Benazir Bhutto - Assassinated 27 December 2007

Reading through the f-list I'm gladdened to hear so many who have had wonderful Christmas/celebrations. Today's news, however, is a jarring assault on what should be a quiet and happy time.

It was a little after 7.30am when I heard on the radio the former Prime Minister of Pakistan and current opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was assassinated by a suicide gunman. According to the reports, the successful attempt was made after a recent rally as Bhutto drove off in a motorcade. The gunman had swept up in his motorcycle and fired; she was shot in the neck and chest. Then the gunman exploded, and killed several other people nearby. This was certainly shocking, particularly she had escaped a recent attack in late October.

Many questions surround this tragedy: who was behind the attack, why weren't there more security forces protecting her, and what it means for the democratic process. The great fear now is the the unlikelihood of a speedy investigation will lead to violence, such as that which exploded after the assassination. And what of the upcoming election now? It is such a shame that in 2007 Pakistan should celebrate its 51st independence anniversary and may descend into a civil war.

Listening to the reports on the radio and online throughout the day has just made me more uneasy. Bhutto, although not the first female head of state, was the first female head of state of a Muslim country. If a country that could elect her could now breed extremists who are so opposed to a woman in power, what hope is there for modernity and peace? Even though it happened halfway around the world, I'm certain the reverberations will affect everyone. It's a known fact there are pockets in Pakistan which harbour Al-Qaeda and numerous other Islamofacist militants. The assassination is yet another victory for these hateful people and if they succeed in cowing the people of Pakistan, there'll be more terrorist attacks in Afghanistan, Iraq, wherever they see fit. The killing of Bhutto could be the catalyst for more violence, which means my Uncle might not be able to see his family in Pakistan for a long while.

What the world is witnessing now is a dark and tumultous time akin to the Middle Ages where people murder in the name of their religion and suppress individual freedoms. There is fear of terrorists and of those different from us. There is the denial of certain rights which allows torture. We are blind now, from the acts of revenge. We truly are living in fearful times.