2020 NOFOAGAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
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PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE - PART 3: POLARIZATION
It has been mentioned before, but polarization is a real problem in Nofoaga. In July, tensions ran so high between ethnic Nofoaganese and ethnic French that the ensuing riots forced President Nikola N'nago to step aside.
Now, a few months later, things seem to have settled down, but the question is whether the problem has also been resolved. Lula Namatatiki?
Lula Namatatiki - Polarization is indeed a big problem. We are one country, one island and we are also one people. Even though some claim not. There are also those who claim that our only identity is the French identity. That is partly correct. But we are also all Nofoaganese. Me and my government have shown that it is. The appointed representative for the ethnic tribes of North Nofoaga is part of the government. But that government also includes ethnic French.
Charles Natutiki - What you and your government have shown above all is oppression and prosecution of those who do not follow your line or who still dare to think of opposition...
Lula Namatatiki - Mr. Natutiki ... We have never prosecuted people who are in opposition because they are in opposition. People are being prosecuted by the judiciary, not by the government, as you now insinuate, for criminal offenses. And it is true that the vast majority are ethnic Nofoaganese.
Journalist - I want to elaborate on that for a moment. Why is it that they are mainly ethnic Nofoaganese?
Lula Namatatiki - Sorry, but I am not responsible for the crimes of others. I'm responsable for many things but not for that...
Journalist - No, but I just want to ask the question Madam President.
Lula Namatatiki - We must restore order to Nofoaga. There is no order anywhere. Not at school, not in security and not at the level of the security forces. The ethnic Nofoaganese are experiencing a decline in crime, including politicians, which is exploding. That is a reality.
Charles Natutiki - Crime that explodes?
Lula Namatatiki - ... Yes, crime within the ethnic Nofoaganese community is exploding.
Patricia Monserré - No, that's wrong. It isn't exploding.
Lula Namatatiki - Yes it does. Among other things, the non-pretentious violence, robberies ...
Patricia Monserré - You're wrong.
Lula Namatatiki - Yeah... We will arrive now.
Charles Natutiki - The crime rate within the ethnic Nofoagan community is not exploding! Stop scaring people and turning them against each other.
Lula Namatatiki - Ah, so the crime rates aren't rising Mr. Natutiki?
Charles Natutiki - Madam ... if you were to come out on the streets of Tuagavale or Barama sometimes you would see how much solidarity there is between the two groups. Stop targeting a particular community. We are in solidarity with each other.
Lula Namatatiki - Ah bon... you are in solidarity with each other? In the assembly, in your profession as a politician, do you show solidarity?
Charles Natutiki - I'm not talking about my profession, I'm talking about people among themselves, in the streets.
Lula Namatatiki - Mr. Natutiki. You criticize everyone. I don't know what's wrong with you, but you criticize everyone. The government, the president, the institutions. You live on criticism. Do you already love each other? If yes, we can go further. You are never satisfied.
Charles Natutiki - Sorry, but you are an extremely bad president who is illegitimate. I don't know your mission in life, but I know that you are pulling all Nofoaganese into extremely bad decisions.
Lula Namatatiki - Natutiki, you always attack others without doubting yourself. I am telling you very honestly. Easy.
Journalist - Madam President, Mr. Natutiki ... Please. We would almost forget that there is a third candidate. Mrs. Monserré?
Patricia Monserré - Firstly, I find it very regrettable that a subject like this, which is extremely important, is brought up like this. Secondly, it is true that there is a gap between ethnic nofoaganese and ethnic French. We can do what Lula Namatatiki has been trying to do and that is create a fake identity. That does not work. We can do what the PFN has tried to do several times and that is just doing nothing and counting on the goodwill of the people themselves. More than 80% of the Nofoaganese are of French origin. We must embrace each other while striving for a more homogeneous identity.
Journalist - Which is...
Patricia Monserré - The French. But, and I want to add that immediately and I really insist. We must not institutionalize that. We cannot force that. That has been a process of generations. Nofoaga has been independent since 1995. Well, let us take the time to steadily but openly engage in this process.
Lula Namatatiki - However, as soon as you were elected, you want to rename Nofoaga back to its colonial past and adopt the name Gentilles Islands.
Patricia Monserré- Because that is the only and correct name of our country Madam President. By the way, you renamed the capital to its original name. You have reintroduced the French tricolor after your failed bird flag.
Journalist - Mr. Charles Natutiki?
Charles Natutiki - What is important is that we take up the challenge to look up ourselves. And not like Monserré wants, living on the past glory of a colonizer or like Namatatiki did, inventing an artificial identity that suddenly everyone has to fit in.
Journalist - We have apparently raised a sensitive topic in this part of the grand debate. We continue with migration. But that's for after the break.
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PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE - PART 4: MIGRATION
Nofoaga is an open country that welcomes everyone. This is evidenced by our open migration policy. But do the candidates want that? What can be done differently and especially ... what can be improved? Mrs. Patricia Monserré?
Patricia Monserré - Our country has always been very open. To the regret of those who envy it, this is a result of colonization. And that openness was also maintained after independence. I would therefore like to emphasize that this openness is a real element of our identity. From us as a society but also as Europeans.
Journalist - Mrs. Lula Namatatiki?
Lula Namatatiki - Yes, I agree 100 percent with that. I think I can also say that anyone who contradicts that has no sense of our society or our history. This openness is an asset for our country. It has helped this government to seize all opportunities and really open up to Europe but also other countries such as Spain for example.
Mr. Natutiki?
Charles Natutiki - I agree, and what the president says is correct. Those who contradict that come from another world. What bothers me is that the boundary between citizens and residents is extremely minimal. This can certainly be made clearer by, for example, following an integration course and reserving the right to vote for the citizens of this country.
Patricia Monserré - I can follow you somewhere, Mr. Natutiki. But what is the essence of our country? Of our society? The will to participate in organized society no matter where you were born. You just called for reconciliation of groups and communities. Now you are faced with the opposite. Too bad you're not consistent.
Journalist - What, then, do you propose Monserré?
Patricia Monserré - You may not like to hear it, but I support Mrs Namatatiki in this. And as I said, it is not about where you come from, but about the will to participate in society.
Lula Namatatiki - I'll note those points Patricia.
Journalist - Mrs. Namatatiki, I suppose you will just continue your line if you are elected?
Lula Namatatiki - Of course. That is literally what our country stands for. Nofoaga literally means the place of meeting. Let's make the most of that strength, which is ours, and invest in everyone who wants to help build this project.
Journalist - We have apparently found a common denominator among the three candidates who will compete for your vote tomorrow. We conclude the debate here. Tomorrow it is up to you. During the day, the results will be shared, live, on the public broadcaster. Until then.
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Good morning and welcome to this live broadcast. Today we all go to the polls and choose who will lead Nofoaga in the near future.
The polling stations have been open since 8am. Perhaps some of you have already cast your vote.
I would like to mention that the candidate who wins the most constituencies has won the elections. Over the course of this day, the results will come in gradually.
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