Independence in South Asia India, Pakistan, Bangladesh

Mohandas Gandhi (Mahatma) Raised in strict Hindu family Married at age 13 Studied law in London Went to South Africa for work Protested laws of racial discrimination Formulated ideas of civil disobedience and passive resistance Returned to India to protest racist (British) laws and push for Indian independence Amritsar Massacre Great Salt March Assassinated by Hindu extremist who opposed peace with Muslims

Nonviolent Protest--Satyagraha Civil Disobedience Violating laws (and accepting consequences?) because the laws are unjust Passive Resistance Nonviolent protest against injustice, including boycotts, sit-ins, fasting, peaceful demonstration, marches, speeches Amritsar Massacre Great Salt March Pioneered by Henry David Thoreau; modeled by Gandhi, and later used by Martin Luther King, Jr., Nelson Mandela, and many others

Independence Organizations Muslim League Indian National Congress Created in 1906 to protect rights of Muslims in India Initially called for unity of Hindus and Muslims in an independent India Starting 1940, called for partition of India Led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah Organized in 1885 Nationalist Organization Led by Mohandas Gandhi 1916- 1947 Included Hindus and Muslims Achieved Independence from Britain in 1947

Partition and Independence Independence granted by British in 1947 India was partitioned at this time into India (Hindu) and Pakistan (Muslim) Largest human migration at one time Violent conflicts According to New Yorker article, the Partition displaced 15 million people and killed over a million

Jawaharlal Nehru Leader in the Indian National Congress, partner with Gandhi and Mohammed Ali Jinnah First prime minister of independent India (1947-64) Established India as independent, secular, and democratic Promoted economic modernization NONALIGNMENT Did not choose sides, but worked with both USSR and US depending on their support of India’s interests

Indira Gandhi Daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru Prime minister of India 1966-77, 1980-84 During the Cold War, continued nonalignment policies Assassinated

Muhammed Ali Jinnah Leader of Muslim League Led the Muslims in resigning from the Indian National Congress What Muslims and Hindus have in common is slavery to British First governor-general of Pakistan

Benazir Bhutto Daughter of prominent political family in Pakistan Father (Ali Bhutto) was overthrown as prime minister in coup and executed Benazir Bhutto educated at Harvard and Oxford Benazir Bhutto was elected prime minister in 1988-1990, 1993-97, but accused of corruption. Lived in exile. Returned to Pakistan in 2007 to run for office, but assassinated before election First female prime minister of a Muslim country

Kashmir Territorial and religious dispute stemming from partition in 1947 Repeated violent clashes Both India and Pakistan have successfully tested nuclear weapons

East Pakistan When Pakistan was formed in 1947, it consisted of East and West Pakistan Conflicts between East and West Pakistan stemmed from Political and financial control centered in West Pakistan Discrimination against East Pakistanis Differences in language. (Pakistan made Urdu its official language. In East Pakistan, most people spoke Bengali and objected, sometimes violently, to being forced to use Urdu.)

Pakistani Civil War Began in March 1971, sparked by elections Awami League won the elections, calling for greater autonomy for East Pakistan Awami League began campaign of civil disobedience when its gov’t initiatives were blocked by West Pakistan War crimes committed by both sides, including execution of civilians India intervened in support of East Pakistan, which gained its independence as Bangladesh

Bangladesh– Environment and Geography Very low-lying, much of the country below sea level Prone to hurricanes and flooding Very poor; unable to build infrastructure to withstand natural disasters