Saturday, December 29, 2007 Libre: Killing of Pakistan’s Benazir Bhutto By Mel Libre Seriously Now
THE assassination of former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto has shocked many people. Leaders of the world were one in condemning the murder of the first woman leader of a Muslim nation who stood by democratic principles and was a strong voice against terrorism that has threatened not just her country, but the rest of the globe.
In April 1986, seven years after the execution of her father, former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Benazir returned from exile to lead the Pakistan People’s Party into victory that catapulted her to the post of prime minister in December 1988.
Though her government was dissolved in 1990, she was able to return to power in 1993 only to be dismissed again in 1996 on accusations of nepotism and undermining the justice system. In exile, she remained a respected critic of the government of Gen. Pervez Musharraf, who took power through a bloodless coup.
She could have remained as leader-in-exile, but the United States paved the way for her return to Pakistan after the Bush administration worked out with Musharraf a power-sharing scheme.
What has happened in present-day Pakistan is similar to the Philippine situation circa 1983.
Musharraf used the military to gain power; so did President Marcos by declaring martial law. Musharraf has US backing; so did Marcos.
Through US persuasion, Musharraf agreed to Bhutto’s return to Pakistan; so did Marcos agree to the return to the Philippines of opposition leader Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. from exile.
The US is concerned about the plummeting popularity of Musharraf and the threat of extremist Muslim terrorism; so was the US concerned with the lack of popularity of Marcos’ presidency and the threat of the communist movement.
Bhutto was assassinated more than two months after her arrival; Aquino was murdered upon his arrival.
Benazir, upon her return to Pakistan in 1986, compared herself to Corazon Aquino, who rose to power as a widow of the murdered Ninoy. Her platform was founded on the legacy of her murdered father, Ali Bhutto.
Unlike Cory, who retired after her term knowing well that her role was only to dismantle the components of Marcos’ authoritarian kleptocracy and re-establish the foundations of freedom and democracy, Bhutto did not know when to stop. Rightly or wrongly, she believed that she was the leader that Pakistan needed in the past and at present, and should vote for its future.
Instead of simply becoming a senior leader giving advice to whoever would be chosen by her party, Bhutto opted to be in the frontline, thereby exposing herself to threats that eventually took her life.
Credit must be given to Cory for correctly choosing Fidel Ramos to be her successor. As for Bhutto, she failed to groom a successor to pursue the legacy she may have left.
Bhutto, who once modeled herself after Cory, died a martyr like Ninoy. Last month, when Time Magazine asked her about the threat to her life, Bhutto said: “I am ready to die for my country.” So similar to Ninoy’s words: “The Filipinos are worth dying for.”
Nearly 25 years after Ninoy’s death, the Philippines still has to see his dream for the Filipinos become a reality. Hopefully, Benazir Bhutto’s death will bring about democracy, peace and stability to Pakistan sooner than 25 years later.
