South Asian nations are using anti-American rhetoric to push back against the US’s demands for internal reforms and signal their agency and increasing importance
Last month, Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh, delivered a parliamentary speech strongly condemning the United States (US) for attempting to eliminate democracy in the country. Hasina’s remarks indicate an emerging trend of anti-American rhetoric in South Asian nations, such as Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. As the US has increased its outreach in South Asia, elites and political parties in the region are promoting anti-American rhetoric to the public. This rhetoric is emerging from intertwined sources, such as pre-existing reservations against the US, nationalism, domestic politics, and the increasing importance and agency of South Asian nations.
Principally, South Asian nations continue to have some reservations against the US. In the case of Bangladesh, small yet influential Islamist groups have promoted a negative portrayal of the Americans. America’s invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq, and anti-Western ideology and extremism in Bangladesh have fuelled anti-American protests and attacks against US citizens in the past. Some sections of society have also celebrated the Taliban’s return to Afghanistan as a victory for Islam. Subsequent governments have either accommodated these hardliners in mainstream politics or at least tried to appease them. Thus, sustaining this rhetoric and challenge.
America’s invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq, and anti-Western ideology and extremism in Bangladesh have fuelled anti-American protests and attacks against US citizens in the past.
In Sri Lanka, scepticism over the US’s intentions has prevailed since the 1970s. However, Washington’s ambiguity during the final phase of the civil war, followed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ (UNHCR) resolutions and narratives on human rights and reconciliation have made the US deeply unpopular among certain sections. In the past, nationalist groups have demanded a boycott of American commodities, organised anti-Western demonstrations, and have also disrupted meetings and events. Exploiting this Sinhala nationalism for electoral purposes has only exacerbated these reservations against the US. In Kathmandu, too, starting from the 1950s, concerns have prevailed over America using Nepal’s territories to promote unrest in Tibet and spy on China.
Besides these pre-existing reservations, the US consistently demands that these countries strengthen democratic institutions, curb corruption, and promote reconciliation and human rights. It considers these reforms as a precursor to its cooperation, engagement, and investments, as they are crucial to promoting the values-based order in the Indo-Pacific region.
As a result, in Bangladesh, the US sanctioned the Rapid Action Battalion and some high-level officials in December 2021 for their alleged involvement in human rights violations and enforced disappearances. In Sri Lanka, the US government has been insisting on strengthening democracy and promoting the reconciliation of Tamils. The Biden administration sanctioned four high-level military officials and has continued to sponsor UNHCR resolutions against Sri Lanka. The latest resolution reinforces the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to analyse, collect, and preserve evidence of human rights violations and war crimes in Sri Lanka. Nepal, which was rarely criticised by the US for its human rights record, is now under scrutiny too. It has been urged to counter corruption and money laundering, and promote human rights and market reforms.
The Biden administration sanctioned four high-level military officials and has continued to sponsor UNHCR resolutions against Sri Lanka.
This policy has been counter-productive though. South Asian countries have called out the US’s hypocrisy. They perceive this policy as an American attempt to weaponise human rights and democracy so that it can leverage it against these South Asian countries, and woo them against China. Essentially, South Asian nations see these tactics as a means of ‘coercion’, which has only furthered nationalist sentiments and strong anti-US rhetoric from political parties and sections of the society.
Domestic politics have significantly contributed to this phenomenon too. Political parties have often attempted to muster nationalist sentiments by politicising their opponents’ engagement and criticising them for collaborating with the US and compromising the country’s sovereignty. The US is also increasingly accused of interfering in domestic politics and elections. Political parties have often favoured one major power (India, US, China) over the other. And sections that championed anti-Indian nationalism and scepticism for electoral purposes, are now redirecting their speculations against the US as it continues to cooperate and collaborate with India in the region. This has politicised the US’s investments and diplomatic activities in the region, fuelling more suspicion of the country.
For instance, as Bangladesh heads to elections this year, the US’s increasing engagements with the Bangladesh National Party leaders compelled Sheikh Hasina to criticise the US for promoting a ‘non-democratic’ opposition to overthrow the government. In Nepal, the US’s Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) project was subject to misinformation and disinformation, especially as elections drew closer. The communist parties and other politicians close to China protested against the agreement and circulated speculations of the MCC compromising sovereignty and bringing American troops to the country. Prime Minister Deuba was criticised for being pro-US and deciding to place a vote on the MCC project. In Sri Lanka, President Wickremesinghe continues to be criticised for being pro-US. The US’s increased assistance to the country during the economic crisis has even furthered scepticism of the US establishing a military base in Sri Lanka and also reviving the controversial Status of Forces Agreement. Leftist parties and former coalition partners of the Rajapaksas have continued to fuel these speculations against the US.
The communist parties and other politicians close to China protested against the agreement and circulated speculations of the MCC compromising sovereignty and bringing American troops to the country.
Finally, the increasing importance and agency of South Asian nations have further contributed to the anti-American rhetoric. As tensions between China and the US and its partners escalate, major powers are trying to stay increasingly relevant in the region.
With Bangladesh, the US has signed the draft General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA), even as China continues to export military hardware to the country. In Nepal, the US pushed the country to decide on MCC and also requested it to be part of the Security Partnership Program (SPP), while China has requested the same to be a part of the Global Security Initiative (GSI). Similarly, over last year alone, the US has offered Sri Lanka humanitarian assistance worth US$270 million, –i.e., nearly 13.5 percent of its total assistance to Sri Lanka since the 1950s. Further, in an attempt to woo these countries against the US, the Russian embassy censured the US for intervening in Bangladesh’s domestic politics, and China has strongly criticised the US for intruding in Nepal’s internal affairs and decision-making process.
South Asian countries are responding to these developments by balancing and exercising agency. Bangladesh has continued to promote trade and defence cooperation with the US, even as it reaches out to China for trade, military hardware, and investments. Dhaka also continues to seek Russia’s assistance for its nuclear energy project. A recovering Sri Lanka has continued to import cheap oil from Russia and has not criticised Russia for the Ukraine conflict. It has shown sensitivity to China’s interests and has also sought the US’s assistance with International Monetary Fund (IMF) negotiations and humanitarian assistance. Nepal has accepted the US’s MCC and has continued with some Chinese projects like the Pokhara International Airport and cross-border railway. However, it is also pushing China for grants and soft loans for its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects. It has also displayed its agency by not offering identity cards to Tibetans in Nepal as suggested by the US or by extraditing them to China as desired by Beijing.
Bangladesh has continued to promote trade and defence cooperation with the US, even as it reaches out to China for trade, military hardware, and investments.
There is a growing realisation among the South Asian countries that the US, like the rest of the major powers, will continue investing in the region, despite its demands for reforms. For instance, the US Secretary of State met his Bangladeshi counterpart, even after Sheikh Hasina’s parliamentary speech against the US. The US has also reached out to the new government in Nepal, despite Prime Minister Prachanda’s dubious role in the MCC deal. In Sri Lanka, too, the US began engaging with the pro-Chinese Rajapaksas when the crisis began. All this even as democracy and human rights situation has pretty much stayed the same in these countries.
And to best leverage this growing importance, South Asian countries are using the balance to their favour. With major players wooing them and countries having new development partners, South Asian nations are using anti-American rhetoric to push back against US’s demands for internal reforms and signal their agency and increasing importance.
Aditya Gowdara Shivamurthy is a Junior Fellow at the Strategic Studies Programme, Observer Research Foundation.
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Aditya Gowdara Shivamurthy is an Associate Fellow with ORFs Strategic Studies Programme. He focuses on broader strategic and security related-developments throughout the South Asian region ...
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