Bénazír Bhuttová byla pákistánská politička. Bhuttová byla první žena zvolená do čela postkoloniálního muslimského státu.
V 16 letech opustila Pákistán, aby mohla studovat na Harvardu a poté na Oxfordu, kde graduovala v roce 1977. Za 8 let studií ovládla plynnou komunikaci v anglickém jazyce.
Bhuttová byla dcerou bývalého premiéra Zulfikára Alího Bhutta, který byl krátce po jejím návratu do vlasti, během vojenského převratu uvězněn a o dva roky později, v roce 1979, popraven. I Bhúttová byla několikrát vězněna; v roce 1984 ji bylo dovoleno emigrovat. Usadila se v Londýně, kde se svými dvěma bratry založila undergroundovou organizaci namířenou proti vojenským diktaturám. O rok později se vrátila do Pákistánu, kde byla opět zavřena za údajné protistátní aktivity. Bhúttová byla dvakrát premiérkou Pákistánu, poprvé v roce 1988 za Pákistánskou lidovou stranu, avšak byla odvolána po 20 měsících tehdejším prezidentem Ghulámem Isákem Chánem kvůli obvinění z korupce. V roce 1993 byla Bhuttová znovu jmenována do funkce premiérky. I její druhé funkční období bylo kontroverzní; mimo jiné finančně i morální podporou napomohla nástupu Tálibánu v sousedním Afghánistánu, od čehož si slibovala nastolení stabilnější situace. Z funkce odešla v roce 1996 z podobných důvodů jako roku 1989.
Bhuttová odešla do exilu do Dubaje v roce 1998, kde zůstala až do svého návratu do Pákistánu 18. října 2007 po dohodě s prezidentem Parvízem Mušarafem, který jí zaručil stažení všech obvinění z korupce. Hned po návratu se však její konvoj stal terčem útoku, který sice Bhuttová bez zranění přežila, ale o život přišlo 133 lidí.
Přesto pokračovala v politických aktivitách. Kritizovala kroky prezidenta Mušarafa a zahájila i kampaň před parlamentními volbami.
Byla zabita 27. prosince 2007 při sebevražedném bombovém útoku v Rávalpindí. Podle pákistánské vlády stála za útokem organizace Al-Káida, která se tím snažila destabilizovat situaci v Pákistánu, Al-Káida i mnozí příznivci Bhuttové ale naopak vinili vládu. Bhúttová v jednom z rozhovorů s Davidem Frostem cca dva měsíce před smrtí řekla, že Usáma bin Ládin byl zavražděn a ten samý vrah pravděpodobně usiluje i o její život.
„Každý diktátor využívá náboženství jako rekvizitu k udržení se u moci.“
1986
Originál: (en) Every dictator uses religion as a prop to keep himself in power.
Zdroj: [Benazir Bhutto in her own words, news.bbc.co.uk, 2007-12-28, 2012-05-19, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7162403.stm]
Destiny’s daughter (2007)
“I put my life in danger and came here because I feel this country is in danger.”
At the rally in Rawalpindi after which she was assassinated. (27 December 2007)
Kontext: I put my life in danger and came here because I feel this country is in danger. People are worried. We will bring the country out of this crisis.
“I think the reason this happens is that we want to give love and we receive love.”
As quoted in "I never asked for power" in The Guardian (15 August 2002)
Kontext: I find that whenever I am in power, or my father was in power, somehow good things happen. The economy picks up, we have good rains, water comes, people have crops. I think the reason this happens is that we want to give love and we receive love.
“Despite threats of death, I will not acquiesce to tyranny, but rather lead the fight against it.”
"Journeying to democracy" in The Boston Globe (18 October 2007) http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2007/10/18/journeying_to_democracy/
Kontext: I fully understand the men behind Al Qaeda. They have tried to assassinate me twice before. The Pakistan Peoples Party and I represent everything they fear the most — moderation, democracy, equality for women, information, and technology. We represent the future of a modern Pakistan, a future that has no place in it for ignorance, intolerance, and terrorism.
The forces of moderation and democracy must, and will, prevail against extremism and dictatorship. I will not be intimidated. I will step out on the tarmac in Karachi not to complete a journey, but to begin one. Despite threats of death, I will not acquiesce to tyranny, but rather lead the fight against it.
“The forces of moderation and democracy must, and will, prevail against extremism and dictatorship.”
"Journeying to democracy" in The Boston Globe (18 October 2007) http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2007/10/18/journeying_to_democracy/
Kontext: I fully understand the men behind Al Qaeda. They have tried to assassinate me twice before. The Pakistan Peoples Party and I represent everything they fear the most — moderation, democracy, equality for women, information, and technology. We represent the future of a modern Pakistan, a future that has no place in it for ignorance, intolerance, and terrorism.
The forces of moderation and democracy must, and will, prevail against extremism and dictatorship. I will not be intimidated. I will step out on the tarmac in Karachi not to complete a journey, but to begin one. Despite threats of death, I will not acquiesce to tyranny, but rather lead the fight against it.
"Reflections on Working Towards Peace" in Architects of Peace: Visions of Hope in Words and Images (2000) edited by Michael Collopy http://www.scu.edu/ethics/architects-of-peace/Bhutto/essay.html
Kontext: To make peace, one must be an uncompromising leader. To make peace, one must also embody compromise.
Throughout the ages, leadership and courage have often been synonymous. Ultimately, leadership requires action: daring to take steps that are necessary but unpopular, challenging the status quo in order to reach a brighter future.
And to push for peace is ultimately personal sacrifice, for leadership is not easy. It is born of a passion, and it is a commitment. Leadership is a commitment to an idea, to a dream, and to a vision of what can be. And my dream is for my land and my people to cease fighting and allow our children to reach their full potential regardless of sex, status, or belief.
"Reflections on Working Towards Peace" in Architects of Peace: Visions of Hope in Words and Images (2000) edited by Michael Collopy
Kontext: Leadership is to do what is right by educating and inspiring an electorate, empathizing with the moods, needs, wants, and aspirations of humanity.
Making peace is about bringing the teeming conflicts of society to a minimal point of consensus. It is about painting a new vision on the canvas of a nation's political history. Ultimately, leadership is about the strength of one's convictions, the ability to endure the punches, and the energy to promote an idea.
And I have found that those who do achieve peace never acquiesce to obstacles, especially those constructed of bigotry, intolerance, and inflexible tradition.
"Journeying to democracy" in The Boston Globe (18 October 2007) http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2007/10/18/journeying_to_democracy/
Kontext: I fully understand the men behind Al Qaeda. They have tried to assassinate me twice before. The Pakistan Peoples Party and I represent everything they fear the most — moderation, democracy, equality for women, information, and technology. We represent the future of a modern Pakistan, a future that has no place in it for ignorance, intolerance, and terrorism.
The forces of moderation and democracy must, and will, prevail against extremism and dictatorship. I will not be intimidated. I will step out on the tarmac in Karachi not to complete a journey, but to begin one. Despite threats of death, I will not acquiesce to tyranny, but rather lead the fight against it.
“Whatever my aims and agendas were, I never asked for power.”
As quoted in "I never asked for power" in The Guardian (15 August 2002)
Kontext: Whatever my aims and agendas were, I never asked for power. I think they need me. I don't think it's addictive. I think, if anything, it's the opposite of addictive. You want to run away from it, but it doesn't let you go. It's doing it again.
“Democracy needs support and the best support for democracy comes from other democracies.”
Speech at Harvard University (1989), as quoted in "Born leader who lived and died by her unfailing conviction" in The Scotsman (28 December 2007) http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/world/-Born-leader-who-lived.3624495.jp
Kontext: Democracy needs support and the best support for democracy comes from other democracies. Democratic nations should... come together in an association designed to help each other and promote what is a universal value — democracy.
"Reflections on Working Towards Peace" in Architects of Peace: Visions of Hope in Words and Images (2000) edited by Michael Collopy http://www.scu.edu/ethics/architects-of-peace/Bhutto/essay.html
Kontext: To make peace, one must be an uncompromising leader. To make peace, one must also embody compromise.
Throughout the ages, leadership and courage have often been synonymous. Ultimately, leadership requires action: daring to take steps that are necessary but unpopular, challenging the status quo in order to reach a brighter future.
And to push for peace is ultimately personal sacrifice, for leadership is not easy. It is born of a passion, and it is a commitment. Leadership is a commitment to an idea, to a dream, and to a vision of what can be. And my dream is for my land and my people to cease fighting and allow our children to reach their full potential regardless of sex, status, or belief.
Destiny’s daughter (2007)
Kontext: My father always would say, "My daughter will go into politics? My daughter will become prime minister", but it’s not what I wanted to do. I would say, "No, Papa, I will never go into politics." As I’ve said before, this is not the life I chose; it chose me … But I accepted the responsibility and I’ve never wavered in my commitment.
"Reflections on Working Towards Peace" in Architects of Peace: Visions of Hope in Words and Images (2000) edited by Michael Collopy
Kontext: Leadership is to do what is right by educating and inspiring an electorate, empathizing with the moods, needs, wants, and aspirations of humanity.
Making peace is about bringing the teeming conflicts of society to a minimal point of consensus. It is about painting a new vision on the canvas of a nation's political history. Ultimately, leadership is about the strength of one's convictions, the ability to endure the punches, and the energy to promote an idea.
And I have found that those who do achieve peace never acquiesce to obstacles, especially those constructed of bigotry, intolerance, and inflexible tradition.
“I find that whenever I am in power, or my father was in power, somehow good things happen.”
As quoted in "I never asked for power" in The Guardian (15 August 2002)
Kontext: I find that whenever I am in power, or my father was in power, somehow good things happen. The economy picks up, we have good rains, water comes, people have crops. I think the reason this happens is that we want to give love and we receive love.
“You are creating a Frankenstein.”
Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto, concerned about the growing strength of the Islamist movement, told President George H. W. Bush.
Zdroj: https://www.newsweek.com/war-terror-road-september-11-151771
“Democracy is the best revenge.”
As quoted by her son, in "Democracy is the best revenge: Bilawal Bhutto Zardari," in Times of India (30 December 2007) http://web.archive.org/20080102174719/timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Democracy_is_best_revenge_Bilawal_Bhutto_Zardari/articleshow/2662912.cms?
Destiny’s daughter (2007)
Destiny’s daughter (2007)
Destiny’s daughter (2007)
As quoted in "I never asked for power" in The Guardian (15 August 2002) http://www.guardian.co.uk/pakistan/Story/0,2763,774840,00.html
On being prevented from participating in a march for democracy and being placed under house arrest. TIME video interview (13 November 2007) http://www.time.com/time/video/?bcpid=1214055407&bclid=1232409122&bctid=1305011684.
“No, I am not pregnant. I am fat. And, as the Prime Minister, its my right to be fat if I want to.”
When asked by a journalist if she was pregnant again, as quoted in "Benazir, the steely and vulnerable" by Lyse Doucet in BBC News (29 December 2007) http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7163697.stm
Destiny’s daughter (2007)
