NationStates Jolt Archive

Andrew Mizrachi sat in the interviewing room, anxiously awaiting for the broadcast to start. It was his first time interviewing someone on international television - his superiors generally kept him for national, Eurasian storeys.

If I fuck this one up, he thought, My career is so over.

"Rolling in thirty seconds!" shouted a cameraman. Andrew anxiously straightened his tie, smoothed out his suit, and ensured that his microphone was firmly attached to his lapel.

This had better go well.

"Five! Four! Three! Two! and..."

Andrew pivoted in his leather seat to face the camera.

"Good afternoon. I'm Andrew Mizrachi, for the Eurasian Broadcasting Group. Today, we're having an in-depth interview with a high level member of the Movement for a Independent Buristan, Dr Faroq Abdullah." He turned to face the man. "Sir, it's an honour."

Faroq's palms sweated uncontrollably. He dabbled his forehead with his handkerchief--white with a small embroidery of his initials on it--as the cameraman counted down the seconds until they were on the air.

Faroq never truly felt comfortable around Eurasians, ever since at the age of sixteen, a group of them murdered his brother at a protest for Buristani rights, malice was the only emotion he felt towards them. When he decided to go to university outside the country, after boarding school at Eton, where otherr students rediculed him for his accent, he chose to study Political Science and Islam, then going on to found the Bakr College of Buristani Studies, a small liberal arts college known for its place as the premier intellectual hotbed of Buristan. At Bakr, Faroq managed to create a bustling center for the Buristani nationalist movement, through his students and fellow faculty members, with that small nucleus forming the inner circle of the Movement for an Independent Buristan.

The cameraman signaled the beginning of the interview.

As Andrew Mizrachi introduced him to the viewers, Faroq smiled to the camera, showing off his ivory-white teeth, which gleamed brightly in contrast with his chestnut skin.

"Thank you for allowing me this opportunity, such a chance is truly a gift to me, and the Movement. Do you mind if I smoke?" inquired Faroq, pointing to cigarette box--hoping that the nicotine could calm his nerves.

Smoking? Ugh... Andrew had always despised smoking - he always had viewed it as a detestable habit. His ninth grade chemistry teacher smoked, and she was the most foul person Andrew had ever met - so, from that point on, he associated smoking with that.

"Why, feel free to smoke," stated Andrew, smiling, trying to cover up his distate for the habit. He took a deep, silent breath, and continued forth.

"Well, Dr. Abdullah, to start off, please tell us a bit about the nation of Buristan."

Faroq could tell that Andrew felt uncomfortable with his smoking, but he did not care, he puffed away at his cigarette, allowing the nicotine soak into his blood, and calm down the humours inside him.

"Well, Andrew, I am glad you asked." Faroq replied, now much calmer, his mind more lucid, "Buristan is a small nation of about ten million souls, mostly farmers, but with a fledling middle class of merchants and industrialists. Though once a tribal people, the divisions have become less defined as of late thanks to an increased industrialization and the rise of urban centers. Though most of the population is secular, there is a Muslim majority, a unique culture entirely different from that of the rest of Eurasia, one of the primary reasons why domination by these imperialists is unacceptable."

A bit harsh on the anti-Eurasian rhetoric, are we? thought Andrew. No matter. I've got a job to do, money to earn.

"Imperialistic domination? I'm sorry, doctor, but could you elaborate on that, please?"

Sensing annoyance in Andrew's tone set off Faroq. He expected that this interview would be fair and equitable to both sides, but as he saw now, the media of Eurasia possessed minds as closed as those of the government.

"For decades the Eurasian government has looked down upon the people of Buristan, favoring native Eurasian companies over Buristani ones through subsidies, and other forms of unfair competition. The Eurasian government stifled the intellectual development of Buristani citizens, by estabishing sub-par educational centers in the country. The Eurasian government sends Buristan's sons off to foriegn lands, not to fight Buristani wars, but Eurasian ones, wars that are not supported by the Buristani people. The Eurasian government refuses to recognize the culture of my people, rather, condemns it, sending in their police to break up our peaceful demonstrations, and in some cases, murdering those who take part in the civil disobedience that is vital to any free society. The Eurasian government honestly brings nothing but poverty, violence, and intolerance to the lands of my fathers, thus must accept that they have no right to dominate those lands."

"Thank you for your clarification," Andrew stated, smiling. "Eurasian-Buristani relations are not the clearest to many people around the world. What do you intend to do to stop or less the Eurasian imperialism?"

"Thank you for your clarification," Andrew stated, smiling. "Eurasian-Buristani relations are not the clearest to many people around the world. What do you intend to do to stop this Eurasian imperialism?"

"Well, originally, the intent of the Movement was to allow Buristani citizens the rights and privledges of normal members of Eurasia, however, we no longer see this as an option, we have tried many different pathways of the government, and they all have been in vain, therefore, the inner circle of the Movement believes almost unanimously that full independence represents the only option left to our people."

"Sounds reasonable enough," replied Andrew, still smiling. "What do you propose that you do to attain that full independence?"

Faroq set down his cigarette, and planned his response carefully. He knew that this question would define the Movement to the people of not only Eurasia, but also to those of the world. If he answered as a jingo, he would be seen as just another madman desiring the power of a dictator, while too conciliatory would set the issue on the back burner of Eurasian politics, with no need for any action to come.

Faroq explained, "Well within the Movement, their are many different takes on how to achieve this, however, most agree through peaceful channels is the best, but be warned, we are prepared if these measures do not suceed."

"Now, if Buristan were to gain its full independence, where do you see your nation in the next ten to fifteen years?"

Andrew reclined in his leather chair, and carefully drank a glass of water.

"Now, if Buristan were to gain its full independence, where do you see your nation in the next ten to fifteen years?"

Andrew reclined in his leather chair, and carefully drank a glass of water.

Faroq lied to the Eurasian, "I see Buristan as one of the rising industrial powers of the world, with a highly skilled workforce, and a mature middle class."

Faroq knew that if independence was achieved, there would be a long, hard road ahead of the young nation, a long road that he was unsure of whether or not it could come out of.

"Well, I certainly hope that Buristan can achieve their dreams. I am afraid we are rapidly running out of time, Dr. Abdullah. Is there anything else you'd like to say to our listeners and our viewers?"

"I would just like to thank the EBG for allowing myself, the Movement, and Buristan this oppurtunity to come on and explain to the world the dire situation in Buristan."

Andrew pivoted in his chair towards the cameras.

"This has been Andrew Mizrachi, for the Eurasian Broadcasting Group, with Dr. Faroq Abdullah, for the Movement for an Independent Buristan. For a complete transcript of this interview, visit news.ebg.co.eu."

"And cut!" cried the cameraman. "Good work, people."

Andrew rose to shake Dr Abdullah's hand.

Faroq rebuffed Andrew's attempt at shaking his hand.

"Do you think me your monkey?"

Andrew was perplexed by the Buristani man's reply.

"Do I think your my...monkey? What?"