’ they ensure that the sphere of their control gets enlarged, like the proverbial monkey settling the dispute between two cats. In the name of addressing Indian ‘concerns’ of ‘cross-border infiltrations’ they are advocating presence of their troops in Kashmir. Indian rulers, having for long played the tune of ‘cross-border terrorism’ and unable to refuse the big bully, have accepted the placing of US “sensors” on the border to gauge the infiltration. This may just be a stepping stone for the deployment of US troops. Comprador rulers of India and Pakistan, who claim whole of Kashmir to be theirs and do not mind shedding any amount of blood if one soldier of the opposing side was to cross the border, are acquiescing to the presence of US troops in Kashmir. Shadow of US troops in Afghanistan was bound to fall over India and Pakistan.

US imperialism is truly worried about the growth of the revolutionary movement in the Himalayan kingdom of Nepal. Though Nepal is a small landlocked country, but the imperialists know that the present imperialist system is teeming with contradictions and revolutionary upheaval anywhere will find its echo in all corners of the world including the imperialist countries themselves. In Nepal, revolutionary movement against feudal oligarchy headed by royal family has become widespread and has come to a position of posing a military challenge to the ruling establishment there. Crushing the revolutionary movement has become the central point of the ruling class politics there.

Nepalese rulers too have jumped onto the bandwagon of “war against terrorism.” They broke the negotiations with CPN (Maoist) and ordered the Army to crush the revolutionary movement. Emergency was declared in Nepal and democratic rights suppressed. Powers of the King increased significantly and the gains made by the Nepalese people in their heroic struggle against monarchy leading to re-establishment of Parliament in 1991, are in the danger of being negated. Emergency was extended with the help of UML but the question of second extension split the ruling Nepalese Congress (NC) and the whole ruling class politics has been thrown into turmoil.

US imperialists are giving funds and arms and have even sent advisors to train the Nepalese Army. US secretary of state, Colin Powel, himself visited Nepal and Nepalese PM visited US. During these visits, all types of help to the reactionary regime have been promised. But US is wary of direct military engagement knowing full well that communist revolutionaries are not religious fundamentalists and that US will have to sustain losses. Further, the two main countries bordering Nepal, China and India, though promising all help to Nepalese reactionaries, will also not like direct US military presence in Nepal. Therefore US Admn. is treading cautiously to gradually increase its military presence in Nepal. In this it is assisted by UK which has traditional strong ties with Nepal and still recruits Nepalese into its Army. Recently a conference attended by US, UK, India and China was held in London to aid the reactionary monarchy.

US imperialism is also concentrating on dominating the sea routes between west and east in which Sri Lanka, with its deep water ports on the route, occupies an important place. Recently, imperialists have intensified their efforts to intervene in Sri Lanka where Tamil Tigers (LTTE) had been carrying on armed struggle for Tamil Elaam for nearly two decades. With the intervention of Norwegian Govt. the two sides Sri Lankan Govt. and LTTE, have signed a cease-fire agreement with demarcation of the territories under their control. Though officially only a ‘facilitator’ of the agreement, the Norwegian Govt. has been given the power to decide on the disputes arising on the implementation of the agreement. It is obvious that it is not the Norwegian govt. but the US imperialists aided by UK who are behind this agreement and who are the real arbitrators. The visits of senior US officials to Sri Lanka and their declaration of support to the accord has underlined the role played by US imperialism.

US and UK forced LTTE to come to the negotiating table by placing it on the list of terrorist organizations and threatening the supply of funds to LTTE from Tamils living in UK, Canada and USA. LTTE had since long been running an office in London. On the other hand LTTE could not bank upon support from India though many of its sympathizers are part of the NDA ruling at Delhi. It has once again proved that national liberation movements cannot be led to victory unless they are led by the communist revolutionaries.

On the other hand Sri Lankan Govt. has been going through severe economic hardships. Its economy has registered a negative growth rate and foreign debt has risen sharply. It debt servicing burden has exceeded its total revenue. It became an easy prey to the pressure of US imperialism. Assured of support from imperialist powers, Vikramsinghe govt. has gone ahead with the accord despite opposition from President Ms. Chandrika Kumartunga and sections of powerful Buddhist clergy.

That this accord and the peace process it envisages is not born out of the desires of the two sides to the conflict but is imposed from outside, is obvious from the number of violations of cease-fire complained of by the two sides. On their part imperialists will not be bothered about solving the problem but keep it going so as to increase their control and utilize the Sri Lankan ports for military purposes. Already US warships have called on the ports of Colombo and Trincomelee.

The increasing military presence of US imperialism is an important threat to the countries and people of these countries and to the revolutionary and progressive movements in these countries in particular. Comprador ruling classes and subservient rulers of these countries neither can nor will challenge US imperialism’s military presence. It is for the people of these countries to wage a determined struggle to not let the imperialists turn the clock back and control the destiny of these countries. It is for the communist revolutionaries to rally around all the forces and mobilize the people for such a struggle.