How The Rest Of The World Deals With Racist Remarks From Politicians

Analysis:

Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) Member of Parliament Mosese Bulitavu’s recent remarks targeting the Indo-Fijian community while unfortunate, are not the first.

He is not the first MP to make such remarks targeting one particular group. Politicians world over have been called out for their remarks as well. How were their outbursts handled?

Let’s see what MPs and public figures from around the world did after they were called out:

In January 2019 in Canada:

A politician who was vying for a local government position in Canada had to resign after she wrote in a WeChat group that she was the only Chinese and that her opponent was an Indian.

Canadian media reported:

Karen Wang is stepping aside as the Liberal candidate for Burnaby South.

Ms Wang, a daycare operator, became the subject of controversy after she posted a message on the social messaging app WeChat that urged voters to support her as the only candidate of Chinese origin and singled out New Democratic Party Leader Jagmeet Singh, who is also running in the riding byelection, as being “of Indian origin”.

That message, first reported by the Toronto Star, was translated as reading, “If we can increase the voting rate, as the only Chinese candidate in this riding, if I can garner 16,000 votes I will easily win the byelection, control the election race and make history! My opponent in this byelection is the NDP candidate Singh of Indian descent!”

She issued a tearful apology as she announced her decision to step aside.

Karen Wang.

Should Mosese Bulitavu resign? Yes, most certainly.

Will Mosese Bulitavu resign? Knowing Mo, he will not.

What will Ro Filipe Tuisawau do? Time will tell.

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