Taking a look at what's going on in Pakistan I cannot but be thankful of Latin American way to democracy. Whomever knows me will be sure that I do not support Michelle Bachelet's nor Kirchner's nor Lula's politic ideas, but all of them are part of a process that has been able to build a path from Military coups to more or less democratic governments with somewhat peaceful transitions. Some may have gotten it harder, but they've found their way and for the last 30 years no presidential candidate has been murdered... (although some senators and journalists haven't been that lucky)).
What has been the difference? It's hard to tell. Maybe a little bit of education, maybe some luck, but if I may I'd say there's a disposition towards learning from past mistakes thats makes the difference. Let me focus on Chile, whose situation I know better: Neither side, nor the ones that achieved the power through Pinochet nor those who held it before (and lost it lousily even before Pinochet's arrival) wants to repeat the history. Both have wounds to heal, but both have learned about the value of the other: "I'm the other". It doesn't matter who holds the power today, the wheel keeps on turning and tomorrow I will be the other. The mystic in me would like to believe its a religious disposition. The cynic in me believes its more like a tacit self-protection agreement. The economist in me can't help thinking about a Nash equilibrium in an infinite rounds game). It does not really matter for this purpose. As long as this agreement prevails we will continue to see relative peace in spite of the opinion differences.
How can Pakistan build something like this? I think it's not something you "build", but something that is born within certain society and has to be nurtured. It needs fathers and mothers to feed it, and those have to raise their voice inside Pakistan. It may be long, for some it will mean suffering heavy losses along the way, but it has to be done. Gandhi, Nehru... where are your sons? Where are the ones that will lead the way to forgiveness and respect? Ms. Bachelet, hereby, my respects. I'm sure you are President because you incarnate this values... and if it's not for anything else, it's certainly worth enough.
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