Weird government publicity stunts

 Enver Hoxha’s bunkers

If his close relationship with Joseph Stalin was not bizarre enough, Enver Hoxha built 750,000 to 1 million bunkers to convince his fellow Albanians that the country could defend itself from foreign invasions. For a small country with a population of about one million people, these pill boxes, constructed at ‘strategic areas’ served as a psychological bulwark against the seemingly ubiquitous enemies. When Communism was toppled and the world got more access to this Eastern European nation, it became clear that Albania was

not the developed nation that its leader had claimed it to be. As for the pill boxes, it was determined that it took the same amount of money to build two of them as it would take to construct a two-bedroom apartment. Now, that’s how you keep people in the dark.

 Chess City in Kalmykia

Kalmykia is a remote Republic in the South West of the Russian federation. It would have gone unnoticed were it not for its enterprising president, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov whose love for chess and acute public relations expertise has transformed the republic into an eerie example of post Soviet anachronism. Ilyumzhinov being the president of World Chess Federation took up the task of promoting chess by building a city dedicated to the sport. With a California style housing development project rising from the parched brown steppes of the capital city of Elista and a large dome like monument where chess masters practice their trade, the President has more than fulfilled his duties to the Chess governing body. However, there is one small problem. Three hundred thousand Kalmykians live in poverty and the source of funding for the construction of the Chess city is… not divulged.

 Idi Amin assumes his titles

Idi Amin Dada was a character beyond comparison. His size and manners made him a cartoonist’s dream and he went out of his way to provide enough material all throughout his reign. His long train of actions including the expulsion of Asians and the nationalization of 85 British-owned companies proved to be unacceptable to the former colonizers who broke off diplomatic relationships with the eccentric General. Losing had never occurred to the Amin and he promptly conferred on himself the title of “His Excellency, President for Life, Field Marshall Al Hadji Doctor, Idi Amin Dada, VC, DSO, CBE, MC”. He might have been the Conqueror the British Empire in his own mind, but MC? Some thought it meant ‘Mental Case’.

 Tina Turner turns White

Courtesy of the South African government, Tina Turner became a white person for a brief period. Well, almost. When the apartheid government of South Africa realized the importance of Black musicians playing for Black audiences, they roped in a host of African American musicians including Clarence Carter, Curtis Mayfield, Millie Jackson and Tina Turner to perform at open air stadiums. They thought it would reiterate their position on racial segregation and proclaimed the artists as Honorary Whites which gave them access to hotels, restaurants and other facilities otherwise prohibited to ordinary Blacks. Subsequent events proved that this publicity stunt was simply an attempt to appease Black folk, but it will always be remembered for the lengths to which politicians will stoop to retain power.

 Beijing’s Spitting Clampdown

In an effort to raise the ‘cultural and ethical standards’ of Beijing before the 2008 Olympics, authorities went on a drive to root out spitting in public areas. The Beijing Capital Ethics Development Office declared spitting as the city’s number one bad habit and proceeded to impose fines on those who disregarded the law. Hundreds of uniformed “mucus monitors” were installed to patrol the streets and hand out free spitting bags to those who could not control themselves. Chinese authorities left no stone unturned in promoting their idea of the perfect Olympics, assuring prospective foreign visitors of a phlegm free games. It’s amazing what communist countries can achieve, isn’t it?