”Klimathotet är en fråga om liv och död för oss”

Tafue Lusama i Tuvalu chattade med aftonbladet.se:s läsare

Aftonbladet.se.s läsare fick chatta med Tafue Lusama, präst i öriket Tuvalu som är den första nationen som kommer att gå under på grund av den globala uppvärmningen.

Tafue Lusama säger: Hi, Im here and ready to chat.

Jenny, 34 säger: What do you do in Tuvalu in order to stop the climate changes?

Tafue Lusama säger: well, we have a group which is called the Climate change stakeholders group, and together with the government and other NGOs we do a lot of public awareness programs, and in the international level, we are very vocal

Michael säger: Has the climate and environment in Tuvalu changed since you were a child?

Tafue Lusama säger: I can tell you right now that it is after 10 PM here and I am sweating. It has changed alot, in that it has increased in temperature, and a lot of strong winds are visiting our shores, and at the same time, changing in weather patterns

Michael säger: What do you think of your childrens future in Tuvalu? Where will they live?

Tafue Lusama säger: I intend for them to remain in Tuvalu as Tuvaluans, and that is why I am fighting for them nationally, regionally and internationally

Scorpionking säger: How does people in Tuvalu feel about the destruction of your country? What does poeple say about it?

Tafue Lusama säger: Tuvalu is a country that is almost 100 % christians, and they believe in the covenant made by God to Noah (although in a misconception meaning). Due to our awareness programs, they are starting to see the link between the changes and global warming

Kjell säger: Can you please tell me a little bit about your country. Is it beautiful?

Tafue Lusama säger: As anyone would claim, I will also say that Tuvalu is paradise in the sense that it is beautiful to its inhabitants. It is small, 26 sq.kilometers in land mass, and spread out in 9 small coral atolls of no more than 4 meters above sea level

Scorpionking säger: You are a priest. How do you explain to people that Tuvalu will be destroyed? If there is a god, wouldn´t he save Tuvalu and the planet fråm the climate changes?

Tafue Lusama säger: I used to use a vivid incident to explain that. In 2000, a fire broke out in a girls dormatory in our only sec school, and 19 girls perished, 19 innocent girls died in that fire. So, I use to reflect on that saying that it is the result of their doing that caused the incident, not God. A child falling into a well is not expected to be saved by God because of his/her disobedience to the parents advice. Likewise, God loves Tuvalu, but because of the injust systems that rule the world that we suffer, and as Jesus also died for the suffering innocent, we as christians should also fight these injust systems.

Sirivinda säger: If or when Tuvalu becomes inhabitable, how will you keep your identity as Tuvaluans? How important do you think religion will be as an identity factor?

Tafue Lusama säger: I believe that you cannot create another country within a country, so if it comes to the extreme and relocation is the only option for us, this simply means that our distinct identity as a people, as Tuvaluans will disapear, submerged with the land. Religion has nothing to do with this, and as a distinct people, Tuvalu as Tuvalu will extinct from the face of the earth.

Red Dragon säger: Some people I know in Sweden think that climate changes are good - becuase it´s so cold in the north. What would you like to say to them?

Tafue Lusama säger: I would like to ask them to consider the devastating impacts Global warming will have on other parts of the world, especially on us small countries as it is a matter of life and death for us

Weatherman säger: Hi, what can the world do to help the people in Tuvalu?

Tafue Lusama säger: nothing more than try and ratify the Kyoto protocol and since the impacts are so realy here, I think its time for real action rather than treating the issue as a debating issue. If it is too late to save Tuvalu, at least actions now will save other countries.

Jenny, 34 säger: Tafue, are you angry at all the rich people in USA and Europe for destroying Tuvalu and our planet by polluting the atmosphere with ur cars and industries?

Tafue Lusama säger: Not exactly, I believe that their actions were out of ignorance, and the only concern now is how to reverse the impacts of climate change. I think it is about time they consider doing something rather than ignoring us and our cries for survival.

Katrina säger: Do you have tropical storms in Tuvalu? And are they coming more frequently now then before?

Tafue Lusama säger: In the first month of this year, we were visited by three consercutive tropical cyclones, and imagine our small size and the severety of such visitations....threatening

Emma, 27 säger: What do you think we should do to stop the climate changes?

Tafue Lusama säger: As I said before, I believe that by taking seriously this issue, we would clearly see that changing our lifestyle is one, and lobbying to the governments to change our sources of energy to renewable energy sources.

Carl säger: What do you think about cars and the oil industry?

Tafue Lusama säger: Personally, cars are so convinient that we cannot do away with, but it is the lifestyle that makes us drive cars for long distances just to transport a single person. It is like, every member of a family owns a car. I think using these in aa more reasonable way, and making more use of public tarnsport will help a lot in this cause. And betther off, if cars are driven by a renewable energy source

Moderator säger: It´s time for the last question / Det är dags för sista frågan nu

Ewan säger: If another country donated a piece of land or an island - would you consider rebuilding a "New Tuvalu" as an option to be scattered around the world? Has there been any such discussions or suggestions earlier?

Tafue Lusama säger: It has not come up in the past at all as far as I can recall, and it is Tuvalu herself trying to get acceptance to other countries. But it is an option that needs to be looked at. The problem I see is that a culture and tradition evoled around an environment, and the Tuvalu way of life relates a lot to its surroundings. If we relocate them to another surrounding, it is probable that there will also be a change in traditions and cultural values that we value so muc. Its nice chatting with you, and bye for now.

Moderator säger: Thank you Tafue Lusama for chating with us and many thanks to our readers for all your valuable questions! / Stort tack till Tafue Lusama som chattade och tack till aftonbladet.se.s läsare för alla era värdefulla frågor.

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