Discuss the impact of racial and separatist movements in India or Pakistan or Yugoslavia.

Responses will provide a considered and balanced review of the impact of racial and separatist movements on their chosen country. In many cases, regional movements were based on one or both of these factors and there may, where relevant, be links to linguistic and/or religious views.

Indicative content

India

• Possibly, the best known separatist movement was in Kashmir. Despite agreements about demarcation boundaries there were several conflicts. The impact on India was considerable both in terms of conflict and because it symbolized the deep divisions between India and Pakistan.
• In Punjab, the separatist movement of the majority Sikh population demanded autonomy soon after partition. There was a threat to the security of the state as the movement became more militant. The Indian Army entering the Golden Temple in 1984 had significant repercussions including the assassination of Indira Gandhi and subsequent killing of thousands of Sikhs.
• There are many other smaller groups who were vocal in their demands for autonomy such as the Naga people, the people of Tribura and in the Tamil-speaking region of southern India. In all cases, candidates should explain the impact these had on the state.

Pakistan

• Candidates may refer to the breaking away of East Pakistan in 1971 with the formation of Bangladesh and the impact this had upon what now became Pakistan. The implications were far reaching and affected internal politics with the emergence of Bhutto as a non-military leader, as well as Pakistan’s relations with India and may be linked to Pakistan’s determination to
  become a nuclear power.
• The Sindh separatist movement may be mentioned and its impact assessed as rather limited as its political support was quite small.
• The Balochi separatist movement, including supporters from Iranian Balochistan, had considerable impact on Pakistani politics.
• Similarly, the Pashtun on both sides of the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan demanded autonomy and/or political influence in both countries.

Yugoslavia

• After the death of Tito in 1980 there were calls for autonomy, especially in the northern republics that felt that the federal system was hindering their economic growth. Some republics also resisted Serb ambitions under the leadership of Slobodan Milosevic.
• In the early 1980s, there was growing demand in Kosovo, where a significant percentage of the population was of Albanian descent, for autonomy from Serbia.
• There was also a breakaway movement in Montenegro that resisted closer ties with Serbia.
• Demands for autonomy grew in Croatia and Slovenia by the end of the 1980s.
• The calls for autonomy were also prompted by the dominance of Serbia in the Communist Party Congress and the difficulty of preventing this as Serbia had more representatives.
• Elections in the republics led to the ousting of Communist Parties in Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia Herzegovina and Macedonia.
• The impact of separatist movements was the end of Communist control, except in Serbia and Montenegro, a series of conflicts and the break-up of Yugoslavia.

The above material is an indication of what candidates may elect to write about in their responses. However, it is not exhaustive and no set answer is required.

Examiners and moderators are reminded of the need to apply the markbands that provide the “best fit” to the responses given by candidates and to award credit wherever it is possible to do so.

[20 marks]