Moreover, if the aspirations of South Asia's people are respected and met, the long-term prospects for political stability, economic and social development, and peace will be enhanced, and this will contribute to overall U.S. objectives. One of South Asia's most promising features during recent years has been the resilience and spread of democracy despite intense economic and social pressures. In India and Sri Lanka, democracy has persevered in the face of ethnic and religious conflict, political instability, and the assassination of government leaders. In Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal, free and fair elections were held in August 1994 after years of military, authoritarian, or monarchical rule. The full promise of South Asian democracy has yet to be realized, but democracy is an important bond between the United States and the region that can and should be strengthened.
Human rights is a delicate issue.
On the whole, South Asian societies have been and are committed to the rule of law and tolerance for diversity. While large numbers of human rights violations continue to be reported, systematic and sustained government-sanctioned violations have been rare in the history of independent South Asia. Ethnic and religious conflicts, the effects of poverty and illiteracy, and local disputes are the main causes of the region's human rights violations. Address concerns about human rights in South Asia primarily in the context of multilateral dialogues. Offer to help improve the existing institutions that have shown themselves most willing to address demonstrated human rights violations.