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Musharraf moves up the list of world's 'worst dictators'
Jordan News.Net
Monday 12th February, 2007
Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf has moved up the list of the world's 'worst dictators', from the 17th position to the 15th, as assessed by Parade magazine, which is distributed with every daily newspaper in America on Saturdays.
The listing is drawn up in part from reports by international human rights organisations and the US State Department.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) only last week criticized Musharraf, saying, 'institutions have collapsed' under his seven-year rule. Commenting on the new listing The Daily Times, reporting from Washington said that, 'The editors' own prejudices must also play a part.'
The numbering and placement of the name is determined by the perceived severity of the dictatorship. The Pakistani leader was No. 17 last year but has moved up two places to No. 15 this year, it said.
What Parade projects is essentially an American perception. Musharraf has had a split image with Americans. He is praised for his 'valiant' role in combating terrorism, but also criticised for cushioning the Taliban. His role in nuclear proliferation has been questioned, but his detention of controversial nuclear scientist A Q Khan is appreciated.
Musharraf is criticized both by secular and Islamist politicians at home for varying reasons, but both agree on one point: that he has successfully wooed the Americans, while guarding his own chair.
'He is fooling the Americans,' Maulana Fazlur Rahman, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly said recently.
On top of Parade's list stands Omar al-Bashir of Sudan, followed by Kim Jong-Il of North Korea, Sayyid Ali Khamenei of Iran, Hu Jintao of China, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, Than Shwe of Burma, Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Islam Karimov of Uzbekistan, Muammar al-Qaddafi of Libya, Bashar al-Assad of Syria, Teodoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea, King Mswati III of Swaziland, Isayas of Afewerki of Eritrea, Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan, Choummaly Sayasone of Laos, Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia, Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, Paul Biya of Cameroon and Vladimir Putin of Russia.
The longest ruling leader on the list of 20 is Qaddafi, who has been in power since 1969. The oldest of the rulers is King Abdullah at 83, and the youngest King Mswati III of Swaziland who is 38.
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