An Independent candidate in the upcoming NI Assembly elections has said she is “disappointed but not surprised” after she received abuse online following her candidacy announcement.

Good Friday Agreement advocate and campaigner, Emma DeSouza, announced on March 11 she would be running as a candidate in Fermanagh and South Tyrone in May’s upcoming Assembly elections – but since then, she has been receiving abuse and pushback for it.

Some of the messages claim that Mrs. DeSouza will split the vote in the constituency.

“It started with the announcement but has steadily increased since then,” explained Mrs. DeSouza. “The theme [of the online abuse] is that I am going to split the Progressive vote and deliver an unwelcome outcome in the constituency, with rather nasty comments about my motivations and character.”

However, she dismissed this as the outcome. “The narrative that I will ‘only do harm by standing’ is not in line with how a Single Transferable Vote (STV) system works – having more candidates does not split the vote, and can actually broaden the Progressive base.

“Others have attempted to discredit the legitimacy of my candidacy, and tried to attack and undermine my record.

“The motivation [for such attacks] is clear – my entry into the race is perceived as a threat to the aims of whichever party they are speaking for.

“My view is that voters deserve to have a choice outside of party politics, and as a campaigner with a proven track record of delivery, who challenged the British government to uphold the Good Friday Agreement, and faced considerable challenges in doing so, I won’t be dissuaded by abuse or harassment.”

The abuse, while disappointing, did not surprise the Independent candidate; however, she would not reveal the party or parties responsible.

“I know from speaking with other Independent candidates across the North that it isn’t just one party that is targeting Independents and putting pressure on them to withdraw.

“I know of a number of other Independent candidates who are receiving messages, and phone calls, to push them to pull out of the race. I hope to use my profile to highlight this behaviour, and to call for a more civil election cycle.”

Mrs. DeSouza thinks these actions portray a sense of entitlement by some parties who “think they have a claim over a particular area”.

However, she pointed out: “No party has an entitlement to any seat. Voters decide the outcome of an election, and after years of inaction and divisive party politics, deserve an option outside of the party-political structures that have for so long hindered progress in Fermanagh and South Tyrone.”

Mrs. DeSouza went on to say: “A core component of a democratic society is free and fair elections. Any party or party member that engages in this kind of behaviour is undercutting democratic values.

“I have worked on a cross-party basis to achieve meaningful change for several years, and I intend to continue to work in this manner.

Constraints

“As an Independent I’m not bound by the constraints of party politics, or aligning with the party’s agenda. This gives me the freedom to work on a more collaborative basis.

“I hope that party members can lay off the dirty tactics and misinformation and work with me to build a strong, Progressive base for the people of Fermanagh and South Tyrone.”

She is determined to carry on despite all the abuse and pushback she has received.

“Politics can be a unpleasant place, particularly for young women, but if I want to help usher in a new approach to Northern politics then I have to lead by example.

“No amount of pressure or abuse will derail me from making a positive case to the electorate that voting Independent is a viable option, [and one] that places the issues affecting people’s everyday lives, at the heart of decision-making.”