Since last few years, there has been increasing trend of disrupting international treaties, agreements and deals. Mostly, it’s being done by populist leaders in the garb of political expediency and development of their own people. Unfortunately not much is being talked about this phenomenon and its effect on international order taking shape in the second decade of 21st century.

President Trump and American administration has frequently resorted to these disruptions as a tool to improve bargaining position. US-China trade war, Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action(JCPOA) or Iran Nuclear deal and Afghan peace deal are few examples where US either suspended the agreements or deals or out rightly and brazenly refused to follow done deals. While these actions on part of Trump administration may have created some space to re-negotiate terms and conditions, practically no worthwhile advantage was accrued out of these actions.

These disruptions of treaties and deals have created an environment of mistrust and bitterness in the international system. This raises a fundamental question, how should international system function and what safeguards can be put before signing of international agreements and treaties?

What happens to the world order, if this new precedent is followed by other states?

Next in the line is India; under the RSS fascist regime of Narendra Modi, articles 370 and 35A were abrogated and an entire population of 8 million Kashmiris in Occupied Kashmir was locked down in the name of Law and Order. Unfortunately international community paid some lip service and quietly condoned Indian act of brazen aggression. Indian act is reinforcing this trend that a state with economic clout and military muscle can bulldoze any treaty or agreement.

International community must realise that such trends will usher in an era of Law of Jungle and create an environment of conflict and war.

Is international system heading into Alduwai Gorge where disregard to International law is condoned by other members of international community and less powerful states are left high and dry?

It is interesting that watch dogs like Financial Action Task Force(FATF) keep reminding Pakistan to improve her record on so called terrorism and terror financing, but fail to ask any questions from India on state sponsored terrorism being brazenly affected through lock down of an entire population in a disputed region.

Another example is of NRC and how it’s going to affect Indo-Bangladesh relationship. National Register for Citizenship or NRC is another ploy by India to disenfranchise approximately two million Bangladeshi origin people living in Indian state of Assam since decades. Just like Rohingayas of Myanmar, these hapless Muslims, who happen to be Indian citizens, are now being asked to either prove their citizenship in tribunals or be ready to be shoved into concentration camps.

Looking back into history, violation of treaties and agreements have brought instability into international system and even resulted in long wars. Hitler’s rise to power and violation of Treaty of Versailles is one major example which needs to be studied from the angle of disruption in international system:

After getting hold of Nazi party in early twenties, Hitler rose to prominence by blaming the plight of war ravaged economy on the Jews and attempted a coup in 1923. The coup failed but drew the attention of common Germans. By 1929, Great Depression had hit most of the west and Hitler saw it as an opportunity to grab power, promising greatness for Germany. Nazi party victory in 1933 elections made him Chancellor and after death of Von Hindenburg, who was the president of Germany, Hitler declared himself as Fuhrer. Hitler’s trickery was to show a soft face to the world in early thirties and convey to the European powers that it was for economic development, by 1935 he declared massive re-armament of Germany and building of German Army and Air force. As we mentioned in an earlier article, published by the Nation, Hitler’s re-integration of the Rhineland, Ancschluss of Austria and consolidation of German speaking territories in Central Europe resulted in Appeasement in Munich and finally resulted in WW2.

World War 2 conveyed to the world that evil groups and leader should be stopped, even by force, before they unfold their agenda; had Hitler been stopped in the thirties, the world could have avoided the catastrophe of WW2.

Should the world stop Modi and RSS cabal from violations of treaties and conventions and are the ‘powers that be’ pushing South Asia into a nuclear holocaust? The experts on international law should ponder onto these questions and raise the issue in international forums. It is interesting to note that in case of Occupied Kashmir, India has violated and broken internal, bilateral as well as International treaties, agreements and UN resolutions:

By abrogation of article 370 and 35A, India has violated its legal bond with the state of Jammu and Kashmir, bisected it without consulting the people of occupied Kashmir and converted the region into largest prison on planet earth.

In the same breath, India blatantly violated UNSC resolutions and put a bilateral agreement with Pakistan (the Simla Agreement) into dustbin of history.

Violation of treaties, agreements and international law is becoming a new normal in international relations; if this unhealthy trend is not stopped, we may find one populist leader after another doing it with impunity to justify his ends. There are a plethora of international watch dogs, courts and even the UN organs to ensure semblance of abidance of international law and preservation of human rights, if RSS cabal under Modi is not stopped from these blatant violations, we may be nurturing another Hitler.