The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Foreign Affairs Advisor Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury has said effective civil-military cooperation, both in times of peace and in war, is a must for a functioning democracy.

"If the military can play a constructive role in times of war, they can play a similar role in times of peace too. There is no inherent contradiction between democratic aspirations and aspirations of the armed forces. They only complement each other," he said.

Speaking at a seminar on Role of the Armed Forces in Strengthening Democracy: A proposal for National Security and Development Council at BILIA Auditorium on Thursday, he said, "Many tend to view the interests of democracy and that of the armed forces as mutually incompatible. This assumes as if the armed forces are not part of the society as a whole.

To build a better society, we must think in more inclusive terms. An emerging nation can ill afford a divisive mindset. "

Iftekhar said many of the modern democracies emerged from the ashes of war. Their armed forces - more often than not - played a catalytic role in securing their independence and statehoods.

He said, "In many cases, Generals and military leaders are their national heroes. Let's not forget General Washington and General De Gaulle were critical, not only in leading their respective liberation wars, but also in promoting democratic ethos and norms in their nascent states."

The Advisor said, "Our armed forces have earned acclaim for their significant contribution to UN peacekeeping operations, which require extensive civil-military cooperation."

He said modern peacekeeping operations require a multi-disciplinary, multi-stakeholder approach. Development is an important component of peacekeeping and peace building operations.

"Given our national experience in excellent civil-military cooperation, we should be able to continue our robust presence in multi-dimensional peace and development operations. This will, in turn, contribute to strengthen our democracy," Iftekhar observed.

He said pluralism is the essential characteristic of a modern democracy. It is only expected that divergent views will persist in a democratic society, but all views must converge on the issue of national interest and national security.

"We may disagree on how the state should function or who should lead, but we must agree on the pre-eminence of national security," he said, adding national security must remain sacrosanct, inviolable.

The Advisor said democracy cannot function without a comprehensive national security. By comprehensive security, he meant both economic and political security. Democracy thrives when the state is secure and stable.

"We must ensure national security to uphold democracy…The perception that national security is simply a function of military might is no longer valid, " he told the seminar.

The Advisor said a wider spectrum of trans-state, intra-state and personal violence has replaced inter-state conflicts. The preponderance of 'human security' threats, such as epidemic and natural disasters, has also grown.

He said safeguarding national security is a collective responsibility. It requires collective actions. There is scope for specialization, but not for compartmentalization.

Chowdhury said, "We cannot take a parochial view of national security. There is also no scope to glorify one aspect of national security and undermine other dimensions. We must learn to pursue our defensive and offensive security interests in sync with each other."

The Advisor also mentioned the armed forces' role in conducting rescue and relief operations after cyclone 'Sidr' battered the country and their pivotal role in preparing a new voter roll with photographs.

He said the on-going voter ID project, jointly implemented by our Election Commission and the armed forces, will put democracy on a much stronger footing. This will reduce the possibility of electoral frauds and ensure smooth transition of power-the key requirements for a functioning democracy.

Former Adviser Mahbubul Alam, former Army Chief Lt. Gen. (Rtd)

Mahbubur Rahman, NDC Commandant Abu Tyeb M Zahirul Alam, Addl. Foreign Secretary MAK Mahmood and Prof. Imtiaz Ahmed of Dhaka University spoke at the seminar.