Benazir Bhutto Dies, December 27, 2007

At 6:16pm today, Benazir Bhutto died in a hospital in Pakistan. She was 54.

Bhutto, a former Prime Minister of Pakistan, had been accused in the past of corruption and bribery, but what I remember her for is her protests against the iron-fisted rule of current President Pervez Musharraf. Bhutto has only been allowed back in the country of Pakistan for a few months now, after years of political exile. She returned to immediately rally against Mousharraf's military rule and his removal of members of the Supreme Court who had issued judgment against his recent actions as President.

Mousharraf placed those members of the Supreme Court under house arrest and immediately installed an all new Supreme Court... one that didn't support the previous court's ruling. The former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court had called upon all of the members of the Bar in Pakistan to protest Mousharraf's actions, and as a result, Mousharraf, who was also the head of Pakistan military, declared a state of emergency and filled the streets with military personel to control the mobs and quiet his opponents.

Bhutto was almost immediately placed under house arrest after her arrival, but she refused to be kept silent, advocating democracy for her home country, and for Mousharraf to step down as military leader. Due to increasing protests, General Mousharraf eventually did step down over the last month, but remained as President and passed laws and constitutional ammendments that would make sure his changes could not be challenged by the courts. Such changes to the constitution by the President were allowed without oversight due to the state of emergency rule, which was dropped earlier this month.

Bhutto commended him on these actions, and on allowing the upcoming elections to proceed as planned, but I think very few of those following the story ever felt that Mousharraf would be giving up his seat as President.

Despite her reputation, Bhutto really seemed to be what this country needed to restore equality and democracy to this country. Even if she were not elected a state official in the upcoming elections, she was not afraid to make her voice heard and to encourage others to do the same.

Her bravery has cost her her life today, and the whole world should be mourning her loss. With hope, somebody else will quickly step in to keep her voice alive in Pakistan, where the power-hungry do as they will to retain what they have. I pray that her accomplishments as an opposition leader will be shadowed by her accomplishments as a martyr. If anything good could come of this grim event, it could only be a better democracy for the people of Pakistan.

I hope it can happen this way.