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Military rule in Pakistan |
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The military coup in Pakistan on 12 October 1999 stemmed not only from the corruption and incompetence of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, but also from the failure of Pakistan’s institutions. The population had become so disgusted with Sharif, and so disillusioned with democracy, that there was little protest against the military takeover. Nor at present is there any domestic pressure for fresh elections. However, the impression of stability may be illusory. Pakistan faces great problems of both economic crisis and ethno-religious violence. If the military fails as the politicians have done, Pakistan may slide into collapse.
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A subtle compromise in Indonesia |
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The election of President Abdurrahman Wahid on 20 October 1999 was the product of a compromise among Indonesia’s élites, who were anxious to end the past two years’ political, ethnic and religious violence. The new president promptly created a consensus government, supporting the election of his defeated rival, Megawati Sukarnoputri, as vice-president. The greatest immediate challenge for Wahid will be pressure for independence from the province of Aceh. Rejecting this could embroil Indonesia in another bloody war of repression, which could spread to other provinces. Accepting it could provoke a military backlash, or even begin the disintegration of the country.
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Morocco's new king |
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The new king of Morocco, Mohammed VI, has taken early steps to relax some of the repressive measures of his father’s reign. He has released prisoners, promised democracy, and clipped the wings of the powerful and feared Minister of the Interior Driss Basri. The King has openly supported socialist Prime Minister Abdelrahman Youssoufi. However, the Moroccan retains its autocratic powers, and public criticism of the monarch is strictly banned. In the end, therefore, it will be the monarchy’s responsibility to solve Morocco’s problems of poverty, backwardness and inequality.
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Mexico: between democracy and anarchy |
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The Mexican presidential elections scheduled for July 2000 could lead to a political revolution with the defeat of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), which has ruled the country for 70 years. The party is divided into different factions, and its prestige has suffered as a result of economic crisis in the 1990s. The southern state of Chiapas remains largely under the control of Zapatista rebels, who draw their support from the oppressed and disadvantaged Indian population. Moreover, the increasingly wealthy drugs cartels have extended their influence over the political establishment, and army.
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The Law of the Sea |
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is the most comprehensive to date to establish an international code governing maritime conduct. Economic developments strengthened the need for an agreement as overfishing, drilling for undersea oil, and the prospect of future large-scale mining of the seabed have increased the danger of conflict over rival claims. However, UNCLOS’ failure to provide for the resolution of existing territorial disputes has weakened the agreement, as has the US Congress’ refusal to ratify the treaty, fearing harm to US commercial opportunities.
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