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UC SHED LIGHT ON KAITAINE SPACE "DISASTER"
A team of scientists from Ui Cennesliag today have announced a disturbing piece of information about the recent Kaitaine space launch. According to one of our sources the supposed unmanned mission may not have been so. Files have been released of a voice recording that the UC science team claim could only have come from orbit. A conversation was monitored for around thirty minutes and then went silent from one end, no further contact was heard despite what appeared to be input from ground control.
Since the early part of the year Ui Cenneslaig have operated various space based labs and monitors in order to learn more about the solar system. One of these picked up the transmissions of the Kiataine space launch a full 24 hours before the Pravada announcement of a satellite launch that was designed to burn up in the atmosphere. Speaking to our publication Professor Killian McHugh of the Ui Cenneslaig space programme said. "This is disturbing, it is our point of view that while being obsessed with carrying out a rapid space programme in order to impress the world that they have rushed to send a manned mission knowing full well they are not ready. As such I believe what we have picked up is a great disaster in space, maybe the first of its kind. I think this person has either burnt up in re-entry or skimmed off the atmosphere and is lost in space with no chance of rescure." The audio has been made available to several other nations who have also given similar assessments including the Joint Nordic Space Programme whose director told us, "In our view this is a failed manned mission. I think they knew this was a possibility and as such delayed the announcement until they knew how it would have ended. This shows you can not rush space exploration."
So far the Kaitaine Ministry of Defence which oversees the Kaitiane space programme has refused to comment on the speculation instead just re-releasing statements about a successful launch and satellite mission.
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Lakhzov Airforce bombs chemical plant as army flees Khaliniz Brigade advance
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These are the shocking scenes from earlier today when the Lakhzov Air Force bombed a state owned chemical plant after Khaliniz Brigade soldiers looked set to overwhelm the Lakhzov guards. While the Lakhzov government has been reluctant to allow key strategic assets to fall in to the hands of the nascent Utman Republic this is the first case of them deliberately destroying a site rather than allow it to fall under Utman control.
There are unconfirmed reports that villagers and Khaliniz Brigade soldiers within a 5km radius of the site have suffered breathing difficulties leading some to fear that the fire at the plant has released toxic chemicals into the air. Some have gone so far as to speculate that the reason the plant was destroyed was to cover up evidence of chemical weapons research and prevent it from falling into enemy hands.
Over the past weeks the Utman Khaliniz Brigades have made a number of important gains in Transmecuria seizing over one hundred police stations, an airport and at least one power plant. The Utman Provisional Government has stated that the seizure of key infrastructure is an essential step in Utman state building.
The Kadassa Regime has responded by ordering the Lakhzov Defence Forces to guard key strategic infrastructure, however not knowing which target is next has impacted their ability to provide sufficient defensive coverage, the commencement of the rainy season has also limited the LDF's ability to deploy reinforcements and supplies to the region providing the more mobile and locally based Utman militias with a powerful tactical advantage, and one which they have been exploiting to great success.
The Lakhzov government has declined to comment on the incident telling FMN that the ban on our news network remains in effect.
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Special Report from Talmar District, Lalishistan by Marjorie Barron, investigative reporter and war correspondence for FMN
The Saheristani government is making a determined effort to reclaim Talmar District from Triple L insurgents, that much is true. However, regardless of what Al-Šāṭi would have you believe in their latest report (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=240.msg1195#new), the truth is different. This is Marjorie Barron, with a special report from Talmar, bringing you the real story.
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The Army’s attack has been swift and ruthless. There is a decisiveness and viciousness at play not seen in previous attacks on Talmar.
Government forces have now blockaded most roads into the area, and I may be the only foreign journalist in the region at this time. From what I have seen so far, I can confirm that the government is waging what appears to be a campaign of reprisal, rather than liberation, attempting to terrorise the population away from their support for the Triple L, who they seek to punish for their latest abortive attack in the Saheri capital.
First, despite claims by the Saheristani Army broadcast in Al-Šāṭi, we have seen no evidence of precision bombing or shelling. On the contrary, the army is indiscriminately shelling villages in which insurgents are suspected to be hiding, while the air force is deploying napalm to deforest areas of the landscape, robbing insurgents of cover and attempting to deny their escape routes with cluster munitions.
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Our team has also witnessed crimes against humanity being perpetrated by the Lalishi Liberation League.
Triple L forces are also liberally deploying antipersonnel landmines across the valley in preparation for further government attacks and are forcibly disappearing and torturing suspected government collaborators.
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Army losses have been substantially higher than expected, but Al-Šāṭi’s report ignores that fighting has already begun in earnest.
Fighting has already begun in earnest and significant causalities have been taken by both sides. The army is better trained and equipped now than it has ever been, and has brought tremendous firepower to this engagement. However, the Triple L are dug in deeply, and they know this region intricately.
Hundreds of civilians have already been displaced by the fighting, and many are being corralled into IDP (internally displaced persons) camps. These camps lack basic amenities and seem to be intended to secure and search the general population for insurgents.
Overall, it is immediately apparent that despite fierce resistance, the government is making significant gains. Previous strategies to win over the hearts and minds of the Lalishi population seem to have been ditched for much more liberal rules of engagement, matching the conduct of President Ashkan’s aggressive anti-terrorist policy.
My team and I will remain in the region as long as we can, but evading both sides is becoming increasingly difficult as combat escalates. This has been Marjorie Barron, from the Talmar Valley.
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DID UTMAN LIBERATION ORGANISATION TAKE SHOT AT WASP?
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In a breaking news story the Free Mundus Network can report that it has acquired information from a credible source that indicates that an incident involving an Achkaerinese Wasp Type helicopter some weeks ago may have been more that it seemed.
The incident in brief terms saw the wasp, during coordinated operations with Somerset to monitor the border with Lakhzovia or more specifically an area of Lakhzovia claimed as the Utman Republic, forced into making an emergency landing due to what at the time was termed "unclear reasons" by those involved, the Lakhzovian authorities and military were subsequently able to rescue the crew and recover the helicopter, the helicopter has since been repaired and the two officers aboard it are in fine shape.
However this network has now received information that the most likely explanation for the incident is that someone took a shot at the helicopter, the most likely candidate being the ULO, this is something forcefully denied by the ULO. We will have more as this develops.
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Probe incident causes widespread fires, evacuations ordered
1,083 people have been on the evacuated from the town of Tej'ca and its surrounding villages, after the unexpected crash landing of an Ahkbanilese space probe. The prototype space probe, a latest test by the Ahkbanil Hwolikwuyxi (Airforce) Extlepahai’ko (Astronomical Research Division), was meant to have an issueless landing within a predesignated location in Ahkbanil. However at 10:42 A.M. it is believed the probe encountered an issue with its landing mechanisms causing the spacecraft to free-fall for some time. At 10:57 A.M. the craft crashed near the town of Tej'ca and three surrounding villages. Fortunately no one was injured during the initial impact, however the impact initiated a fire resulting from leaking rocket Fuel and the force of impact. This resulted in a massive fire first occurring to the north of Tej’ca near a small farming village. From there the fire spread consuming the village and causing massive damage to its fields before spreading south towards Tej’ca and other villages. The Local Tej’ca Fire force rushed to try and stop the fire from preventing however do to the flammability of the crop fields the nature of the fire and its fuel controlling the flames has proved difficult.
“We arrive on one scene and put the flames out only for word to reach us that the fire has spread elsewhere” That was one local firefighter who voiced her frustration with the situation. Battling the flames has become “a game of cat and mouse” as another describes it. Due to the scale and nature of the fire, the local Tej’ca Fire Force has allowed those willing to volunteer and assist in their operations. These entail not just putting out the fires, but also assisting in evacuation efforts and distributing supplies as needed.
1,083 people have been evacuated from the Tej’ca and its surrounding villages, unfortunately some have been injured in the chaos of the situation thankfully however there have been no deaths as of yet. The Government of Cojotan has called for Ahkbanil to “answer and take responsibility for this situation”. These calls have taken the form of a request of reperations by the Ahkbanil Government equaling value to the damage dealt by the fires as well as a means to recover what crop has been lost to the flames.
As of the fire has been burning for near four hours and does not seem to be ending anytime soon.
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The Problem With Mundus
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"Hello there, Mundus. I apologize for hijacking this rather reputable institution's broadcast, but I see no other way of delivering my message to the public, as a man branded terrorist and thief. For those of you who do not yet know me, my name is Jory Hellhorn, and I am a friend of world freedom. I must admit, and you may know, that I have not made one of these broadcast manifestos in a very long time, however, recent events have prompted me to come out of the shade, so to speak. I've always been mediocre at trying to segue into my message, so I will instead be frank: Mundus has a festering problem.
A problem which has gripped it for centuries. Which has left fathers childless and oppressed and repressed millions upon millions of world citizens. I speak not of war, for war is a necessitant of human nature. I speak of monarchy. Whatever tribal stupidity propelled those who rule into power has long since been eclipsed by general learning, interconnectedness, and a desire for knowledge as of yet unprecedented in all of human history. The average high-schooler knows more than a monarch of two-hundred years ago; the average university student has a larger vocabulary. Why then, do we as human beings continue to bow down to those who have snatched power from the mandate of the people without any merit of their own outside of their wealth, riches, or good looks? How many outright imbecilic decisions have we seen monarchs make in the past month alone? Let me lay it out.
I speak, of course, of the Pope's moronic remarks of earlier; to denounce even moderate socialism as evil is to enrich oneself in the long term. But I know not if he knows that, for agents of religion are plentiful deniers of the scientific method. That, however, is a discussion for another day. Let us move on to the Commonwealth Treaty Organization, a husk of a good idea so blatantly political that it has done little more than serve as a mouthpiece for a certain group of nations since its inception. While I stand here and speak to the people, I am sure you know what they plan, ah yes, the Network of Crowns, they call it. An enabler of debauchery and social stratification, a promoter of the nationalism which has kept us all separate and warring over reasons that will have no logic or reason in the coming centuries, no. These are only the most blatant abuses of power that come to mind, there are millions more. The change must start now, before it's too late for our children and grandchildren.
Mundus worships power and wealth, when they should be worshipping freedom and love.
And I have come to realise that governments and corporations can no longer be trusted not to keep us in the dark ages of religion and autocracy, and as such, I have taken matters into my own hands. I have been accused of killing people which I did not; I have been accused of instigating violence. I promise you that none of that has been true for a decade, but I will deliver this warning: It will be true again, and soon. I have no hatred for the common man, nor for the rich man in the traditional sense. I have a hatred for greed and unreason, and both of those pervade Mundus. Thus declare I that the National Freedom Assembly of Weremark of which I was once part is now no longer confined to that miniscule nation's borders, no, for this problem is international, and demands an international response.
I hereby declare the International Freedom Assembly, may all those who hate Gods and Kings flock to our side, for we will deliver to Mundus the freedom it has never truly had!"
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ARQ is Disarray After Probe Incident
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Fires in Cojotan on the Night of the Accident
The Extlapa’ko(esh-tlah-pa-koh), Aerospace Research Quadrant(ARQ) has announced that it’s searching for equatorial candidates to launch from after n incident which left thousands of Cojotani citizens displaced when a test rocket for what Ahkabnil is naming the Geo-orbital Location Spotting Network, or GOLSN, failed and crashed over Cojotan just outside of its airspace.
The launch was supposedly secret and was not meant to enter Cojotan’s airspace, but debris from a booster failure fell near the border. The following fires were devastating, displacing thousands and the numbers increased from there on. “This is a regretful event that we should have prevented, and the Aerospace Research Quadrant sends its deepest apology on behalf of Ahkabnil to those affected by this unexpected event.” Tekpilli of ARQ publicly stated.
Since then the Ahkabnilian government has paid compensation to Cojotan for the ‘projected cost of damage’ in the words of the Revered Speaker.
ARQ has recently, following the events looks for areas to base their launch operations out of. Setting the criteria for ideally equatorial and a large eastern sea. For too long Ahkabnil had risked launching rockets over populated areas and dense land with little sea. “If only there was more water on this planet, but that’s unrealistic.” Tekpilli Atwohal is remarked saying years earlier.
Until a candidate is found is use their launch facilities or for Ahkabnil to construct their own, the GOLSN program is halted. The government has set a deadline for ARQ to find an area, before they are forced to use the same launch methods or GOLSN, which already has billions invested in it, will be cancelled and so will ambitious space projects.
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Analysis: The Impending Revolution in Coanchua
By Peter O’Gadphuc
(http://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/news/2017/05/03/TELEMMGLPICT000127658454_trans_NvBQzQNjv4Bqp9c5WVj0Jr0gvyuux5WeKI-QD44-voN49g7o0Fjx2T4.jpeg?imwidth=450)
YUN ARALAKI, capital of Coanchua -- Tensions have reached their boiling point here in Coanchua after months of despair among the population after the government had been unable to effectively treat the destruction caused by last month’s earthquakes and subsequent tsunamis. The population blames government corruption and the Marigold Accord for a lack of emergency infrastructure.
These tensions predate the natural disasters of last month however, with a sudden outcry since the dissolution of Soviet Rodina in 2014 to completely remove the Marigold Accord and establish a government by wholly independent convention. The rebel organization behind these efforts is the League of Free-Coanchua, an organized revolutionary effort comprised of all rebel groups in the country who have been continuously fighting against the Marigold Government since the late 1980s.
A call for independence has always been shouted aloud by most of the Koingia people, believing that they had been suppressed by the marigold accord, and see the Coanchuan government devised by the accord as corrupt. This is mostly true, as Coanchua was subject to internal puppetry of Soviet and anti-Soviet belligerents after the World War. The Coanchuan’s people strife for self-determination can be traced back to the very inkling beginnings of the country.
The Kaiop pirates/raiders developed as a nomadic multicultural people, deriving from Toshikawan, Himeyaman, native Aulukai, Maori and Vesian societies, over time syncretizing ethnically with most countries on the Krimeon and Kyne Seas. They were an outcast people, deemed too unholy for their status as living in crippling poverty, mainly in Toshikawa, and having poor or evil occupations(butcher, undertaker, etc), as well as practicing unorthodox spiritualism. These people, coming together to be known as Kaiop, would settle on Aulukai Isle in the Matilda Channel while retaining their sea-faring lifestyle, melting pot multiculturalism and assimilation with the Ipo natives, creating a distinct group known as ‘Koingia’ today, meaning ‘Cross-Seas’, as all the present people in Coanchua have a diverse ancestry due to the Kaiop pirates, from Seleucid, Maori, Ipo, Himyaman, to more than often an indiscernible mix, ‘Koingia’.
Coanchua for centuries would shift under different eras of imperial occupation, most notably Royal Seleucid who brought a brutal slave trading regime to the Andean Peninsula. Most of the people in Coanchua today have slave ancestry, and take pride in freeing themselves in a Kaiop-led rebellion in the late 19th century. The slaves traded from all over Mundus, usually ended up in Coanchua on Aulukai Isle, Royal Seleucid ruled the Channels with their slave empire.
This history is needed to understand how Coanchua feels about the past and present situation, they see themselves as proud and strong people of high stature, most notably ‘Kaiop’ servuce in the World War where they became known as elite troops, who could hold out against enemies, behind the lines, outnumbered and outgunned. Or the Kaiop pilots known as the Skyraiders, a book which released about them in 2007 arguably sparked independent patriotic endeavor. However, the Koingia people still feel oppressed and see their history as one of struggle to stand the test of time, therefore, the modern day League of Free-Coanchua sees these efforts against the established Marigold Accord as struggle for true freedom.
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Marigold Troops at a drug checkpoint
The Marigold Accord was formed after the World War, under brief occupation by anti-Ardian coalitions, most notably Achkaerin. The Accord dictated that the elected government of Coanchua must remain neutral in hostilities between the Soviets and remain compliant with the oversight of a representative to ensure the most congested and profitable shipping lane remained open and stable. The Coanchuan people were taken greatly into account during the Accord’s formation, however the support of Royal Seleucid and the Accord being devised by mostly monarchies made the people discontent. Over time tensions increased, as internal conflict drove more restrictions enforced by the Accord. Many interpret the Accord as a shifting imperial puppet, of both the Soviets and Capitalist powers.
The Accord has further been justified by the Marigold government by using Kaitaine as a chief threat, with evidence showing Mcpherson’s government has backed communist rebel groups in the country and the rise of Zircon and potentially spacefighters. The drug war is also as it’s height in Coanchua, merging with revolutionary efforts as the LFC has been confirmed to use drug money to fund their guerilla and sea piracy operations in the Channel. The Marigold Government has received billions in funding to combat this, much of which goes to weapons or black holes in the government budget. Rigged elections for the past 30 years some have claimed has also been perpetuated by the Marigold Accord.
Riots across Yun Aralaki have only gotten worse and the government is under constant siege, with LFC piracy and organized fighting has gotten more intense, and many government forces have abandoned their post. Coanchua is a powderkeg, the question is what the Accord Great Power will do this time to quell it.
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Hand of Emet accused of burning 600 Utman civilians to death in Bokar Massacre
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Photo: Burned shells of homes all that remains of Bokar
The Provisional Government of the Utman Republic today accused the Lakhzov Hand of Emet militia of killing almost 600 Utman civilians including women and children in what is being referred to as the Bokar Massacre.
The attack, which many are calling a crime against humanity, is believed to have occurred Tuesday night mere days after the Hand of Emet militia officially declared war on the Utman Liberational Organisation and vowed to eradicated the organisation suggesting that this attack may be just the first of many to come.
A number of victims of the massacre were found shot to death in their homes, others in the streets and field while the vast majority appear to have been confined inside the village shrine and burned to death in a horrifying and chilling display of inhumanity. The Utman Provisional Government released a statement saying: "What we have seen happen in Bokar is a tragic and chilling demonstration of the depraved, evil brutality of Lakhzov nationalism. No more can Kadassa's regime claim that the Lakhzov national movement is one predicated on justice and peace. We have seen today their movement unmasked and exposed to the world as the demon it truly is. Six hundred men, women and children rounded up and burned to death inside a holy building, spending their last moments in terror and excruciating agony with no hope of escape. This is what the international community's turning a blind eye to Lakhzov violations has led to, a sense of impunity that has emboldened them to commit atrocities that rank among the worst in world history.
We demand that the world end their support for the Kadassa regime, immediately recognise the Utman Republic as an independent sovereign state in charge of its own destiny and recognise the Khaliniz Brigades as the legitimate expression of the Utman right to self-defence."
The village of Bokar situated in the upper Mercu river basin of Transmecuria is a remote settlement being accessible only by unmade dirt roads, the village was unremarkable except for its recent publicity as the home village of the ULO activist who was alleged to have attempted the assassination of the Chief Medaber of Khalin Danoi Yishveliy. This has led many to speculate that the attack on Bokar was carried out in revenge by the Hand of Emet who some analysts believe are strongly linked to the Medaber and his Lakhzov Home faction which is currently in partnership with Kadassa's Lakhzov National Congress Party in the Senate and government.
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Crisis in Utman Territories as Lakhzovia cuts off electricity
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Night time Satellite photo of the region highlighting the devastating impact of the electricity embargo
The electricity supply to Utman Transmecuria’s 5 million residents has dropped to unprecedented lows after the Lakhzov government ordered a shutdown of power plants in the region a week ago, with blackouts lasting for more than 24 hours the territory’s Provisional Government said Thursday, prompting fears of a humanitarian and environmental crisis.
The Utman territory needs at least 850 megawatts of power a day, but only 70 megawatts were available as of late Wednesday, when the ageing Kinere coal power plant was left as the sole operational plant supplying the region.
The Utman Provisional Government said the power cuts have caused a rapid deterioration in basic services, “especially health and environmental services, including water and sewage draining.”
The impact of the shortages are proving catastrophic for the Utman people, threatening long term economic and social damage if they continue with fishermen unable store their catch, farmers unable to irrigate their crops and industries missing order deadlines and opportunities, forcing them to close. The economic, development and humanitarian costs already are staggering and are likely to grow worse as long as the Lakhzov electricity embargo persists.
“Even without rockets and bombs, Utman in Transmecuria are experiencing a humanitarian emergency which is unparalleled since the start of the Lakhzov occupation three decades ago. It is shameful this crisis has been allowed to escalate to this extent and further squeeze an already suffocating 5 million people living under the brutal heel of Lakhzov occupation,” said a ULO spokesman. He added that “The Transmecuria electricity crisis is an illegal, punitive, measure against an entire population and must end immediately. The kadassa Regime as the long term occupying power must share responsibility for the wellbeing of Utman who have suffered due to Lakhzov policies in the region, and must not use them as a bargaining chip in this ongoing political dispute. The world should act to urgently ensure that the Lakhzov government resumes fuel and electricity supply to the Utman territories.
The Utman in Transmecuria are already enduring huge hardship and abuse of their rights that the Lakhzov occupation has entrenched. They must not be forced to suffer further and be used as a bargaining chip by President Kadassa.”
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SCHOOL ATTACK REVEALS STRANGE CONNECTION
Following a recent attack on a Vaguzian boarding school (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=55.msg3179#msg3179) investigators have unearthed some connections between the institute and the little known Bene Gesserit faith. The school was allegedly attacked by members of the Borland Seperatist group as a leaflet claiming the group "shall free West Moreland" was found in the vehicle used. Chapterhouse was opened in Vaguzia in 1904 by the O'Hogan Educational Trust, a philanthropic organisation established by Ui Cenneslaig scholar Michael O'Hogan, it was the third such school set up in Mundus, the first being in Claith in Ui Cenneslaig in 1880, a second school was opened in Achkaerin in 1889, the forth of the schools was opened in Nemeria in 1923. The reason for the school being targeted has not yet been confirmed however some have speculated that it represents a foreign influence in the nation, something Borlanders may wish to remove. A total of 13 people of which 10 were students and 3 teachers were killed, around a further 30 were injured mainly through the use of dangerous white phospherous which caused severe burns and set part of the school on fire.
One of the crime investigators has confirmed however that a search of the school has revealed something "worrying". According to the police they have found a large number of text books and teaching materials relating to the Bene Gesserit faith, furthermore it was discovered that many of the students had in their rooms knives made out of bone, an object carried by preistesses of the Bene Gesserit faith called Crystknifes (https://cdn.instructables.com/F53/2D3V/HRCK0H75/F532D3VHRCK0H75.MEDIUM.jpg). The Police have made a statement on the school saying, "We have reason to believe that this school is connected to the Bene Gesserit faith somehow, the school has always maintained itself as a strong, at times, isolated community and as such it would not be impossible for it to have focused on teaching the faith. Now we must be concerned about the well being of the girls who are students there, they are our prime concern and we must begin reuniting them with their parents and guardians." The school was home to around 400 students aged between 4-18 all of whom boarded at the school. The school's headmistress, a Liza McNulty, has been asked for a statement however has yet to make one, instead however the Ui Cenneslaig businessman Niklaus O'Hogan, the descendent of Michael O'Hogan, spoke out saying, "The school is a centre of education and learning, it was brutally attacked for no reason and that should be the focus of our thoughts."
Schools in Achkaerin, Nemeria and Ui Cenneslaig have also refused to comment on the situation, however their was visible security guards around the school in the hours following the attacks. The schools have also produced a good number of respected scholars through the years and these include Thyrza Fava, wife of the ES based businessman Augustin Fava.
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Khaliniz Brigades seize Kinere Airport
Khaliniz Brigade militants seized the headquarters of the military garrison at Kinere airport on Wednesday after killing at least seven ULO security personnel at the base in Transmecuria's second city, Lakhzov military sources said.
ULO Security forces loyal to President Uttaman in Kinere, where the Utman provisional government is based, have come under sustained attack from Khaliniz Brigade forces after the militant group seized control of the government in a coup and began a purge of moderates.
The assailants, who were wearing military uniforms, penetrated the airport garrison after setting off one car bomb at its entrance then ramming through a second and detonating it inside, another Lakhzov source said.
The twin bombs killed at least seven ULO personnel. “The attackers are extremists and their current actions entirely validate Lakhzovia's point about the terroristic nature of the Utman national movement” a Lakhzov government source said.
The attacks come in advance of the arrival of the ground troops of a Achkaerin led peacekeeping coalition, which are shortly due to begin their mission in the region and it is believed that aggressive expansion of Khaliniz Brigade control is a move to secure a better strategic situation in advance of the mission's commencement.
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SHADOWS OF MUNDUS "BACKUP" HEAT MAPS
(https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/5446712/strava-us-base-locations-military-secret-heat-maps/)
Following the decision of a popular fitness tracker manufacturer to remove their heat maps that have recently caused national security concerns in several nations the internet hacking group known as the Shadows of Mundus have announced they have backed up the maps. The group rose to prominence late last year when they hacked several nations and ransomed the data back to several influential companies, while at the same time releasing information to the world about several key figures. The group have now announced that they have maintained copies of the data allowing anyone with access to the files to filter and search the images, a fact that lead to East Moreland, Achkaerin, Ui Cenneslaig, Lodja, Bykrestan and the Ecclesiastical State to ban their military from using the devices.
The group uploaded a series of the maps showing key military sites across Mundus including East Moreland Red Legion's training centre in Nya Aland, QAMB off the coast of Somerset which is operated by Rokkenjima, the Celtic Protectorate Base in Royal Selecuid and Taiwan Base in Aerternum owned by Dartfordia. In total 57 key military instillations across Mundus are still available on the internet allowing people to see the bases lay out and from the heat signatures extrapolate the positions of key instillations such as residential blocks and barracks. Former East Moreland military officer Stephen Eastwood explained the dangers posed by this data. "This information allows anyone with a basic understanding of map software to make deep analysis that would normally take a team of observers weeks to gather. Me and three former Red's spent an afternoon looking over the data and we were able to map out patrol routes in several nations around key instillations such as royal palaces, we even found it possible to locate previously hidden bases and in one case track naval movements where we suspect a group of Marines had been doing PT each day on deck. This is a military intelligence experts dream. Few nations will be spared from this, the only one I can think of its Kaitaine, as I believe they are likely to not have these devices supplied by a major multi-national, but we did find a few very feint tracks caused by the devices across their desert."
Eastwood went on to explain that the devices would allow a team such as his to have ambushed patrols easily and also in some places launch missile strikes against targets they had no knowledge of. The FMN military expert also explained that "this data is not going away anytime soon now, even nations banning the devices are likely to find terrorists, rebels and the like are capable of launching attacks." The Shadows of Mundus have yet to explain how they will allow people to access the data.
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Hundreds of civilians killed as Lakhzovia launches airstrikes overnight
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Lakhzov bombing of Utman civilian areas began shortly after 2am.
So far 370 civilians, including children have been confirmed killed.
Thousands were fleeing Utman Transmecuria on Sunday after a night of fierce bombardment as Lakhzovia launched a full aerial assault of the territory in what is fast becoming the deadliest period of violence in the enclave since the end of the civil war three decades ago. The confirmed Utman death toll hit 370 by 10am this morning, although medics said it was set to soar after a night of intense attacks on Khaliniz Brigade positions throughout the region.
On the ground, the streets of the town of Tebruz were filled with thousands of civilians fleeing for their lives after heavy bombing left casualties lying in the streets, an FMN correspondent reported.
Ambulances were unable to reach much of the area affected because of heavy fire, and emergency services told FMN there were reports of dead and wounded trapped by the bombardment.
At Shifret-Tebruz hospital, casualties were being brought in by the minute, some in ambulances, but others in cars and trucks. Among them were screaming children with shrapnel wounds. One of them was clearly already dead, his head hanging lifelessly. Fights broke out in the emergency room as hysterical parents banged on the walls in fear and sorrow.
Emergency services spokesman Ashraf Barodan said at least 20 bodies had been retrieved from the eastern Shifret district of Tebruz, but ongoing fire was preventing the evacuation of many more. Sabah Osmagolan, 40, arrived at the hospital with her mother and her two daughters, both of them barefoot. "The bombing was non-stop, it was everywhere," she told FMN. "We ran into the streets and started to walk. It was terrifying. We got split up and found an ambulance that could bring us, but my husband is still there with the rest of the children and I can't reach him by telephone."
Figures provided by the Utman Provisional Government on Sunday claimed that at least 73 of the victims were under the age of 18.
Lakhzov President Sachim Kadassa said that the Khaliniz Brigades are entirely responsible for any civilian casualties, accusing the group of "using innocent civilians as human shields" and that “Lakhzovia has taken extraordinary measures over the past months to protect the lives of civilians, it is not our desire to see harm come to any innocent bystander and this is why, even when forced to defend ourselves, we have sought to minimise causalities by warning civilians of airstrikes.” He added that “We have designated humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of refugees and provided protected refuges where civilians will be safe; we strongly encourage Utman civilians to evacuate to these areas as quickly as possible.”
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TENSIONS MOUNT IN THE MHORISH
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Himeyan police presence in Nurashima has increased dramatically in the past week. Pictured are Suiseikawa Provincial Law Enforcement UTCT units in Hakae-shima.
In potentially the highest levels of tension that the disputed archipelago of Nurashima/Barnacle Island has seen since the late 2000s, Himeyan and Heyran patrols have become increasingly aggressive towards one another as geopolitical tensions flare up between the two republics. The archipelago has been a subject of repeated debate between the Syndicated Confederacy of Himeyama and the Heyran Republic since the early 70s; unofficially, all but the northernmost island of Nurashima is controlled by the Himeyan government and is subject to Himeyan laws.
The two parties came alarmingly close to open combat on Tuesday when a pair of Himeyan Airborne Defense Service S9 Mikos flew within 10 meters of a Heyran corvette during the latter's routine patrol. The S9s were reportedly preparing for another flyover of the Heyran surface patrol when the Heyran ships threatened to lock on to the fighter jets with radar missiles, causing them to break south and return to base. Following this incident, the Heyran navy has announced an increase in naval presence around Nurashima, while the Himeyans are reportedly preparing to transfer another squadron of jets to Tansei Airbase in response.
However, there is a third side to this conflict. In Hakae-shima, the largest island of the archipelago, Himeyan law enforcement from the mainland has been deployed in response to the peaceful protests by the residents of Nurashima, demanding increased autonomy from both sides. The residents of Nurashima, called Tane-jin in Himeyan have long expressed their wish to be independent to at least some degree. The population of 54,000 feels no loyalty to either side, being a mix of Himeyan and Heyran ethnicity, with a unique language borrowing from both English and Himeyan tongues.
The Himeyan government has yet to comment on the flyby and the arrival of 300 Suiseikawa Provincial Law Enforcement officers into Hakae-shima.
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KIDNAPPED LORD OF WEST MORELAND IN ONLINE TRIAL
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Patrick Charles, the Lord of the region of Vaguzia known as West Moreland, a man kidnapped only a matter of days ago, has resurfaced in alarming fashion in a live streamed trial currently underway. The Lord is charged with treason against the people of West Moreland by the West Moreland Regional Army or the WMRA, a recognized terrorist group by the Vaguzian Government. The text of the initial broadcast is below
"We the West Moreland Regional Army, acting as the voice of and for the people of West Moreland today charge the Lord of West Moreland with treason against the very people he is supposed to represent. We are not the uncivilized terrorists that the Vaguzian Government makes us out to be. We will provide everyone watching and listening with our evidence and as is the way of justice we will let the people decide this man's fate. And for anyone would be heroes listening, any attempt to shut down transmission will result in a guilty verdict, any attempt at a rescue will result in a guilty veridct, and the sentence is death. We have no wish to act unjustly but this is of great importance to us and we will not tolerate interference.The trial begins now."
There has yet to be any comment from the Vaguzian Government on what it will do but the broadcast has reportedly been received by international broadcasters.
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QUINTELIA INFECTED BY BUBONIC PLAGUE FROM ALBA KARINYA
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An anonymous doctor deployed in the town of Tubig, Romblique has transmitted a message stating that "Quintelia has been infected" along with pictures of the quarantine camp and virus showing assumptions of bubonic plague. According to him, about 1,757 has been infected and 658 has died. The government has recently announced that the nation is free from any outbreaks however, insurgents have been used as cover-up for deployment of soldiers and doctors. The government has cut all forms of transportation and communications have been severed for the citizens in the said town, populated with 54,000 people. Although the nation has sent 10,000 people to assist in quarantining of the infected, it would be a great help if nations or humanitarian organizations would help in the situation
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EXCLUSIVE BARREN INTERVIEW
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Following a string of attacks across Mundus the FMN has obtained an exclusive interview with the self described "King of Borland and the Boreland Folk". Our reporter meet a pair of contacts at a remote road junction, from there she was blindfolded and taken on a drive for several hours before being positioned inside a windowless room where upon she meet the man who is probably the most dangerous man alive.
The recent attacks have been highly co-ordinated and came with a countdown. This has never been the case in the past, why has there been this change of tactics?
It's simple. We are much better than any conventional weapon, we can hit any nation on Mundus, whenever we like. I can give nations warning, they know something is coming and look at what happens, we get through. I need the leaders of all nations out there to see that I am serious, that when we say something will happen then it will happen. I gave the world three days notice of attacks and behold on the third day we began our offensive. I then said 48 hours later there would be more, and again there was. I'm now telling everyone there shall, starting in 24 hours, be an attack a day for the next week. The targets shall be any nation that has diplomatic relations with the Morelanders, and I define diplomatic relations being that they share embassies. Any nation not wishing to be attacked need only make a public announcement that they shall recognise the Principality of Borlands sovereignty and right to exist. Do that and I give my word, and remember I've given my word for attacks and they've happened, I give my word that their nation shall not be attacked.
We understand that Tamora have already begun the process of formally recognising the Principality, how will your promise effect them?
Clearly they are a nation on the right path. They have a legislative process and I understand that. I am more than happy to sit back and allow that process to take place as I am confident that they will reach the right decision. I'm excited as I've heard their foreign minister talk a lot of sense about our history and I think that means we can do business together. You don't need to attack nations that are no threat to you and so I can promise every single Tamoran citizen on their home soil that they will not have any cause to fear us and our army. We will naturally do all possible to avoid them being caught in the cross fire in our battle for freedom.
If the East Moreland press is to be believed Empress Beatrice of Rokkenjima has in the past colluded with yourself, therefore it is rather surprising you've attacked them. Why did you target them?
We had contact with the Rokkenjimans during the unfortuante incident with Princess Adriana. We moved heaven and hell to ensure the young lady was reunited with her family, putting many of our own people at high risk. I had anticipated that Beatrice would see we are reasonable people, willing to work with others and co-operate. I could have caused all manner of chaos keeping Adriana rather than returning her. We could have executed her, left her for the wilds of the Moreland Alps and the wolves. Instead we took her into our care, I took her into my home and ensured she came to no harm, the daughter of an enemy. Let me remind the world that the Morelanders murdered my own son when he was less than a year old, they murdered my wife just weeks after she gave birth to a child that I have never seen, having stripped it away and handed it to a Morelander to be brought up a savage. Do you have any idea how that feels, I could have returned that favour a hundreds time over, yet Adrianna is alive and Helus willing well. I had hoped in the aftermath of things that we could work together but that isn't the case. Rokkenjima likes to give it the big one to the world about their influence and power, they think they are untouchable. They claim that they've faced down the might of the USR and other such spectres, that none of these nations could touch them. 130 Dead Rokkenjimans in one day shows we can do what the USR couldn't, and that is just the start. I have seen publically Beatrice call for an end to relationships with the Morelanders in the last few months. I believe she should heed her own advice and steer well clear of these Moreland savages. There is also another issue, the Illumic is no place for Rokkenjima.
The Principality of Northern Borland, a land locked settlement within Zimalia, seems to have been rather quiet in recent months, why is that?
Our Principality was home to some 5,000 people, a lovely community, a mixture of hardly Borlanders wanting a home with their kin and Zimalians desperate to start a new life after their families were devestated by Ebola, an outbreak only we responded to. This peaceful flourishing town was bombed....illegally I may add, by the Morelanders who violated Zimalian airspace without warning, to attack a nation with no standing army, no air force and no defences. Since then our militia has been carrying out attacks to disrupt the fake kingdom of East Moreland's war effort. Its all we can do, strike against their institutions in the hope that it will delay....better still deny...their chances of attacking that settlement once more.
Today the Principality is doing well. We've got up to 2,000 residents, another 1,000 should be able to move in within the next month as we complete the next phase of container homes. We've a school there, teaching 60 children to read and write something that Zimalians are not necessarily taught. We've created communal farms that are growing fantastic fruit products, you should try some Borland pineapple, its amazing. It's my sincere hope that once we get 24 hour electric for the Principality, something we want by the end of the year we can start hosting big events, really put us on the international stage. What we really need is foreign companies looking at our workforce and diversifying our economy. Who knows where we could be in 10 years time if the world really give us a chance.
A lot of people have drawn parallels between yourselves and the Theocracy of Kaitaine. Both are considered terrorists by some but are trying to gain recognition as sovreign states, some legally believing your Principality has more of a claim to that than the Theocracy. What do you think of them being admitted to CETO and you not?
Well that's not quiet true is it. We have two seperate applications in, one for the Principality, land that can not be disputed as a sovereign state, and then we have the Kingdom of Borland, our actual homeland that is occupied territory. People claim the Theocracy, who I would like to thank for their support of the Principality in terms of CETO admission, they claim that it is the rightful government of Kaitaine, and that is true, roughly 150 years ago they had their land violently taken from them. We had ours violently taken away from us around 1000 years ago. A crime is a crime, time does not dilute it. The Ironsides have no claim to be royalty, they stole our land and we want it back. I congratulate Erin MacGregor for getting her people their land back, she's a new hero of mine, I hope one day to meet her, congratulate her and take away the Theocracies claim to be the youngest nation on Mundus. To do that we need legitamacy, much how they have, and CETO is the way of beginning that journey. So far we have not failed, not all nations have declared their refusal to admit and we could still become members. That is the dream, but the world is hypocritical if it permits the Bene Gesserit theocracy to throw off its past, wrongly attributed tag, of being terrorists and not giving us the same chance.
You said yourself Mr.Barren that you've done things you're not proud of but where force to do them. So when you will finally win and East Moreland will be yours, will you step down and let someone else lead in order to help with the reconciliation?
I have no heir at present, thanks to Moreland murders and child snatching. We are not talking about a Prime Minister or a President, but a monarch. I've been a monarch that has fought to give my people a homeland. If I had a child and me stepping aside and them sitting on a throne would bring about my people being given a homeland and having peace and security I'd merrily disappear into the Alps, build myself a little log cabin and fill my days with fishing and hunting. That's not going to happen though is it as I need to keep fighting as no one will offer us that chance, nor do I yet have an heir.
As for East Moreland becoming mine, East Moreland will never be mine, its a fictional world. No more could Narnia be mine. What we want is Borland back.
"Will there ever be peace between Borlanders and Morelanders? Foreign nations?
Didn't you hear my last answer, East Moreland is a fictional nation. I believe there is this game on the internet called NationStates, lets you set up a fictional nation and play King, that's what this Dave Ironside is doing essentially. I may as well go on that and say I recognise the nation of....(picks up mobile phone, accesses NS website and picks a random nation).....The Kingdom of Dank Memes. That's essentially what you all do when you say the Kingdom of East Moreland. You can't have peace with a figment of your imagination. As for other nations we've tried. I extended help to Rokkenjima, we provided Ebola aid to Zimalia when no one else did, we've even in the past discussed setting up embassies with nations that shall remain nameless......so there is your answer. These nations have our promise of what will happen in the coming days, I have offered a path away from that. Ball is in their court. Frankly your questions are not repetitive and I have a Kingdom to make. Get out.
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BORLANDER ATTACKS PLUNGE SHIPPING INTO CHAOS
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Following a recent string of terror attacks by the Borland Separatist movement international shipping is in chaos. A few days ago the Borlanders had managed to smuggle some kind of improvised missile system onto container ships across the world. Targets in The Iwi, East Moreland, Lodja, and Rokkenjiman bases in Dartfordia and Seaforth have been hit with deaths going into the hundreds. It is unclear whether the Borlanders, who believe they are the rightful monarchs of East Moreland,have placed similar devices on other ships around the world.
We spoke to a director of one of the worlds largest shipping companies who said this had the potential to impact the global economy. "Almost all goods are moved by ship in this day and age. If we think that the average ship can carry the equivalent of several thousand containers, and the fact we have around 10,000 container ships circuling the globe that means that at anyone time we have 100,000,000 containers either being moved around the planet or being prepared to be moved. Then we add in things such as oil and gas tankers, cruise ships and grain carriers we're talking hell of a lot of ships. There is no way on Mundus that we can check every single container, it would slow shipping down to such an extent that perishable products would spoil. We now have some docks refusing to take ships without deeper security checks, or we have others being delayed from setting off. Each delayed ship increasing more and more the price of the goods. The person who will foot this bill will be the consumer. We've already heard reports from Tamora that they are taking action and soon I suspect others will. I know the Morelanders have sent more explosive sniffer dogs to ports with the military stepping in to take control of security at their commercial ports. This is a scenario we never thought we would face but now it happening and we need a global response."
There have been warnings of further attacks, with the most recent being a series of explosions that appear to have come from soda cans. Kyle Barren, the self proclaimed King of Borland and the Boreland Folk, posted a video on YouTube talking of the attacks.
"When will people learn. We promise we'll attack and we do. We promise people will die and they do. I'm not playing anymore, every single nation out there is so far denying our right to exist and we are fighting for our very survival. We have to do whatever it takes for our national security, while other nations have conventional militaries we lack that and so this is our war. Our people are denied very basic rights, the right to be recognised as a citizen, we have territory, SeaTower has now existed for three years, our citizens there creating a peaceful existance for themselves, they fish, they sell stamps, coins, replica Borland passports and various other pieces of merchandise. They have not harmed anyone, they have not had to defend themselves and have shown the Borlanders are a people who only wish to be left in peace. The Borlanders in our homeland and the Principality are denied that right and so we are fighting for their rights. I expect these rights to be granted in short order, should the international community fail to grant our people the rights they give their own citizens we'll be forced to resume our fight."
In related news the Republic of Zimalia have placed their military on high alert and President Binyamin Elwes has spoken saying, "Everytime the Borlanders try and focus the worlds attention on their fight for a homeland people like to blame us. Look at what we have achieved, we have given the Borlanders a chance to focus their attention on building a home for themselves and they settled down and built. What happened, the Morelanders obiliterated their home, 34 people killed by East Moreland air strikes that violated our air space, the international community said nothing. The Borlanders returned and began building again. I have visited the Principality many times, they are making it a lovely lovely place and I am proud to have the people there as neighbours. Now as the rest of the Borlanders carry on their campaign for global recognition it is clear they, like the Morelanders, take extreme measures but the lack of scorn poured on East Moreland clearly means the international community have given terrorism the green light. I know King Kyle is a better man than this, a kind man, look at how he moved heaven and earth to get Princess Adriana back safe and sound, a true caring gentleman. Now we are being targetted and I have no choice but to defend our territorial integrity as such we are raising our threat level to its highest. Our Air Force shall undertake more patrols and our navy shall be on high alert. We shall not tolerate being targets of the international community for offering outcast people hope."
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ELWES TO ACCEPT INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT
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Today the President of Zimalia responded to offers of help from various nations across Mundus following incidents involving the Borland Seperatists, whom he gave land to in Zimalia several years ago. The Zimalian, who seized power in 1993 following a coup against the government of Zimalia who was seen as pro-Afolayan[1] while being prejudice to the other three tribes. In recent days the Minister of Defence from Nya Aland confirmed she is asking her nations government to send a squadron of fighters, as is Paracambi. Meanwhile it is understood that the Tamoran Foreign Minister is due to meet President Elwes in the coming days to talk about other potential support.
The President first however spoke of the issue of the Principality of Northern Borland and the statements from Rokkenjima. "The Principality is a small sweet place. The people there are nice you know. They have no harm towards anyone or anything. I visit often to help the children there read, its a joyous moment in my life. Would I cast children into the arms of terrorists? Of course I wouldn't, children are sweet innocent things and deserve protection and care. I'd remind the world that when Ebola ravaged our nation and our medical facilities, which we are still rebuilding from Afolayan corruption, couldn't cope. Those nations that consider themselves leaders of the world, your East Moreland's, your Rokkenjimas stayed home no doubt swimming in their mountains of gold. Meanwhile the Borlanders turned up and I feared the worst, a terror group as defined by the world coming to take advantage at our time of weakness. Instead they take in the poor, the sick, the needy. They take, I am embarassed to say, better care of them than I can. I am a proud man but I have to say we couldn't protect those people, the Borlanders could and as a proud warrior I must accept the shame that I failed my people while Kyle Barren didn't. In days of old that moment would have seen me dragged from my tent and beaten to death. It is only fair a man who can protect the people be given their trust and that is what we did. Is that not a noble beginning to a nation? I granted Kyle Barren all the rights to establish laws, impose taxes and all other sovereign duties because he earned them."
Elwes went on to discuss the current threats," Rokkenjima talk of military action. We have twice experienced illegal attacks from Morelanders, no one said a thing. This is like a red flag to a bull, now every nation think we can be invaded and our children slaughtered. Rokkenjima seem to be the next to take a turn. We shall not bend to their pressure. We owe a debt of blood to the Principality following the Ebola outbreak and we also must defend our soil from invasion by a foreign empire. We sadly do not posses a modern expensive military, the Afolayans mismanaged our procurement for decades. To have Nya Aland considering to send aircraft to support us is reassuring. To then see Paracambi's Emperor send help lifted my heart. Next Tamora wish to speak and I am very excited to meet their foreign minister and see what they have to say. I shall look forward to extending our nations warm hospitality to them. Should the Alanders Riksdag send help we would humbly accept. To see possibly three nations stand shoulder to shoulder with us to defend a settlement of less than 5,000 people, none of whom have ever fired a weapon in anger at anyone or anything reaffirms my faith in Mundus after years of having them dashed. I send great greetings to Aland, Paracambi and Tamora, four nation standing against the might of a war crazy Empire."
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Inside the Kaedweni Crisis; Shocking Details Emerge
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Shocking details have emerged today in the wake of a string of apparently coordinated insurgent attacks in Kaedwen, including allegations which - if confirmed to be true - could trigger a political scandal the likes of which the small Krimeon republic has never before seen.
According to leaked documents seen by Free Mundus Network journalists, Kaedweni security forces operating in the Yarra region - possibly among others - have engaged in a decades-long campaign of terror against the Djeragan people, the native inhabitants of the region who live largely segregated from the rest of Kaedweni society following a series of bitter conflicts fought between the Kaedweni Army and Djeragani freedom fighters in the twentieth century. This leak includes details of a campaign of kidnapping, intimidation and extra-judicial killings carried out by Kaedweni police and army units over the last two decades.
The Djeragan have long complained of poor treatment by the Kaedweni authorities, accusing them of imposing a state of 'soft segregation' through often refusing to grant official documentation to Djeragani individuals, many of whom live in dwellings the Kaedweni government considers to have been built illegally, preventing the Djeragan from moving out of their 'unofficial ghettos' due to often being unable to prove their identity or official residency status. These accusations are long-standing, and have long been denied by successive Kaedweni governments.
This latest leak, however, includes far more troubling details, including orders for named suspects to be taken 'dead or alive' ,guidelines on 'enhanced interrogation techniques' underwritten with the phrase 'NOT to be made public' and, perhaps most troublingly of all, a list of Djeragan detainees listed as 'liquidated'.
Along with the leaked documentation, which has yet to be verified, FMN's whistle-blower - who has asked not to be identified - included a call, in rather emotive language, for the international community to come to the aid of the Djeragan people and "bring the perpetrators of these heinous crimes to justice".
The Kaedweni government has so far declined to comment upon the validity or content of the leaks.
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TRUTHSAYERS TAKE FIGHT TO GEIDI
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Following the taking of the city of Seitch and the declaration of the creation of the Theocracy of Free Kaitaine there have been many clashes between the Kaitaine Defence Force and the Bene Gesserit faiths paramilitary arm, which some nations have declared terrorists. The fight however today spread to the 2nd largest city of Kaitaine when a force of Truthsayers, supported by a force of irregular made up mainly of deserters from the KDF or male members of the faith willing to fight, took key parts of the city.
The strike came early in the morning and while a small almost commando like force were pushed back from the cities key council building a 2nd wave helped push through. There was a hastily deployed KDF response and for most of the day fierce street to street fighting took place which resulted in major casualties on both side. Our undercover reporter in Kaitaine was in the city and sent us this report.
"I was sat having breakfast when a large explosion from the council building filled the air, I'm two blocks away but I felt the pressure from it and thought my windows were going to break. Almost immediately I heard gunfire and so went up to my roof to take a look. I could just about make out that an exchange of small arms fire was taking place and that the police who provide security on the building were being heavily pinned down. It was only when vehicles and manpower from the KDF turned up that the situation quietened down. The loudspeakers throughout the city told people to stay inside but many people joined me up on the roof. We could see figures wearing matching camoflauge uniforms moving through the streets in a rather organised way and then we noticed they were all female and thus we deduced that they must be the Truthsayers. The 2nd wave attacked and the gunfire was even more intense and after about an hour during which there were spurts of fighting the KDF called tanks onto the streets. From where we were watching on the roof you could see some locals taking bottles of water and food to the Truthsayers before taking shelter again when the firing started up again. However once the tanks came onto the streets it was clear they wouldn't win and so they withdrew and disappeared off into the dusk.
I managed to then get onto the roof of the building a little way down the street that gave a view of the council building directly. It is covered in bullet holes and several vehicles were on fire. I saw many bodies on both sides, I would say maybe 30 Truthsayers and around 50 of the KDF, there was even a tank that looked like it had been damaged badly so the Truthsayers clearly had some heavier weaponary. A small group of Truthsayers were off to one side and as I watched on a KDF soldier went down the line of them and shot each in the back of the head, I'd say 22 of them at least. They had no other prisoners that I could see but then they went into two nearby appartment blocks and I began seeing them drag people out, they looked like they had nothing to do with the attack and I was rather surprised to see them being loaded into trucks in handcuffs and driven away. I since asked the Kaitaine government for an explanation and was told that I must have been mistaken about the handcuffs but that some of the homes were dangerous to live in now because of the Truthsayers planting explosives, what I had witnessed was in fact a health and safety evacuation. "
What is clear from our reporters statement is that the fighting in Kaitaine seems to now have spread beyond the desert region and if Geidi falls then the capital is just a two hour truck journey down the coast.
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ACADEMICA: A YEAR ON FROM THE END OF CIVIL WAR
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In early 2017 a three month long four way civil war ripped apart the nation of Academica in Alba Karinya. On the 23rd Apr 2017, a treaty was signed that brought about the end of the civil war which had seen the government forces of Academica faced with uprisings by religious extremists of Silverdale and the ambitious Alba Karinya Unification Movement (AKUM) of the West Elizabeth Province. Meanwhile the provinces of Midvale and North Elizabeth declared an intention to become independent but fought against the rebels in a kind of loose coalition. As the fighting escalated and missile strikes by the West Elizabeth rebels were aimed at the wider Alba Karinya community the forces of the East Moreland military moved in to support government forces and where soon joined by forces from Vaguzia. In the treaty that was signed it placed the East Moreland military in charge of security for the devastated and now split nation. Originally some 3,000 Morelander troops were assigned to the security of the nation, in the coming months this was supplemented with around 100 from Heyra as a gesture of continental support. The treaty put in place gave East Moreland responsibility for establishing a constitutional process however the remnants of the religious extremists and the AKUM still mounted occassional attacks. In the last six months however following a string of raids by the East Moreland military the nation has become more peaceful with the last incident coming two months ago when a religious extremist fired a RPG at a checkpoint injuring two Legionnaires from East Moreland.
The nation of Academica now stands ready to begin its constitutional birth and recently East Moreland civil servants have been seen on patrols with Legionnaires talking to and questioning locals about their opinions. Several polls have been carried out in the last few weeks in preparation for the upcoming process which will be overseen by Princess Freya, the sister of King David of East Moreland who was named as Acting Governor of Academica. Early indication suggests that the people favour a form of federated government with each region given some semi autonomous powers however there was a sizeable group (28%) who wished to see the restoration of the Academican Monarchy which was removed in 1908. One supporter of this is former Major in the Midvale Militia who said, "Academica has for over 100 years been un-unified in many ways, several nations that shared some commonality but became separate. Under a monarchy we would have something to bring us all together. I wouldn't favour an East Moreland model of monarchy but would instead favour something akin to the Dartfordian model." Meanwhile others suggest this was part of the problem during the civil war. One example of this is former Academican journalist John Meanfield who said, "We saw how the AKUM sought to build an Empire in our continent which centred around a single individual. A monarchy could see such a thing happen again." The move towards a monarchy also has a major problem as the former royal family was executed and any distant relative is unlikely to be welcomed.
Economically Academica is rebuilding, the nation relied heavily on its agricultural industries as well as high end manufacturing. Both these industries didn't suffer much damage during the war and have bounced back rather quickly. Trade deals with East Moreland and Vaguzia helped ensure markets for the various agricultural goods were still found, meanwhile companies such as OsmanTech had already established outposts in the nation. With a population of 6,500,000 Academica saw some 80,000 deaths during the civil war. Companies that did see a loss of workers presented opportunities globally and under Princess Freya companies were able to recruit from abroad and several younger Morelanders took up the opportunity. One was Rebecca Graves a 22 year old engineer. "I had actually served in the military here during the civil war and made friends with many Academicans who told me what life was like here before the war began. When my national service ended I needed a job and Academica needed some engineers for getting the water back on in some of the remote areas. I applied to stay and was accepted. At first things weren't perfect, the AKUM had attacked infastructure and of course there were still a few attacks but we get those back home in East Moreland. Back home however its hard to find a job that isn't rather basic at the beginning. The oppurtunities here meant I have a chance to move up the career ladder faster and so I'd have been a fool not to take it. Property prices are also lower here and I've been able to buy a nice city centre apartment for about 65% the cost of a similar place in Northfort. The day to day life here is actually getting pretty nice, we have a thriving social life with lots of nice new bars and restaurants opening as people see chances to invest at low prices and make a future for themselves."
It is likely however that the constitutional forming process will face its first hurdle over whether to include these new wave of foreign nationals. Records show that some 100,000 foreigners have moved to Academica since the civil war ended and many intend to make the nation their long term home. One East Moreland survey said that 63% of those who had arrived plan on staying in Academica for at least the next decade. The majority of these new wave of immigration are young, single individuals who see Academica as a nation that will be able to quickly rebuild and offer grand opportunities. Rasmus Olfsson, a 25 year old Alander who moved during the Uppsala crisis said, "I won't be going back to Nya Aland, I loved the place but Academica gave me a chance to set up a new business with a lot less money than it would back home. I now run a small car company and mechanics. There was so much competition back home and businesses already established it would take me years to get to where I am now. I've got plans to buy a 2nd office in the coming months so I think I should have a say in this new constitution. I'm creating jobs and chances for Academicans so I should be able to say what happens here."
Meanwhile the East Moreland Governor, Princess Freya who has been a frequent visitor to the nation has said, "We have no preference for how the constitution looks. My brother has always said the people should determine the future of their nation regardless of where it has been. We shall ensure a safe environment for the carrying out of the consultation and strive to ensure everyone's voice is heard. In the coming weeks we shall begin the process now that we believe that the streets are safe and the environment is fitting."
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BENE GESSERIT LEAFLET MAKES GAMES BATHROOMS
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At hundreds of venues across Kaitaine copies of a leaflet supposedly written by the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood have been found in bathrooms. The leaflets were in a variety of different languages and pinned to toilet doors, placed on top of sistens or otherwise distributed. Copies were found by Free Mundus Network journalists in the main stadium, several cafes in the neighbourhood and even in the bar of our hotel in the capital of Arrakeen. The nation is hosting the 2018 Mundus Games and was a surprise choice as an armed conflict is going on in the West of the nation over 1000km away from where the Games are taking place, as such travel outside Arrakeen is being monitored by Kaitaine Defence Force members. The Bene Gesserit faith originated in Kaitaine and was banned by the Communists, however in recent months it was revealed that Bene Gesserit disadents had hidden themselves in Achkaerin, Ui Cenneslaig, Cantabria and what was Scordisci[1]establishing schools for training members of the Sisterhood, these Chapterhouses take girls aged between 4-18 to prepare to work within the faith. Meanwhile nations such as Kaitaine, Rokkenjima and East Moreland have labelled this group as terrorists following attempts to steal nuclear waste by some members.
We have reproduced the leaflet below but as of yet have recieved no comment from the Sisterhood, meanwhile the Kaitaine government described the leaflet as "the mad ramblings of drug taking witches with no grasp on reality."
Dear Stranger
We are the Bene Gesserit faith, a religion that searchers actively for the answers to existance and aims to prepare us for dangers that lie ahead. We believe that no one set of religious teachings are fully accurate and thus see it as our duty to God/Gods to seek out knowledge to help us discover that truth. Our faith blossomed in Kaitaine and until the early 19th century pushed for ever greater academic study of a range of subjects. In all likelihood the science you learn at schools, the art you admire, the history you read will have in some way been influenced by our work. Clearly then we mean no harm. Yet the Kaitaine government of today view us as a threat. The reason for this is simple we wish to to give people knowledge and those with knowledge will see the failed experiment of Communism as exactly what it is, a failure. The great Communist might of the USR has collapsed, Aytomov has recently thrown the shakles of this parasite to one side, leaving Kaitaine as its last bastion, a cancer infecting the flesh of Mundus. We are the knife that will remove it from our flesh and lead Kaitaine back to being a beacon of knowledge, tolerence and greatness.
Many of you reading this will ask yourself what the Theocracy of Free Kaitaine will do once fully established within the boarders of modern Kaitaine. We shall now lay these out before you.
1. A complete dismantlement of the Communist system in favour of communal entrapeneurship.
2. The creation of a free education system that shall be the envy of Mundus.
3. The reinstation of the right to worship. We welcome all faiths, while we see them as not fully accurate we believe their are grains of truth in all religions and as such faiths must allow their followers to learn and explore all systems.
4. The re-establishment of the old clan systems.
5. The disaloution of the KDF and replacing it with a Truthsayer commanded military organistion.
6. The opening of Kaitaine to international trade.
7. A commitment to abide by the Uppsala Convention, MCUR, FSC and other key international legal documents.
8. The establishment of a Tribunal of Reconciliation to allow people who suffered under Communism to tell their stories and for those who regret their actions to admit them in a judgement free manner.
9. The establishment of a democratic constitution with the Bene Gesserit Reverned Mother as Head of State ensuring it is followed.
10. An end to repression of alternative political ideas.
You may be asking what you as a guest to Kaitaine can do to support our efforts. The answer is simple, take this leaflet home, post it to your government, start petitions to call for action against the socialist purges of our faith and most importantly educate yourself about our faith and realise we are not the threat McPherson tells you we are.
Thank You
Erin McGregor
Reverned Mother of the Bene Gesserit
Head of State for the Theocracy of Free Kaitaine
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Lurking in Zimalia: the Manist religion of Tamora
Ever since the Head of Tamora ‘s Foreign Office has visited Zimalia, Tamoran activity has skyrocketed from basically zero to thousands of Tamorans residing in Zimalia almost overnight. Since Tamora has an atrocious record of human rights and even allows chattel slavery in the open with full government and moral sanctioning, we were naturally very concerned about their recent activity and have decided to investigate.
Our biggest concerns: kidnapping and slave trading proved to be unfound so far but we did uncover other disturbing activities.
Tamorans business endeavors so far have focused mainly on two economic sectors: mining and agriculture. Since Tamora's economy is well developed in both those sectors that raised little suspicion at first. However, we notice a suspicious pattern, the agricultural companies from Tamora seemed to focus almost exclusively on poor, subsistence farming in areas owned by Afolayans, a tribe that is often the scapegoat for all of Zimalia's problems, with the current president often criticizing the whole tribe for the perceived mistakes of its leaders.
While there's nothing wrong with focusing on substance farming, it was strange for those companies seeking profit to focus on a sector that can yield little profits while ignoring the larger, more developed farms in Zimalia. And us focusing on this paid off , it seems the poor farmers were offered contracts with various clauses that could bankrupt them if they couldn't meet certain quotas of production and other aspects. Naturally, some of them, for various reasons, couldn't meet the quotas and had to pay crippling penalties which put them in the situation of either selling the land to the Tamoran companies or going bankrupt and having the government take their land.
As was expected, the farmers avoided at all costs to sell the land to the companies that essentially bankrupted them and they went through the bankruptcy process. However, the Zimalian government instead of taking their side and helping them, they seized all their land and sold it off to tribes that were more loyal to the president, government cronies and other individuals.
As farmers began to realize that there will be little hope for them with their government, some of them began to sell the land to the Tamoran companies rather than go through the bankruptcy process. All land that was bought by the companies was immediately resold to the newly founded Manist Association of Zimalia(MAZ). A religious association that coordinates all Manist activity in Zimalia. For those who do not know, Manism is the native religion of Tamora, an ultra conservative religion known for, among other, for the acceptance of slavery.
MAZ bought all the land they could that used to be owned by Afolayans and allowed the former owners to use the land as they did before for a fee , usually around 20% total agricultural output. At first the deal seemed generous but that was only at the beginning. MAZ assigned a Manist Imam to each village where MAZ had land. The Imams then used the land as a means to control people by instituting a reward and penalty system for everything the villagers (whose land now MAZ owned) did. Here are some examples:
• Send the children to Manist school is rewarded.
• Refuse to have the children vaccinated (free of charge by the Manist) is penalized
• Miss temple services get penalized.
• Pray in public(according to the prescripts of Manism) get rewarded.
• All women of the family wear the hijab- rewarded
The rewards range from paying less agricultural output for using the land and even getting more land to operate while penalties are exactly the opposite: you pay more to use your land and even lose some of the land which is then given to those that "behave" and "follow" the rules.
For those that prove exceptional in following the rules, the Imam provides them with basic agricultural equipment which is still owned the by MAZ but allowed to be used for a fee.
If that wasn't bad enough, the Manist also indoctrinate children in the village schools. While it's true they provide adequate conditions and education (considering the poor condition of Zimalian villages) it is the religious studies that are most worrying. While all religions can be argued that indoctrinate children, the Manists take it to a whole different level, not only do they try to induce children the idea that they are Manist/Tamoran (those terms are often used by their Imans interchangeably though they mean different things) and do whatever possible to eraise their cultural identity but also turn the kids against their parents by encouraging children to denounce their parents and other adults if they don't follow the rules (always wear the hijab etc). Children are encouraged during their Manist teaching studies (which is an hour every day) to tell their teacher if any adults broke the rules and are rewarded for reporting adults. This insidious system of perverse incentives creates a constant culture of fear among the population of the villages as anyone can be seen by children and reported if they don't follow the rules.
One other thing MAZ is doing is Zimalia is work closely with Zimalian Union of Labour and, we suspect pay them, to get them in touch with various destitute people that are desperate for a home. MAZ gets those people in these Afolayan villages where MAZ owns the land and provides them with a home there. Because these people have no connection to the villagers they are more inclined to follow the system put in place. So the newcomers inadvertently put pressure on the villagers to follow the rules or otherwise the newcomers will be rewarded with (what used to be) their land.
Any villagers who refuse to follow the system are given notice that they will evicted from their lands since legally they no longer own that land. There have been cases where MAZ has evicted farmers from what it used to be their lands and redistribute the land to the remaning villagers that follow the system and the newcomers to the villages. Without any means to provide for their families and with no government support because they are Afolayan, the families had to return and ask to be received back which MAZ agreed but moved them to a different village.
In the spirit of objectivity, we would like to note that there were also positive aspects to be found beneath the malign influence of MAZ. Among these we count:
• drastic reduction in malnutrition.
• access to medical care: basic care is provided in a newly set up clinic that deals with cases form all villages under the influence of MAZ, more advance care is provided at the Tamoran embassy in the capital of Zimalia which has been renovated to include medical facilities. The more serious cases have been treated in Tamora.
• there is a genuine effort to provide children with basic education (though the negative aspects mentioned above remain).
• access to medicine is provided by MAZ (though the dubious reward system is applied to have access to them in all but the most serious of conditions).
• there is a slow but concentrated effort to get the economy of the villages going: basic aquiculture equipment is provided by MAZ as are livestock, some investments in roads have been made but generally only to connect MAZ villages together. Building materials have been provided to improve housing condition but access to it is conditioned by respecting the dubious reward system presented above.
We have also found the following patterns but we have yet to determine the reasons why:
• Tamoran influence in rural villages and the MAZ "system" is only applied in Afolayan villages. Farmers from other tribes when faced with issues in delinquent payments are generally given a pass by having their payments rescheduled.
• there seems to be a concentrated effort from MAZ to uproot the villagers under their influence from their tribe and clans by encouraging to limit contact with the other Afolayans, imposing the Manist traditions and the rewards system on them and teaching their children they have a different identity.
• MAZ has started a peculiar campaign called "one million letters of thanks" for the Zimalian President where villagers and generally people that have been helped by MAZ are encouraged to write to the president and thank him (for being such a great president). We believe this is the early stage of building a personality cult for the current Zimalian president but we have yet to determine why MAZ is doing this.
We will keep you informed as the story progresses but in the next episode we will show you the malign influence that Tamora has on public workers in the Zimalian capital.
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Lurking in Zimalia: the Manist religion of Tamora part II (ZUL & public employees)
After previously presenting the impact Tamora has had in the rural areas of Zimalia, we set out to see exactly how they operate in the mining sector. Now before we proceed further we would like to inform our viewers that Zimalia isn't known for its transparent decision making process or its corruption free public employees, so what we'll present further isn't meant to suggest that Tamora has introduced corruption in Zimalia but merely that it has taken advantage of it and in some cases taken it further than others have.
With that being said, in Zimalia little gets done if you don't bribe public servants so we needn't do a report on that since almost all foreign businesses have to conform to this system or lose their licenses to operate in Zimalia. Where Tamora is working differently is in relation with the Zimalian Union of Labour (ZUL). They are the right hand of the president of Zimalia and all companies have to have a certain (high) percentage of workers from them. Unsurprisingly, it's usually the best paid jobs despite the fact they are poorly skilled.
So when we investigated Tamoran mining companies doing business here we saw no members of ZUL going to work at these companies. Such a breach of "protocol" would have severely displeased ZUL and they wouldn't allow the companies to operate. Nevertheless, we decided to ask ZUL about this aspect and got a short reply in writing saying the Tamoran companies are compliant with the demands of the law which was something we didn't expect. We expected to be informed that they somehow had an exemption (no doubt bought though bribery) or a delay in implementing the requirement (again bought) but not that they are fully compliant.
After much effort we managed to get the payroll list of one Tamoran company doing business in Zimalia and part of the mystery was explained. They did have ZUL workers on the payroll but only on paper as they never showed up. However, what was strange was that the positions filled by ZUL employees were lower paid than the other Zimalians (which weren't members of ZUL and had to actually work) on the payroll. That was something which was hard to believe ZUL would accept even if it meant their people stayed home doing nothing and still get paid a decent (though below average) wage. For those that don't know, trust me you don't want to know how jealous ZUL guards its privileges. If something like this would be allowed by them then all other foreign companies would do it. It had to be something more and so we continued digging. We got the payroll of several other Tamoran companies working in Zimalia and things started to make sense. The other companies were employing the same ZUL employees in their companies, so while they were paid less from one company they did get on average three paychecks from three different companies all while never working even an hour a week.
If things would have stopped here it might not have been so unusual, but further investigations revealed that some of the ZUL workers that appeared on the payroll were beginning to attend Manist services at the newly built temple in the capital. Knowing the methods employed by MAZ (Manist Association of ZImalia) in the rural areas we suspected there was more to it than a conversion of the heart or sense a gratitude for being overpaid for doing nothing.
So further investigations revealed that the ZUL employees attending religious services at the Manist temple each made weekly visits to Tamora staying 3-4 days on average and then returning. Such a love of travel to Tamora was more than suspicious and we had one of our reporters follow one such Zimalian to Tamora. What we have found was unexpected to say the least. It would appear the man had a very young Tamoran wife in Tamora. That's even though he was married and had kids in Zimalia. Further investigations concluded that around 5-10% of Zimalians members of ZUL on the payroll of Tamoran companies all had new families in Tamora and were living basically double lives. We found strange that Tamorans and especially Manists ones which are very protective of their women (even though they don't consider them equal to men) would allow such quick marriages to take place with individuals which most likely weren't entirely convinced of "the word of the Prophet". Marriages in Tamora are arranged by the parents of both families after careful considerations and negations which seemed very unlucky to have occurred in these cases. It didn't take long to find out that the women were ex slaves (most likely working at the brothels) which were freed on the express condition they would have to marry the Zimalians. We were unable to find out who made this arrangements and who paid for the release of the women as that wasn't the purpose of the investigation. It is ironic how perhaps Zimalia inadvertently managed to free more slaves than the embargo of Lodja and Paracambi did.
Further investigating the Tamoran activity revealed how they discreetly provided benefits for key public employees in the Zimalian capital. While no doubt they paid the "standard" bribes all foreign companies are expected to pay, the Tamorans used the newly "converted" ZUL employees to further "grease" the families of the public employees by providing cars to be "borrowed" by wives or paying their rent etc. They thus created what we estimate is the beginning of a vast circle of bribery.
The Tamoran corporate culture
Seeing how they operate in the rural areas we decided to see how Tamorans companies treat their employees (the one that don't have the backing of ZUL and actually have to work). After a careful analysis of the payroll list we managed to get access, we found the following aspects:
• all employees were over 30 years of age, with most being even over 40. All of them had families with at least two children.
• few had relevant working experience, most would seem they were desperate to work because they were working very poorly paid jobs barely managing to feed their families.
• wages seemed to be some 10-15% higher than the Zimalian average, which is nothing unusual since most foreign companies tend to pay better what was unusual was that these wages were higher despite the fact they had few relevant work experience.
After the modus operandi we seen the rural areas we decided to investigate to see exactly what the Tamoran "corporate culture" is all about. After a couple of weeks of monitoring we reached the following conclusions:
• the real working week had 45 hours, 10 hours a day (of which one hour break). We understand that's the standard in Tamora but we are not sure.
• the Tamorans offered extensive training to get the Zimalians they hired up to standards. We estimate that had a detrimental effect on the speed of which they managed to get their mining operations going.
• the safety standards were adequate, care was taken for the safety of the workers though protection equipment was somewhat lacking.
• overtime was paid but at the normal rate even for work on Saturdays. Working on Sunday was done only in emergencies and then employees were paid double. We understand that is because Sundays are meant for Temple service in Tamora.
• when work accidents happened employees were taken care well above what was required by legislation(we have documented a serious case were one employee lost his hand, he was taken to the best available hospital in Zimalia, which no doubt implied paying bribes, and later had a prosthesis done in Tamora, he returned to work but on a different, less risky position).
• the work contracts signed by employees had no shady clauses, employees were free to leave the company (though few did).
As expected we also found Manist influence deeply ingrained the companies:
• employees that converted to Manism were provided free education for their children (at the Tamoran embassy) at conditions far better than those of public schools in Zimalia and were also given free meals (which is a great benefit in Zimalia). Unsurprising, the school put a heavy emphasis on the Manist religion.
• some the wives of the employees that converted were hired by the embassy, the Manist temple and there are even reports that some have found low government job no doubt through the network of "friends" mentioned above.
• the families of the converted employees were provided with (we assume) free medicine and various aid (clothing etc). Furthermore, through the newly established connections with public employees, the families also enjoyed small "benefits": had various paper work processed faster etc
• the break hour at work was used for both eating but also praying, all Tamoran employees (which all had management or supervisory positions) had collective prayers. It's clear that was also meant to pressure Zimalians employees to convert.
• its seems that employees that converted and somehow did not respect the Manist rules were fired though no further actions against them was taken.
Tamoran activity also seems to focus on "convincing" the members of the Zimalian tribal council to pass a law that would allow imports of Tamoran goods tariff free. Seeing how Tamorans have operated so far, there is little doubt they will succeed if nothing is done to stop them.
We believe the Tamoran influence is Zimalia is more malign than of other foreign countries as they seems to be establishing a network that mixes financial incentives, bribes, personal desires, religion and corruption which will be very hard to disestablish and to allow Zimalia to become a functional democracy with respect for human rights.
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A CONCUBINE SPEAKS ABOUT "EUGENICS"
The Bene Gesserit faith is perhaps unique in that it views females as both possessing great power such as being the only ones able to harness the alleged magical properties of a sacred spice, while at the same time making them almost subservient to men by "assigning" them as concubines for the sole purpose of procreation. As the faith which has been in hiding for several hundred years being to reammerge on the global scheme much is being revealed about its inner workings as the new Reverned Mother, a 19 year old selected by the Sisterhood because of her ability to recite the final words of her predecessor, despite being outside the death chamber, permits access to the four Chapterhouse Schools which make up the faiths leadership. In a recent press release by the Rosari faith regarding the Heyran IVF programme and the Bene Gesserit interest in it was said "The silence of our Catholic contemporaries is stunning as the Heyran Republic, and now the Benne Gesserit, openly discuss what are increasingly inching toward babies by design. Children created outside of love, some doomed to the rolls of a corporate entity which sees them as mere assets, the consequences for these aberrations from nature are certain. I fear for the lives these children shall lead, but fear even more for those who may inevitably be declared flawed by those managing these programs." This marks the first real public criticms of the Bene Gesserit's sometimes controversial stance on procreation. We were given unique access to Chapterhouse to speak to a 23 year old named Niveden who is an Honored Matres to one of the faiths most influential individuals, Duke Niklaus Corrino.
Niveden was born in Kaitaine, a nation the Bene Gesserit see as their rightful home and where they now control an estimated 15% of the territory and have declared it the Free Theocracy of Kaitaine something many see as simply a symbolic gesture. At just 6 months of age her parents smuggled her out of Kaitaine with the help of the Sisterhoods paramilitary wing known as the Truthsayers, her father died in the escape and upon reaching Ui Cenneslaig her mother handed her over to the Sisterhood for training before returning to fight as a Truthsayer. Niveden discovered that her mother was captured and executed by the Soviet government of Kaitaine when she was just six years old. She was educated at the highly academically respected Cliath Chapterhouse however as students progress they are streamed in terms of roles they will fulfil in the future, the most academically gifted become Missionara Protectica and become responsible for overseeing the academic and scholarly role of the faith, often supporting the faiths ever changing nature through research. The most spiritual become Mothers, responsible for guiding the faithful along the paths they believe the faith should adopt and interpreting the meaning of visions allegedly brought on by the spice Melange. The most physically strong become Truthsayers, a paramilitary force that has been discovered to have been active in insurgent operations in Kaitaine for the last 50 years, and have been classed as terrorist by some after members of the organisation where killed attempting to remove nuclear waste from East Moreland. Finally those who fulfil neither the three criteria become Honored Matres, destined to become what some may call "Breeding Stock" and surrogate mothers. It was an Honored Matres who brought up Niveden once she was handed over to the Sisterhood and is a role that today she is proud to fulfil.
"An Honored Matres is a vital role in our society. It is believed that a supreme being will be born if only we can create the perfect conditions. As such the faith seek to better mankind, we learn about science, the environment and try to help improve it. We try and better ourselves physically and mentally. We seek to try and raise people out of poverty through education and other good deeds. Ensuring we create strong bloodlines is just as important. This is not done by accident, the Missionara screen our family backgrounds, take account of our personalities. These are then used to match us with a male who will add something to our bloodlines. I was fortunate enough to be paired almost perfectly with Niklaus Corrino, a man the faith believes is full of strong characteristics the Kwizach Hadrach would have, it is therefore beneficial for him to produce a large number of offspring. Now if we had moved back hundreds of years ago he would have been a regular visitor to Chapterhouse where a succession of willing concubines would have been brought to his bed chamber for him to impregnate. That practice, thankfully, has stopped as the faith realised that the most suitable place for a child to grow was in a loving home. Many of us Honored Matres do not bare the name wife but essentially that is what we are like, Niklaus has his actual wife and two concubines, between the four of us we create a fantastic family home for the five children he has produced. If we did not follow this lifestyle he would have had less children and his wife Agatha would perhaps be unhealthy due to raising so many children, instead we share the load and help bring well rounded, cared for children into the world."
This is a process many call Eugenics, a set of beliefs and practice that aims at improving the genetic quality of a human being, and in that regard what the Bene Gesserit seek to achieve is eugenics however they would argue that it makes common sense as Niveden explains, "Estiamtes are that around 35% of marriages in Ui Cenneslaig end in divorce. This figure is reduced down to 3% for the Bene Gesserit. The reason for this is the careful matching process by the Missionara Protectiva, as a result Bene Gesserit families are far more stable meaning children don't suffer the hardship of seeing their family fall apart. Furthemore the fact we have larger extended families means children have a far better support network than non-Bene Gesserit children. While what we are doing may have a purpose of creating the Kwiazch Hadrach we as a by-product create strong and stable families full of love. This is something that the Heyran experiment is missing and rest assured however it is done by our faith that element will remain as it is a vital part of our heritage to create large, strong and stable family groups. It is a throwback to our ancient history where family groups wandered the desert and there was safety in numbers."
It is estimated there are currently around 600 girls aged between 10-18 studying at Chaperthouses across Mundus assigned to the role of the Honored Matres, a role that once assigned can not be switched from however a girl may refuse a match as Niveden explains, "As a 17 year old girl I was delighted to hear I would be assigned to Niklaus, the man was very handsome, very rich, very powerful and highly respected in our faith. Yes I was doing my sacred duty in pairing with him but I could have walked away at any time. Those Honored Matres who do refuse matches are given roles acting as what I suppose you'd call nannies and mentors to girls living at Chapterhouses, or in some cases they leave the Sisterhoods official roles and venture out into the wider world. I know some of my classmates who took the skills we were taught and are now nurses and widwives. Regardless of the role you end up in Chapterhouse realise not everyone can serve the Sisterhood directly so we are prepared and equipped for life outside the system. This isn't some kind of forced arrangement its an act of service and love." The Sisterhood estimate that it currently has around 1,000 women placed as concubines globally having given birth to some 3,500 children. We were informed during our visit that 32 pairings had been approved for the year with ceremonies usually taking place in late September at a time known as the Spice Harvest.
One of those 32 is Madeline O'Leary, a 17 year old from Claith whose parents were part of the Bene Gesserit diaspora she will be joining with a young man called Steven Brayfield, a 22 year old distant relation of the Corrino family. "I had been introduced to Steven on several occasions and was given the chance to question him along with an older Honored Matres, he seems a very kind and caring man. He already has a two year old daughter who seems very sweet and I can't wait to join his family."
Some would argue the girls have been indoctrinated into this almost romantic vision of their futures however what we gathered from our visit is that they are 100% commited to the role they believe has been entrusted to them by a higher force.
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(http://i61.tinypic.com/x1wmyp.jpg)
Explaining what has happened in Tamora the last 24 hours
These days we have seen a series of peculiar ceremonies (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=845.msg8657#msg8657) in Tamora that made many wonder what has happened in Tamora, with some conspiracy theorists even claiming that a coup the d'état has taken place. Unfortunately, those looking for thrills or even those hoping for reforms in the nation infamous for having almost 38 million slaves are to be disappointed. The Emperor is still in control and him delegating his powers while he is abroad is genuine Tamoran tradition. Furthermore, the delegation of power is real with the Fist Wife now having the right to make decisions and issue decrees in his name. The tradition comes from a time when communication was difficult and took a long time, and in a nation that is so reluctant to shed away needless customs and traditions it is not so unusual it survived. For the rest of Mundus it makes little sense but for Tamorans that view everything outside their borders with suspicion and distrust it makes sense to be nervous whenever their Emperor leaves the country. That and the fact he rarely leaves the Imperial Palace let alone travel abroad explains why the tradition has survived until this day.
The real news was the decision of their religious leader to give Alya (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=862.msg6796#msg6796), the Emperor's first wife, the title Mother of the Nation. That title which to my knowledge has no equivalent in other Mundus countries is hard to describe and define for non Tamorans . It is a symbolic title, extremely rare ( has only been given to three other women in Tamoran history) and yields huge power because of that respect. Now readers of the article would be excused if they are in disbelief that in a country that women have an inferior status to men prescribed not only in religion but also in law and where some women are tagged and tracked by their husbands or fathers, that they can actually command power and enjoy huge respect . The system they are born in is rigged against them but that doesn't mean Tamoran women, like other Mundus women, don't have aspirations, and manage to overcome the hurdles against them. So when I say women in Tamora have power it is not intended to diminish the harm the system they are born in doest to them but to appreciate the skill and determination it takes for women to achieve that power. With that being said, they have carved a niche for them: they are overwhelming of judges in Tamora and after they no longer are able to bear children are generally allowed to pursue carriers. But perhaps the best explanation for why women do have power in Tamora is that Tamoran society was and still is very hierarchical. Tamorans shun equality, in their hierarchical system any noble woman, no matter how low the rank, is of higher status and respect than that of free man.
Returning to the title of Mother of Nation, many would wonder how can a symbolic title have any real power. In order to explain that readers need to look at this picture (https://image.ibb.co/f5VUpz/wife4.png) which has been trending in Tamora's social media. In other Mundus countries perhaps it would be nothing special but in Tamora where the Emperor is feared and one cannot go nowhere near him, and the nobles almost never even interact with regular citizens, it is rare for Tamorans to get so close to a noble let alone the First wife of the Emperor. Furthermore, Tamorans tend to be formal people and rarely feel the need to get so close to the higher ups of the ruling class. However, it seems that Tamorans, especially the ultra conservative ones and women, genuine like her and feel comfortable around her. With the new title they bestowed upon Alya, the Manist Church basically tells the Tamorans people that she is a champion of the Church and it is okay to show public support for her. With such a backing from the Church and the support of the Tamoran people behind her she can achieve a lot in Tamora. Any Tamoran business will listen to what she has to say since she needs only to look funny at one of them and the people might stop buying their products. Also, since the title has been given by the Manist Church, its imams will also listed to her word, and in a country where the churches own the schools, hospitals and even a large part of the press such influence will give her significant power.
Some might wonder if Alya has any ambitions of her own but one needs only look at her close friend Musaevna (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=862.msg8447#msg8447) , one of the most influential and ambitions women in Tamora, and see that's it's unlikely she will be the kind of person that will shy away from using her new title at the full potential.
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(http://i61.tinypic.com/x1wmyp.jpg)
Going where no non-Tamoran has gone before: into the SF universe of Tamora
Tamora has made headlines recently as nations have sanctioned the country for their continual use of chattel slavery. Other journalists have presented the issue far better than I could so I won't linger on that.
What I wanted to see was how Tamorans, and especially Tamoran writers deal with SF. I always believed that if you look at SF you can tell a little about what the aspirations of people are or at least on how they imagine things will work out for their country. So I took on the mammoth task of reading no less than twenty novels all written by Tamoran writers. I devoured these books in the hope that i could get a sense of how Tamorans think. before I tell you what I found, let me tell you that most of the books were written between mid 60s and late 90s. Only a couple of books were from the early 2000s so they don't factor in the recent geopolitical changes. Also, these are some of the most popular SF books in Tamora, so there might be a lot of more obscure writers out there for which my observations will be totally inexact. Now before you ask why I didn't look also read the more obscure ones let me tell you this: good luck finding an obscure SF novel translated from Parthian to any of the major Mundus language. Furthermore, I do not claim that my twenty novels are a relevant sample or that my noble effort is in anyway a scientific study. So without further ado here is what I found:
• Tamorans read and write quite a lot, they have a very healthy book market. You might not believe that considering the literacy rate in Tamora is 89% but it's true. It's also a sad fact that most of those unable to read or write are slaves but I won't get into that.
• Tamorans, at least when it comes to the SF genre, love space opera and long novels. The level of detail in their novel is staggering, they describe in minutia how the ship crew is organized, how they eat, when and how they pray, what holiday they take, how many family members they have and what they talk about with their relatives back home, what they teach their children in schools, how they sleep, how their elevators work etc.
• Religion is everywhere in their books. None of the novel I read ever pictured a secular Tamoran society or at least something more akin to moving towards religious indifference. On the contrary, even though the action takes place in the 25th or even 31th century: almost all their women always wear the hijab (worry not, those that don't wear it do it because they are of other faiths not because they are atheist), crewmen pray daily, the officers often go in religious pilgrimages while on vacation, Tamoran starports are sometimes closed because there is a major religious holiday, starship captains often quote from the Book of Mani (their Prophet) or the Supreme Ayatollah (some old guy they have a lot of reverence for), all public hallways of ships are decorated with religious icons or portraits of their Prophet and Alya (some major religious figure), imams are everywhere (no really, everywhere, in two of the novels imams are starship captains!!!), small orbital Manist temples (cause why pray on ships or the planet surface when you can have a whole orbital station designed especially for praying?) and many more things. There have been no "miracles" described in their novels, so at least there was that.
• As you can probably guess by now, they don't imagine the future as humanity being united under one government. On the contrary, the Empire of Tamora always remains entirely sovereign (and usually much expanded than present day Tamora). It's more like nations states in space. When most of humanity is united, it is usually because it is in conflict with Tamora and they stand alone against the rest of world.
• Tamora of the future is never presented as being the most technologically advanced, the richest or having the best ships. Furthermore, while their major villains (from various foreign countries) have exceptional qualities, their main heroes tend to be average and are often beaten (and die) when they first meet their enemies in battle. Also, the more villainous a nation the more its government and society changed from how it looked at the time when the novel was written.
• The social mores of Tamorans remained unchanged: they still shun alcohol (though not ban it), modest dressing is strictly adhered to, men and women never touch in public even if married, the same siege mentality remains prevalent, public display of religion is everywhere from speech to clothing and buildings, women play a secondary role and are mainly housewifes, polygamy is still practiced, the (space) forces are male only (with one exception, there was a novel written by a woman where women did serve but it was on segregated ships/service), some shops/facilities are segregated by sex etc.
• The biggest disappointment for me was the complete absence of any sign that slavery was abolished in their novels. Not only that but in the few cases where reforms were undertaken to give slaves more rights it was presented as a big mistake, treason, sedition or even heresy ( I kid you not) and it always lead to bad things: a slave rebellion, the discovery that it was a foreign conspiracy (of course) meant to destabilize the empire etc.
• The fact they continue to portray Tamora as having slavery has lead to some unusual outcomes: they always present Tamora as rejecting cybernetics or androids and instead relying on slave labor.
• The most interesting and funny aspects of the books is how they portrait the main countries of Mundus in the future. Please note that the books are written between the 60s-early 2000s so they don't factor in the recent geopolitical changes.
USR: is often presented as the main antagonist, the Godless communists that have conquered much of Mundus and are attacking Tamora.
Holy Empire of Achkaerin: is sometimes presented as the informal rulers of Mundus( expect for Tamora, of course) after having turned in vassals almost all the other countries. Other times, the Holy Empire leads the free world in war against the USR while Tamora stands aside.
The Ecclesiastical State: it is often presented as a rival to Tamora that on the surface seems to have all the advantages: bigger population (usually the Christian countries are presented as being annexed by ES), more technologically advanced and a much larger economy. Usually the two countries are presented as having a long history of war, with the ES launching crusades against Tamora and in return Tamora launching Jihad against the ES. The epic struggles often ends in stalemate or with Tamora making some gains. Usually, Tamora manages to defeat the ES through determination (they are able to withstand centuries of war while the ES population becomes exhausted from the constant struggle, Tamorans are also presented as using kamikaze tactics and somehow those work), conversion (almost always ES is presented as a religious state on the outside but weak in faith on the inside), higher birthrate that can withstand huge numbers of casualties. The ES is never presented as leading Mundus and is always seen as a theocracy under the rule of the Pope. Presumably, Tamora cannot stand to see ES expanding too much in Mundus and it always lead to space war.
Lodja: either disintegrates and is absorbed by various other countries or plays a major role in controlling many countries and even most of Mundus through scheming and unorthodox means (usually involving sex).
Royal Seleucid: is always seen as a successful and prosperous Empire that returns to its roots and reintroduces slavery. They are sometimes presented as competitors to Tamora, other times as allies and in a few cases they are conquered and becomes the seventh kingdom of Tamora.
East Moreland: almost always ends up under Borelander control. Usually is because the Cultists from Royal Seleucid return to East Moreland and "take back" their country (boy did they get it wrong with this one).
Heyra: is abandoned and its people are presented as poor refugees seeking a place of their own all over Mundus and other planets. Sometimes they are presented as mercenaries willing to fight for anyone (even aliens) because they lack a homeland of their own (another terrible miss it would seem).
Rokkenjima: generally ends up controlled by androids or computers, giving away their humanity for technological gain.
Quintelia: is generally presented in a positive light (as in not shown as a villainous nation ), is often compared to Tamora and seen as falling short because of their Catholicism which makes them less religious and weak. In the novels where ES is the main antagonist, Quintelia is part of the ES theocracy and Quientelians are among the most susceptible to conversion to Manism (the religion of Tamora). In the novels where ES is not the main antagonist it is sometimes presented as a nation that stays in the shadow of ES or other great powers only to show its true strength in the final battle where it tilts the balance of victory towards the Free World against USR.
Spoiler: illustrations from their novels • show
An Ecclesiastical fleet on its way to a Tamoran planet:
(https://preview.ibb.co/iVPH6z/esships.png)
Some highly advanced Achkaerin starships:
(https://image.ibb.co/df6Emz/holyarch.png)
The Lodjan ships are presented as being deceitfully large in order to scare enemies. The Lodjans also tend to take great care when designing the way their ships look:
(https://image.ibb.co/fFeOeK/lodjan.png)
The dreaded Seleucid ship and a symbol of Seleucid power over the Iwi and other small nations:
(https://preview.ibb.co/nJuH6z/seleucid_1.png)
Morelander ships feeling Mundus after the Borelanders took "back" control of their country:
(https://image.ibb.co/hrH4mz/morelander.png)
A Heyran ship in a hopeless battle with a Rokkenjiman Cube ship:
(https://image.ibb.co/cx5kte/rokkenjima.png)
Quentellian ships coming to the help of the Free Wold in their battle against the USR (Tamora does not join the war):
(https://image.ibb.co/kzrQRz/quentelia.png)
So what did I get from reading all these novels other than a lot mediocre space opera? The sense that Tamorans are engrained in their religion and their mores and that there is little desire for change in their population. As I said before, I do not claim this was a scientific study and I hope I am wrong in my assessment.
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(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/497857344282165271/unknown.png)
(https://7f9c61237bd6e732e57e-5fa18836a2ae6b5e7c49abcc89b20237.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/20577971_that-time-i-went-to-a-vodou-ceremony_ted842535.jpg)
THE SERVANTS OF THE SPIRITS: PARACAMBI VODOU
Over the last 48 hours the native religion of Paracambi has found international recogniition following the Papa Legba's Army (PLA) claiming to have started a conquest of Albion in the name of their faith. The Vodou faith is native to Paracambi and has spread little beyond the borders of the mainland and island provinces meaning that the PLA's declaration has taken many by surprise. The faith is one that many Paracambians find to be rather misunderstood as Vodou Priestess (known as a Mambos) Nava Waters explained, "In films and on TV you see Vodou as sacrificing people, using dolls to commit evil and believing in Zombies. Nothing could be further from the truth. Yes we believe in magic and the ability to commune with the spirits but we do not believe we can use them for evil." The faith broadly speaking believes that an unreachable great creator is in control of the universe and everything in it, however he is served by a series of spirits known as Loa, Papa Legba being one of these. The faithful believe that each person spiritually belongs to one of 24 families of Loa and direct their practices towards them. Papa Legba acts as a spirt of the crossroads, helping people make vital decisions about where to go in life and actions to take, he is also seen as a warrior and thus seems to be the reason he has been adopted by these religious extremists.
The faith believes that during rituals spirits of ancestors or the Loa can speak through the faithful as directed by the Priests (Houngans) and Priestesses (Mambos) and that once given offerings they can convey blessings and protection upon those asking. It is not uncommon for rituals to take place in the open air and involve singing, often competative as the faithful of different Loa disagree on the manner of which songs should be sung. For example those who follow the Loa called Ogou Feray (known as the God of Iron) choose to sing songs at a fast tempo, while those of Damballa Webo (known as the Sky Father) prefer to song slowly with their heads lifted up towards the skies. I was invited to attend one such gathering and it was strange to see a Houngan begin a song and then various parts of the room begin their own interpretation. To the untrained ear it sounds nothing more than a cacophany of noise, but infact it is almost like a friendly competition between the parts. Following the ritual singing and dancing those of all Loa's eat and drink together and await the moments when the spirit world meet with their own. It was strange to see at one point a young teenage girl suddenly go white eyed and speak in a deep voice, much deeper than her own, she recited a family history of someone else in the room before passing a blessing, apparently brought from some distant aunt of the family. Whether this was true channelling of the a spirit, a communal religious trance or just the rum it is hard to say but as one after another channelled spirits it was clear the faith was one of love and respect for the family.
I asked Mambos Navas Waters about the reason the faith has been caught up in the misconception of human sacrifice having seen the warmth they showed their fellow human beings during worship. "It comes from the fact that we do sacrifice animals occasionally, a select few of the Loa need to have their spiritual power refreshed by the consumption of animals spirits, as such we three or four times a year sacrifice goats, sheep or cows, the death of the animal is not the important part but the community coming together to sing and dance to help the creatures spirit leave in peace and join with the Loa refreshing their power and keeping the world safe. The animal is not wasted, after the ceremony its meat is harvested and we give it to the poor by way of providing free meals for the homeless, or in some cases the community comes together to share a meal. This is the key to our faith, a community doing its best to share with each other the best we can." We then asked the Mambos about the connection with "Black Magic" that was alleged by some faiths, noticeably Christianity to be Devil Worship. Navas stated, "This is like with any faith, you get bad eggs, there are those Mambos and Houngans that try and channel spirits that they shouldn't, those of the evil in order to try and do there bidding. There are also those out their who believe it is possible to use their powers to connect with the spirit world to weaken the souls of others for their ill gains. This is obviously an unwanted stain on our faith and has shaped the media perception of us over the last few decades I believe. Show me a faith without a black mark against its name and I'll be amazed."
We then turned our converation to the PLA, "The PLA do not speak for the Vodou faith, we have no central religious figure, yes some Houngans and Mambos gain great reputations by their deeds, and the Emperor of Paracambi can trace his family line back to great practioners which means he is seen as an important voice in the faith but his words carry no more authority than mine. The fact he is possibly the most powerful Vodou practioner in the world will obviously make him a figure these idiots feel they can muster behind and hope he will protect the faith, just as he has tried to do so by ensuring the faith remains the centre of life in Paracambi, alongside our other native faith Rastafarianism. Yes it has made our homeland more conservative than I would like but it has held us in good shape. I think the PLA are simply a force of bad magic, trying to turn us away from the true Loa. They should be stopped at every turn and I am sure that Papa Legba will punish them very soon."
It was a sentiment shared by many at the religious meeting I witnessed, most very keen to point out the true nature of Vodou was about connecting with the spirit world to help act as a guide in this. They emphassised community and tha only through ensuring your community is strong will you please the Loa and thus gain their blessings, however in the younger members of the Vodou faith I sensed a difference to their parents. One Vodou worshipper, a 19 year old girl who didn't want us to use her name told us. "Our faith tells us to look after our community but we need it to be strong, as a nation the voice of Vodou is strong, internationally though its weak. I don't know of one non-Paracambian who worships Vodou, we're today a global community. How can we get the blessings of the Loa if we can't get the world to embrace them." There was a sense that this needs to be done urgently and as she later explained, "the soldier Loa's would stop at nothing to protect their community, if only someone would create it. Perhaps a global Vodou community would bring the Loa back to walking among us."
While the Emperor of Paracambi is yet to speak on the mattter of the PLA, some of those at the meeting I attended suggesting that by even mentioning them he would be connecting them with Papa Legba, something that in the eyes of hardline Vodouists would bring shame to the Loa, it is clear that the PLA are not a mainstream Vodou voice. We did however manage to track down one person online who claimed to be a voice for the PLA. They claimed to be a student at a university in Paracambi and suggested the movement was growing. "Papa Legba tells us that the world is at a constant cross roads, we stand ever presented with two choices and the route we take influences everything and everyone. For centuries our people have taken the same path, the one that tells us to be thankful for our community, and of course we are, but the modern world is eroding that. The draw of majuaina and reggae tempt many my age to claim to be Rasta's, and in many they actually go on embrace the true way of Rasta life rather than just pay it cultural lip service. Others of my age give up on faith all together and as such embrace atheism. As a result of both these factors the number of real Vodouists shrinks each day. War and the media have over hundreds of years helped faiths grow and remove their threats, Vodou never did that on Mundus, we sat in Paracambi just being grateful for what we have, ever taking the same paths. Our generation feel it is time to take the other path, to fight for our faith, to preserve it here where it belongs in Albion and in Paracambi. Once we have a community for Albion the Loa are sure to come back and then Mundus will embrace the real path." I asked him if the use of violence was justified in the aim to which he answered, "Papa Legba is no stranger to violence, he is a warrior and stands ready to fight to protect what he needs to for the good of all. We try and honour him by doing just that. Those brave martyrs on Bakkermaya, soil taken from the true faith by the wicked Cult of Helus, they are the first to fall and while I hope they would be the last it can not be ruled out. We must carry our fight to wherever those who oppose the return of the Loa dwell."
At present it is estimated that no more than 500 members of the PLA exist but as Chief of Police for Aluhampton, the capital of Paracambi, explained "We've discovered this group purposely at present limit their social media activity something that usually allows us to monitor their actions. Instead we've found them using traditional letters, handwritten pen and paper which makes them devilishly difficult to track down. It is however also a bonus as the group will find it harder to attract new members and spread their message. Its our hope that now they have shown themselves to the world they can be picked off easier."
With the faith of Vodou now essentially gaining its first global recognition in a long time it remains to be seen just how the world will react to what is an often very misunderstood faith.
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(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/497857344282165271/unknown.png)
(http://www.law.auckland.ac.nz/en/about/news/news-stories/news-2010/2011/03/09/Christian-Whata-appointed-High-Court-Judge/_jcr_content/par/contentblock_95_media/par/image.img.gif/1396034650497.gif)
INSIDE THE IWI'S COURT SYSTEM
In the last few days the world's governments have actively condemned the execution of Imran Gamal, a member of the Seleucid military who was found guilty of crimes against humanity during the Seleucid occupation of the Commonwealth of the Unified Iwi until 2001. This was the third execution and still the Commonwealth's government seek further perpetrators of the genocide that took place over 200 years or more. Naturally the King of the Commonwealth, Piripi II, has defended his nations system of justice and as a result we sent one of our reporters to take a look. Shannon Musgrove, a former Morelander paralegal and now one of our legal affairs journalists spent a few days watching and speaking with several Maori judges.
When visiting the Iwi you become aware very quickly that every word and every action carries some kind of weight, even the arrival can be a minefield with the manner of your conduct at those first words shaping the whole foundations of a relationship. With this in mind I'd done my research and was ready for the traditional greeting of touching noses and exhailing, thus sharing your life energy with the other person. This complex system also is apparent in the legal system where the concept of Muru is key. Muru in its purest form means justice, to get Muru a person must be able to convince their elders, represented now by formally appointed judges, that they have been wronged. If a wrong is established it must be put right for two reasons, the first is obvious and that is to maintain good order within the community, the second however means understanding Maori culture. The Maori people believe in Tapu, a concept that means a person is blessed with a spiritual power that connects them with the rest of their tribe, or Iwi, Tapu can be gained by doing good deeds for the Iwi, or it can be lost either through your own actions such as disobeying an elder if your a child, or can be taken from you in battle or by someone ending your life. Murder then in Maori culture is not just a crime depriving someone of their life but in also reducing the Tapu of a whole Iwi, some of which consist of several million people, the Ngāpuhi Iwi for example is made up of close to 4million people. Therefore it is not hard to see why a genocide has, in the eyes of the Maori, not just a devestating effect at the time but is still felt today. The Ngāpuhi Iwi believe that some 300,000 members of their Iwi died either directly or indirectly by Seleucid actions, to that community therefore that is 300,000 lots of Tapu lost. This Tapu can be restored through Muru, but this process means that the perpatrator must be made to experience the same action that took away the Tapu, it is this belief that is at the centre of many of the Iwi's court rulings.
My day started sat in Judge Matiu Ratana's courtroom, a young 21 year old man was standing trial for a string of house burgluries. It was a very open and shut case as the police had caught him red handed. The judge listened to the various impact statements, much as they would in most countries, but the one that gained most attention was that of a tribal elder who spoke of the spiritual impact the man's actions had on the Iwi's Tapu. The judge ordered that the man be sent to prison on a work-placement. I was surprised that there was no time put on the sentence, back home in East Moreland this may have seen a two year prison sentence considering the youngsters past record, however no talk of time was given and everyone seemed to accept this. Speaking with the tribal elder after he explained, "The court case established the amount of the valuables he'd taken, around $400 worth, when he goes to prison they'll find him a job depending on his skills. If he has none they'll make him a cleaner or maybe even teach him some skills. He'll then spend his time in prison doing that job. He'll be paid and once he has worked off the $400 he'll be released. Some people refuse to work in prison and can be there a long time for a small crime, others work extremely hard and cut their sentences significantly. I suspect the man will take about 10 months to pay off his debt."
The next case saw a woman who was accused of causing injury by drink driving, the victim was left in a wheelchair. In a likewise manner the injured party was permitted to explain the impact the case had on their life and once more a sum of money was mentioned. This time in the region of $400,000, the judge ordered that the guilty parties assets be seized and sold as well as sending the driver to prison to pay off the amount that would be outstanding. I asked the woman in the wheelchair whether she felt this was justice. "It's much better than nations that simply lock someone up. I will have money to support my healthcare and the driver gets punished." The driver was also instructed to work for 200 hours upon release in a hospital as a porter.
Later in the day we saw what I would consider the first shocking case. A man was in court accused of grooming a young girl from another Iwi, he had persuaded a 12 year old girl to perform sexual acts on him in return for gifts like mobile phones. The judge had little sympathy for the accused and spoke at length about the damage done to the girls Tapu, the loss of virginity outside of marriage is seen as having a great negative impact on Tapu. The man accused broke down and wept when the sentence began and begged for clemency from the victims family as he was informed that he would be handcuffed and placed in a cell with the girls father and elder brother for ten minutes. The judge read a formal list of rules that stated the girls family could use no weapons, only hands and may not touch the man above the shoulders. The guilty party appealed the verdict however it appears that this will be highly unlikely to be successful. I spoke to a court usher who explained, "In cases of child grooming it is highly common for this to be a punishment, if the appeal is unsuccessful he will be taken below to a special cell and two guards will keep watch. The family members appointed by the court generally punch the crap out the guy, its not uncommon for ribs to get broken but I've never seen a death, taking a life in this manner when the other person is handcuffed would ruin the persons Tapu, which the beating helps restore so it would be pointless." Later in the day I heard of another similar cases appeal being heard and discovered the guilty verdict was upheld, the man handed to the family for ten minutes and then sentenced to pay $400,000 through prison work and seized assets.
The concept of Muru and Tapu also apply to children. A 12 year old boy had been caught shop-lifting and was found guilty, it was his first crime. I watched as the judge gave the youngster a choice, they could do volunteer work in their local community for 50 hours or go to a young offenders prison to pay off an amount that would be valued at 100 hours worth of work. The youngster, unsurprisingly, selected to stay in his local community. I got a chance to speak with them after, "I had never done it before, I saw a video game I wanted and all my friends had so I figured why not just take it the store had hundreds of them and wouldn't miss one. I was caught by the security guard and ended up here. I know I've done wrong and my ancestors will be ashamed, my community already look at my differently. Now I get a chance to do some good and hopefully change their opinion."
After the day I talk with the judge about the recent executions and they explain, "Murder, especially in the manner carried out by the Seleucid is a massive theft of life and Tapu. Its something that can't be restored by putting a monetary price on the crime or doing good deeds. We are talking about taking the whole of a person's Tapu, not allowing their spiritual strength to pass onto their tribe once they die. The Seleucid went even further, they took Mokomokai from our land." The Mokomokai are the severed heads of respected members of an Iwi, removed after they die, it is believed that the person's Tapu remains in the Mokomokai and if the head is kept within the Iwi its Tapu remains watching over and protecting the Iwi. "These thefts of Mokomokai break a long line of tribal contact and connection, just as murdering a person does. This means our people can no longer connect with millions of our people who have passed on. There is only way this evil can be restored and that is the person responsible being killed. Some will ask why not just shoot them, or hang them like you Morelanders do, but the answer is simple. If great evil or violence is used to rip a person away from their Tapu then great evil or violence must be used to regain it. When King Piripi clubbed that first man to death he wasn't just extracting revenge and dealing justice for the man's victims, he was freeing them allowing them to return to their Iwi. That one act restored many thousands of ancestors to their people, restoring their Tapu. Had we must hanged him that wouldn't have happened." I then asked whether she could pass such a judgement herself. "If I needed too of course, its the law of the land and that must be upheld, its been formed through generations of elders and passed to us. It works. The only issue I have is that it can be rather hard thinking of an appropriate manner of death for some of those found guilty of the Seleucid conducted genocide, I don't think I can think that darkly."
It is worth noting crime in general is rather low in the Iwi, communities looking out for each other means that while the Iwi is not as rich as many nations across Mundus no-one lacks for things. The Iwi system ensures everyone is fed, housed and clothed as well as instilling a sense of belonging in the younger generation that can often be lead astray if they feel isolated. The concept of belonging to an Iwi often means that a person has essentially a family of millions and these tight bonds serve as positive peer pressure as no one wants their Iwi to be considered criminals or disrespectful. As I left the Commonwealth's court after several days I was seen off with gifts of law books, traditional Maori regalia and hugs as warm as any I've ever had. A short time with the Maori makes you essentially part of them and you can see why these bonds of tribal allegiance help contribute to such a low crime rate, add to that the often brutal but restorative nature of sentencing and it is easy to see why they believe they have a system that works.
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Grand Duchess Alys Arsenault Makes Official Statement
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In the Free City of Troyes and among her gathered friends, allies and supporters, Grand Duchess Alys Arsenault addresses the assembly and answers a few questions.
"My friends. It has been several years since the havoc created by the terrorist organization known as The Sorority Of Materna. Once a peaceful matriarchal religion it was slowly corrupted over the years, decades and centuries into a insular, extremist organization. A twisted, corrupt version of a once beautiful belief system. The Sorority did not and does not represent us as a people. The Sorority, even at the height of it's power, was only one part of our nations religious worship. Many resisted The Sorority, many died. I myself fought my own demons and was unable to offer the leadership required of the Grand Duchess. As a result, our nation lies sundered. The Duchy of Marseilles is split into Marseilles and Aquitaine. Normandy, the scene of the heaviest fighting is still recovering and here in the Duchy of Orleans the flag of Seaforth flies from it's capital city of Troyes."
"My friends, this cannot stand. Even as we suffered, strands of silver laced our dark clouds. We were separated but not broken. We died and through our new children we live again. I pledge to you now that I will see our great nation united under a single banner once again. I am the Grand Duchess of Marseille and I will see our lands together. From Normandy to Orleans. From Marseille to Aquitaine. Many loyal sons and daughters of Marseille stand with me today and I stand ready to lead them, just as my son, the Dauphin Raymond will lead them after me."
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Grand Duchy of Marseille
A round of applause breaks out. The Grand Duchess is quick-witted and verbally agile. Her eyes sharp. This is not the Duchess that Mundus was used to.
"Duchess! Duchess! Is the Dauphin the rightful King of Seaforth?"
The Duchess smiles sadly.
"Raymond is the son of King Richard V and the last surviving member of House Cameron. The fine points are debatable. Raymond, however, is a 7 year old boy and is obviously unable to fulfill the duties of King. No monarchy is perpetually handed down from father to son. Daughters inherit...nephew's, cousins. Family lines die out as well. I will say this. By blood, Raymond is a member of the Seaforthian nobility and should be accorded a peerage suitable to his birth. I make no claims on the Crown of Seaforth and will make no claims on Raymond's behalf, save the acknowledgement of his noble birth."
"Will you take another husband?"
"I don't know, anything could happen."
"When can we see Raymond?"
"The Dauphin must be protected. His birth alone will produce enemies. People may view him as a threat simply for existing. Therefore, he will remain guarded from those that will do him harm."
"Are you afraid for your life Duchess?"
"I am afraid of many things. I fear for my son's life. I fear the Sorority. I fear Achkaerinese Justiciar's coming out of the dark once again to take my family and friends. But for myself?
Here the Duchess, smiles fiercely.
I will not fear. I will let my own fear wash over and past me and when it is gone, only I will remain."
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THE BENE GESSERIT WAR MACHINE AND FASHION COLLIDE
The picture is one that is posted probably millions of times a day over the internet. A pretty girl sits in a stylish pose, her pigtails perfectly braided, make up done, eyebrows neatly plucked and a cute smile. It could be a photo taken by any young woman in almost any nation of Mundus, but what makes it different is the background, the well used and battle scratched assault rifle replaces the usual fashion items such as designer bags. This is the bizarre world of the Bene Gesserit Truthsayers, the girls who took the city of Seitch from control of the Kaitaine Defence Force and seem to love social media.
It was nearly half a year ago that a force of Truthsayers, the all female paramilitary of the Bene Gesserit faith launched a surprise raid on their most holy city, a sandstone walled place standing alone on the end of the desert. Seitch a place where often people need to take shelter from sandstorms blowing in from the desert, however the city is now home to around 1,000 Truthsayers with an average age of just over 24. Many of these women withstood a length seige of the city having spent years in hiding perfecting their skills as soldiers. They grew up among regular Kaitaine society and a fair few in Ui Cenneslaig, Achkaerin and Cantabria, the homes of various Chapterhouse schools where they trained. The majority of these foreign Truthsayers have spent years doing regular PT, learning about their health and as such many have figures that would be the envy of models soon to be seen at the Niameck fashion show, and a great many of them will be watching out for updates from it. Many of the Truthsayers who hiked into Seicth after the firefight that freed the city brought with them smartphones, intended to help get the news of their victory and the rebuilding of the city to the outside world, they have also however allowed the girls to keep their social media accounts up to date including instagram. It's strange to think that in the middle of a warzone you can find two Truthsayer arranging their hair and pouting while at the city gates with a friend looking for the perfect lighting.
We take the time to catch up with one of the Instagram loving Truthsayers, she's a Corporal from Achkaerin called Stacey Bradshaw. She was educated at the Chapterhouse in her adoptive country and now aged 23 was one of the soldiers who fought their way into the city. She left Achkaerin with just 500 followers on Instagram, now she has close to 10,000 following almost daily posts showing her around the city. Her posts also include make up tips aimed at showing how she achieves her flawless look despite having what she calls "Limited resources". "Its something that helps us feel connected to the world. Back home a regular Achkaerin woman my age will be in a job, enjoying hanging out at weekends with her friends, dressing up nice and hitting the lovely night spots. Meanwhile we can't do that, but what we can do is try and check out the world via the internet. To interact with the rest of the world, its just fun to show people what we're doing." It comes as little surprise that Bradshaw and her comrades have helped promote the Bene Gesserit faith too. "It's strange, you'll post a picture of your "Pre-Patrol Hair" and by the time you come back six hours later you've loads of comments, not all great, but then you get loads of questions, people wanting to know what life is like here, questions about our faith and rumours that the media propergate and that's brilliant because we get to act a little like a Missionara or a Mother by helping educate the world about the Bene Gesserit." It's something that isn't lost on the Truthsayers commander in Seitch, Joanna McNeill, "Our girls are great ambassadors for our faith. They take time to respond to the messages they receive and it can be a great morale booster fro some of the younger girls. A lot of them have never really interacted outside their faith and they weren't really allowed to act like normal girls there age at the Chapterhouses, now in a small way they can. Some would think the make up, the fashion poses may not be useful for military discpline, but it doesn't impact how good these soldiers are."
Of course like any social media these days there are comments and posts that are discouraging. Bradshaw estimates that around 20% of the comments made on her pictures are not "favourable" or are "Hostile". She shows us one and the comments range from proposals of marriage from some guy in Royal Seleucid to people making negative comments about the size of her backside. Bradshaw takes it all in her stride though, "When people say negative things you generally laugh them off. I bet there from some Soviet inspired bot or someone in the KDF knowing we'll be kicking their ass soon. It's nice to see the support we're getting and you feel like your not alone even though geographically speaking we pretty much are." It's not just the girls though who are becoming social media stars some of the Truthsayers are becoming well known for their landscape pictures and wildlife photography. Bradshaw has a second instagram account dedicated to the Fennec Fox, Pangolin and Jeboah that can often be seen when she's out on patrol. "The desert on the surface looks barren, but to us we constantly see the life there. I love the Pangolins, they look so cute like nervous little old men plodding their way around." One of her pictures of the Pangolin went viral and got close to a million hits on Instagram and even was picked up by a Mundus wide magazine. "It was cool, I got this request to use my picture, it made me some money and I got to tell the world about our desert. I just need somewhere to spend my money now."
Its this last point that worries many of the girls. Bradshaw explains that they realise the luxuries in life that Seitch has are in limited supplies. The makeshift bar/nightclub in the city, the Rolling Pangolon, is usually full of fashionably attired girls the only difference tothe nightclubs of Achkaerin being the assault rifles strapped to their backs. At present everyone in Seitch is paid well using the spice Melange which is controlled by the Truthsayer commander Joanne McNeill. Those working for the Truthsayers receive supplies of this spice on a weekly basis and can exchange it with non-Truthsayers for goods and services. Tanith Hawkins runs a nail bar, "I do manicures and eye-brows for the girls. I'm pretty booked up and its making me a comfortable living by Seitch standards. The idea is that when the Theocracy is fully liberated and we have a real currency the Spice will be in demand and we can sell our supplies all across Mundus and make real cash. For now though I can take the Melange I make doing girls nails and then buy extra food or drink beyond the basic rations we get from McNeill." Bradshaw has an appointment, she's a regular customer and today she wants a bright pink set doing. That's when the problem begins that may close Hawkins nail bar, with two nails left to paint the pink runs out. "I managed to get a car full of stuff up here when I ran away from Geidi, I just packed up my business and headed West. No more supplies of nail stuff are coming anytime soon so essentially my business has a limited life-span. Its something we need to get sorted so that the non Truthsayers here don't stop being able to make a living." Bradshaw is not concerned however and uses her partly painted pink hand to take a picture of her fully painted hand and posts it on Instagram with the hastag #WarriorNails. We walk with her back to her accomodation, a flat she shares with another Truthsayer called Lindsey who is currently out on patrol, in just this short time her nail post has already got 40 likes.
Bradshaw though is keen to get back into combat. "We've had several months to fortify the approaches to Seitch, now we're ready to take the fight to the KDF. It's a fight I think we'll win, their most conscripts and I suspect when the fire fights begin a lot of them won't want to stand and fight. We meanwhile look forward to that moment because we know for every bullet fired we're a step closer to victory. To me that means three things. The greatest of those is getting our homeland back, the next is being able to meditate on the real Chapterhouse and finally it'll be the fact I can have a matching set of nails and go to a real nightclub. I've only ever been to one once and I loved it, I want to be able to dance without an assault rifle smacking into my ass as I do it."
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Grand Duchess Émilie Poincaré Fears For Marseilles
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Poincaré voiced her concerns first to the nobility, who fear Alys is a destabilising factor in the future of Marseilles.
"Since the birth of Montsarre, when our families left the ruins of Marseilles under the communists behind for these Northern shores, we've often looked back upon Marseilles and wondered to ourselves, "why?" From the communists, the Sorority, and of course the junkie high off the suffering of her People, why?" Grand Duchess Poincaré asked rhetorically as she joined us from a gathering of Montsarre's nobility, most of whom left Marseilles to avoid the fate of the Aveline Family. "Now, we've the return of Alys and with it the potential to see Marseilles plunged back into chaos, and along with it Aquitaine."
The Grand Duchess recalled her experiences in Marseilles, where she left the comfort and safety of Montsarre to fight not only the Sorority, but also to see a free Aquitaine. "We share a bond with them," she said of Aquitaine, "I remember my parents coordinating with Cartier, following the regicide which left only Daničle, it was too dangerous for her to even consider Montsarre; fortunately safe haven was secured with Achkaerin. I kept tabs on her through the years and she was one of my first pen pals, though for the longest there were naturally topics I wouldn't go anywhere near. It was only right that when the time came that I joined our people in taking up arms against our enemies. The Poincaré family itself is Aquitani, one of the several reasons I went back to fight and lead the transition which eventually saw Daničle Aveline restored to her rightful place."
Montsarre itself has been quiet since gaining its independence from Heyra, of which it was a protectorate of until 1995. "We've been silent, yes, but no longer," Poincaré said, explaining Montsarre's approach toward regional organisations and branching out diplomatically. "Especially now, with the re-emergence of Alys from whatever rock she was hiding under, we must exercise caution. If Marseilles were to slip back into chaos the very future of Aquitaine would be placed in perilous waters, meaning we must stand on guard or else all that's been worked for is at risk of being lost. Freedom wasn't gained simply to be traded in for Alys' yoke once again."
The population of Montsarre, overwhelmingly derived from Marseilles also sees many Aquitani and Ossejan, the later of whom were the victims of a program of systematic extermination which claimed the lives of at least 800,000 Ossejans beginning in the mid-1970s. "We had to preserve the noble bloodlines of Marseilles and Aquitaine, neither of which were safe for us to remain," the Grand Duchess explained. "Even still, we carry a responsibility to stand by our brothers and sisters back home; Grand Duchess Aveline knows she can call on me if need be. While we may have left the motherlands behind, their spirits have never left us and they certainly guide us to this day."
"I fear for Marseilles," she shared before departing, "but my confidence is stronger than my fears. Both Marseilles and Aquitaine have come too far to start moving in reverse. The darkness of the Arsenault era is a sad chapter in history and it should remain just that: a chapter in history that shows us what can happen under absent leadership. That's all that needs to be said, really."
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Lakhzov-Utman War: The Human Cost
A year and a half after the opening shots were fired Lakhzovia’s President Sachim Kadassa has announced the war officially over. While the Lakhzov people prepare for victory celebrations, including a huge parade through New Nakim, another picture of the aftermath remains hidden from public view.
Deep in the hill country of Transmecuria, the war scarred homeland of the Utman people that saw some of the fiercest fighting of the war, a humanitarian disaster is unfolding. While the picture remains obscured through the lack of transparency on the part of the Lakhzov government, the numbers emerging from aid agencies and military partners of the Kadassa regime paint a grim picture.
Once home to almost 3 million Utman, constituting 73% of Transmecuria province’s population; just shy of 400,000, or 14% remain in their homes from before the conflict. A significant proportion of the population have fled their homes with at least 1.2 million internally displaced persons residing in a network of official and unofficial encampments while a further 600,000 have crossed the borders to become refugees. The estimated toll of dead or missing persons has reached 580,000, 21% of the former population of the territory.
This massive displacement of people has strained the resources of aid agencies who have described conditions in the displaced people’s camps as being substandard, warning that unless further funding is forthcoming that it is only a matter of time before there is an outbreak of serious communicable diseases.
The situation for the Utman is complicated further due to Lakhzovia’s labyrinthine property restitution laws. Under the Absentee Properties Act the Lakhzov state automatically undertakes guardianship of any land or real-estate that has been abandoned by its owner. Under this law for refugee and displaced Utman to return to their properties they are required first to prove legal ownership by presenting their deed of title to the Court of Disputation. Land whose legal ownership cannot be established, or which remains unclaimed for a period of 3 years passes into state ownership under the provisions of the National Lands Act.
Many Utman properties which have been passed down families for generations do not have any title deeds or other legal documentation that proves ownership. Others have had their papers lost or destroyed during the conflict, while yet more having fled with little more than the clothes on their backs have attempted to return home only to find Lakhzov living in their properties, with their possessions, including deeds disposed of.
The end result is that very few of the displaced have the ability to prove their ownership. Further those who can are faced with long waits for hearings with the court of disputations overburdened with the volume of claims.
The most dramatic outcome of this situation can be seen in the way the crisis has shifted the provinces demographics. The ethnic Lakhzov who once constituted 27% of Transmecuria’s population now make up 72% of the settled inhabitants giving them near total political and cultural domination of the region. Whether deliberate or not this shift is one that largely favours the Kadassa Regime’s agenda and it does not require too much a stretch of the imagination to suspect that resolving the Utman humanitarian crisis is low on the government’s list of priorities.
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THE FORGOTTEN PEOPLE OF THE NORTHERN ALUCARD
For close to 600 years the tiny islands that sit between the modern day Bakkermayan islands of Wellow and Walesby across to the Paracambian islands of Gustava and Castries have been the home of one of Mundus' groups of displaced people. The so called Alucard Water Gypsies are a constantly moving community that moves between these islands fishing, gathering what fruit and vegetables they can from nature and sheltering from the storms. They number around 800 families and many of them are born at sea, die at sea and spend generally only a few days a year on dry land. In recent years their presence has become more of an issue for the two nations who now lay claim to these tiny islands, some no bigger than a football field. These are a people who have no nationality as many of them are not registered as ever being born, furthermore most will go their entire lives without contact with any official authorities. This scene is now changing, as more marine traffic makes it way through the area and as Bakkermaya and Paracambi pass more and more regulations about their Exclusive Economic Zones their way of life is coming under scrutiny.
For most of the year the families traverse from tiny island to tiny island fishing in between using hand made nets fashioned from creepers taken from the islands on rare trips to land. Others use tradition spear fishing techniques and the fishermen are capable deep divers their lung capacity amazing anthropologists who have seen the community. One of those people is Paracambian Professor Curtis Mayweather, "The Water Gypsies can probably swim before they can walk, to them swimming among the coral and rocks of the Alucard is as natural as a child learning to crawl. As such they have adpated to be able to thrive in the oceans. I'm amazed everytime I see one of them dive and stay under for insane amounts of times, it makes me nervous everytime." It is this practice that is bringing them into conflict with the governments of Paracambi and Bakkermaya. Many of the ships used as homes, long thin wooden constructions that feature a large central hut like structure, many are powered by sails but an increasing number use reconditioned outboard motors acquired from trading fish, pearls and coral. These engines are often unsafe and some boats can actually be tracked using the oil leaking from them. Another practice that is causing conflict is the use of arsenic to fish in the corals, often for the lucrative tropic fish pet market. The deep sea divers get a solution of arsenic, often from unscrupolous traders and putting it in squeezy bottles blow jets of it into the crevices of coral and rocks, this makes the fish short of oxygen and in a stunned state they swim out into the open water where they are scooped into plastic bags and taken to the surface, often to die a week later in some rich persons aquarium. The governments of Paracambi and Bakkermaya are both attempting to provide environmental protection on the area and the Water Gypsys are seen as the big threat in many regards.
There are further issues once contact is made, their boats are often not registered and with the individuals not being citizens of either nations there is no way of processing them. Neither nation wishes to take responsibility for them as doing so is likely to cause many issues, first the Water Gypsies do not wish to be citizens of either nation and actually view citizenship as an unneccessary concept. Then there is the issue that should the boats be taken from them then they would need to rehoused, educated, have health care provided and this is likely to cause a massive culture shock for all parties concerned.
Several of the islands are also protected and the presence of the Water Gypsies on them can cause problems. One such island is Hepburn, an island half way between Wellow and Gustavia, it lies within the EEZ of Bakkermaya and is the size of a football field, it is home to a species of tree that is prized by the Water Gypsies for construction of their boats, however the island is also home to rare marine birds who nest in the branches, as such the government of Bakkermaya are attempting to protect the island. This has seen a few occasions where Water Gyspies have been towed, sometimes by force, out of the area by the Bakkermayan Navy. Air patrols from both nations attempt to keep a constant track of the various "Tribes" of the Water Gypsies however this is often impossible.
At present the Water Gypsies are a people with a culture as old as many on Mundus, however they are now under more and more pressure to conform to social norms but this is not something that is smooth sailing, until either nation is willing to accept responsibility for them the Water Gypsies are likely to find life getting any easier.
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Is The Fairytale Over?
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Rumblings from Pyrena Castle suggest discord between the Imperial Couple.
Days spent alone, apart from the business of state, have left the Empress an increasingly lonely figure in recent times. In meetings where 'his' name is brought up the Empress is quick to move onto another topic of discussion, often with a noticeable sigh and shift in her demeanour. One Pyrena insider claims to have overheard a conversation between the Empress and her cousin, Empress-Emerita Evanthe, in which she lamented "if he's absent much longer, I fear I'll regrow my [expletive redacted] virginity...don't shush me I don't care if Joshua's in the room!" The one-time fairytale relationship, between the Empress of Rokkenjima and the Prince of Littlebrook appears to be greatly frayed by his continued insistence upon living in his native Dartfordia.
"The Empress has been understanding of his needs and concerns, but after so long you look at everything you're sacrificing," an anonymous member of Pyrena's staff shared. "A long-distance relationship is one thing, with the children involved and the void of intimacy, in the long run it's unsustainable. She's already removed pictures with him in their Suite in the Family Wing, and sometimes goes days without a phone call and is unphased by it at this point. The longer he's away the more she shuts off from him and it'll be that much harder for them when he decides to return." Other staff members shared similar accounts lending credence to discord between the Imperial Couple.
For its part Pyrena Castle denied the rumours stating, "The Empress understands the challenges which the Emperor has faced, and continues to face, to this day. She has made it clear to the Emperor that home awaits him when he is ready, and is focused on her duties to her Crown and People. Suggestions that the Empress would speak ill of the Emperor are little better than tabloid gossip." We are genuinely intrigued to see, with the FMN poll currently taking odds on a number of scenarios involving the Imperial Couple.
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Rokkenjiman Payments Destined For Slavan Government
A former official who served in the Rokkenjiman Department for Finance has alleged that payments to SRN Group, a Slavan company many had never hear of until this day, were in fact payments to the Government of Slava Lavosk "in exchange for services requested by the Federal Republic." Speaking on the condition of anonymity (he remains wanted by Rokkenjiman officials) he revealed that "we had an individual who, for reasons I'm not inclined to release, could not be securely held in Rokkenjima. For these reasons we contracted the services of Slava Lavosk. A company was established for the assembly and distribution of components, the finer details weren't important so long as the money went where it was supposed to. We then saw that it was hidden in some of the more mundane portions of the budget, those that would survive a change in government, though that they would survive the complete obliteration of the Federal Republic speaks to our efficiency."
When asked of the identity of the individual our source declined any further information. "It was someone we wished to keep alive, but removed from the equation. If you wish to find out more you would have to ask the Slavans. I'm, obviously, out of the loop these days."
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Source Ties Morelanders To Rokkenjiman Deaths Abroad
An anonymous source familiar with the Rokkenjiman intelligence community has tied Morelander covert operations with the deaths of a number of Rokkenjimans abroad. Our source alleges that Rokkenjiman intelligence officials informed their Morelander counterparts about rogue agents of the Anauša, those who had pledged their loyalty to Charles Foster Ofdensen. According to our source shortly after this information was relayed, including profiles of those agents declared rogue, one by one they began to turn up dead.
"Look, we did our due diligence in informing an ally of individuals, some of whom were known to transit through East Moreland, who may warrant increased surveillance. No one, not once, thought that they would kill them. These are individuals who could have held important information and evidence in ongoing Rokkenjiman investigations. Now that they're dead these investigations are that much more difficult to conclude as several targets have been killed without any manner of discretion; we may also be looking at potential breeches of international laws and accords," our source stated.
At the time, the First Empire issued a warning to Rokkenjimans abroad, accrediting the deaths to "increased chatter amongst Republican sympathizers indicating a level of organization not seen since the closing days of the Second Patriotic War." Our source now wonders if this chatter was a component of the Morelander operations which killed a number of Rokkenjiman nationals, mostly on foreign soils. "To say the least, I'd expect investigations to be announced in the coming hours, if not shortly after this hits the wires, not only by Rokkenjima but perhaps Somerset, Quintellia, and perhaps a few CNN members."
Requests for comment from Pyrena Castle have been unsuccessful thus far.
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KINGDOM OF ACADEMICA TO RAISE AGAIN
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Following a hectic polling day in Academica the results have been in and a new nation is about to be burn. The Federation of Academicia was a collection of states ruled by a Grand Duchess up until the civil war which ripped their nation apart. During the hositilities the Ducal family, including Head of State Grand Duchess Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta were captured and executed by one of the warring factions. In the aftermath military forces from Vaguzia, East Moreland and to a lesser extent Heyra stepped in and secured the region supporting Academican loyalists. In the peace treaty that brought about the end of the war the task of restoring a cohesive independent nation was given to East Moreland and Princess Freya has acted as Governor until this weeks referendum. People of Academica where offered three choices, become a monarchy in a more traditional arrangement of what they had as the Federation, become a Republic of sorts or become a permament protectorate of East Moreland. In the end 57.1% voted to return to a monarchy style arrangement while surprisingly 28.6% elected for becoming part of East Moreland.
One voter who wished to become part of East Moreland said, "We're a nation with no real identity. There are only 10million of us and many see themselves belonging to their Federated State first and Academica second, we'll have no global identity and no global benefits. If we'd have taken on the East Moreland flag we'd have had the benefits of being part of one of the most well connected nations on Mundus. By being semi-independent we could have retained our identity as states as well, it would have been the perfect solution." However this was not a view shared by another voter who selected to become a monarchy. "We need something to pull us together as Academica, not as Eastville or Westville but as one cohesive nation. By selecting our own royal family we can follow in the footsteps of nations like East Moreland, Seaforth and Vaguzia, nations with monarchs who have shaped their own identity as a nation on the world stage."
Princess Freya was present when the results were announced and said, "As we promised the Academicans we'd bow to their will. Their voice has been heard and exactly as we promised we shall now draw up a shortlist of potential monarchs and these will be presented to the people in the next few days. As such the people will be able to make their selection. Once that is done our military will wait for the new King or Queen to request our forces to withdraw and as soon as we get that we shall do so within 30 days. We've asked Professor Maddie Howard to look at the sadly deceased Grand Duchesses family line and select the three most closely related individuals she can find under Academican law. These shall be our shortlist. I would like to already invite the first King or Queen of Academica to East Moreland as their first state visit."
Professor Maddie Howard revealed that she had been prepared for this task three weeks ago and said that, "A shortlist is already in the pipeline, Princess Freya knew there would need to be a swift turn around, I think 30 days has been agreed before the vote on who should be the King of Queen, so it was neccessary to begin the process even if it ended up being a waste of time. I am confident that in the next few days we can introduce the people of Academica to the three candidates."
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Royalist Party of Marseille Officially Forms.
From the capital of Montaulon, the Royalist Party of Marseille has officially formed under interim leader Alexandre Cassavant. The Royalist Party's main goal is the restoration of the Monarchy to a form of Constitutional Monarchy complete with a House of Commons and a House of Lords. Cassavant ponts to the fact that in the latest entry by The Defense Journal, it is pointed out that all the members of the "G5" are Monarchies, including Seaforth who has undergone it's own restoration of the monarchy.
"A Monarchy is not a bar to success for a people. In fact it's a system that rewards service to the nation. Our own monarchy was doing quite well. Normandy, Orleans and Aquitaine thrived under the rule of Marseille. You know who brought us low? Communists and Religious fanatics. The communists killed thier own people and the insane fanatics of the Sorority Of Materna killed everyone else. Even now, Aquitaine and the Trojan March have recovered at a much faster rate than the rest of the nation. Our President has done the best he can, but a President cannot be a benevolant inspiration to the nation. A President has to play too much politics to ever truly get things done in the nation."
Cassavant and the Royalists do not champion a return to an Absolute Monarchy, realizing that too much power in one hand is not healthy either. The Constitutional Monarchy they desire would put the day to day running of the county in the hands of the common people in partnership with those exceptional citizens elevated to the nobility, a path open to all by way of merit. The head of state would be a figurehead with some Royal Perogatives, powers and authority. Cassavant has stated that the next few months will be dedicated to vetting and endorsing candidates and holding a leadership race prior the the upcoming Republican elections.
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OOC: The article was intended to take a different approach and focus but ended up totally different than I had planned. I decided in the end to post rather than scrap it. Read at your own risk.
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What the video game industry tell us about Tamora
After my previous article (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=214.msg8868#msg8868) about the Tamora’s SF universe I have received a lot of email from readers urging me to explore another aspect of Tamora’s culture. I would add that I have also received hate email for what some have interpreted as whitewashing Tamora’s slavery but I won’t linger on that.
Some of you might remember that last year the Karapetyan family made international headlines after being enslaved following their bankruptcy. At the time they owned the largest IT company in Tamora (though by international standards it could hardly be called big) and the international sanctions had made them lose their customers overnight leaving them insolvent. They were eventually saved and brought to Rokkenjima thanks to the generosity of a Rokkenjam businessman (a “crime” for which the businessman is still facing judgment by the courts). You know the old saying? “No good deed goes unpunished”. Leaving that aside, as I remembered the incident it made me wonder, do Tamorans actually make video games?
It wasn’t easy to find an answer to this question considering the language barrier and the fact that Tamora also has its own internet but after a lot of effort I have manage to find out what their most popular home grown game is. It is called Re-Legion (don’t tell me you are surprised that it has something to do with religion?) and is a real time strategy where the player is a Prophet in a futuristic technocratic society. Let me explain in detail the features of the game:
You get to define the dogma of your faith.
A very long single player campaign, plenty of text, choices and story (for a real time strategy that is).
As you progress in the campaign the environment changes, gone are the scantily dressed NPCs (that are supposed to represent the local population) and are instead replaced with overdressed ones etc.
Though it features combat, the main differences with most RTS games is that it heavily favors converting enemy units.
But we aren’t interested in the game per say. What we are interested is the story and what it tells us about how Tamorans view the world:
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The game takes place in the future (2050) in the city of Elysium, a “Godless” metropolis controlled by corporations. Your mission is simple; bring religion back to this God forsaken place.
During your story you meet a couple of interesting characters:
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A hacker woman from the First Corporate Empire of Rokkenjima, had been trying to fight the corporations in Elysium for years but with little luck. She is hiding after being betrayed by her friends. She downloads her consciousness in the computer to escape her captors.
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A mysterious and elusive character that briefly appears from time to time throughout the campaign, gives you info and appears to be trying to influence you. Towards the end you find out he’s a Justiciar from the Fallen Empire of the North and his aim is to keep the balance of power in Elysium. He doesn't join you in the final mission because you winning would upset the balance.
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Binyamin, the richest man in Elysium. During the first campaign missions you work for him in order to raise funds and expand your religion.
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One of your earliest companions, a devout Manist woman from the Failed Republic of Socram. She eventually retires before the end of the campaign to start a family.
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The owner of the city, he only cares about making money. He is initially against you but joins you when he reasons it is more profitable to help you.
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The order of the Sacred Heart, a pacifist religious cult that heals all units near them.
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The leader of the terrorist faction in Elysium, a Morelander who wants to raise money to start a campaign to reconquer his native land from the Borlanders.
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Lodjans refugees that are abused by the Morelander terrorists, you free them during the campaign.
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The final boss: Vaclav “the Beast” Kravec (they didn’t even bother to change the name a bit). He is an insane atheist that wants to see religion wiped out at all costs.
The game is heavily infused with religious references thought the entire campaign, so many in fact that even someone like me who doesn’t know anything about the Manist religion could realize that. It also includes references to various RL events that happened the last few years.
Unsurprisingly, the game is not for sale on any of the major digital distribution platforms because of the sanctions placed against Tamora, so those with odd tastes that want to try the game will have to find other means of acquiring it.
PS: Yes, slavery is included in the game and it’s seen as a acceptable form of punishment. What did you expect?
OOC: The article is inspired by the RL game Re-Legion (https://www.gog.com/game/relegion).
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Fires In The Midlands
A Socio-Political Strategic Analysis Of The Midaranye Crisis
General Joshua Rhodes
Duke of Somerset
Governor of Wellow
It all started with a grasshopper. Or a locust as it is widely known. A plague straight out of the Christian Bible. In early December it was reported that a large swarm of locusts, several million strong, was predicted to weep down from the north of Royal Seleucid. A swarm this size had not been seen since the disaster of the 1950's and the nation was caught under prepared for the realities. The plague did indeed sweep through Royal Seleucid and threatened the neighbouring countries of Tamora, Slava Lavosk and has crossed the waters into Socram. Fear and famine continue to reign in the area fueled by cultural differences between the Seleucids and the Celtic Protectorate. With the Cultic Genocide fresh in many minds, the food shortages and the untimely death of King Akakois the area has reached a boiling point. Multiple foreign fleets are in the area.
To complicate matters, the long simmering Tamora/Slava Lavosk conflict is on the doorstep of a full on shooting war. The Slavan stance on slavery, backed up by the MCUR, and the Tamoran's tacit approval of chattel slavery has reached a breaking point. There appears to be little in the way of compromise. What's more, the stand off has cast a light upon how many nations interpret the MCUR. Many nations are looking at the actions of their allies and are baffled by their interpretation of the MCUR and stance regarding Tamora and Slava Lavosk.
In this article, I will be providing an overview of the issue nation by nation and providing recommendations and resolutions where possible.
Royal Seleucid
As previously stated in the introduction, the first flames of this current crisis started with the swarm of locusts. in Royal Seleucid. That the nation was underprepared for this is a major failing on the Seleucid government, seeing as the last MAJOR swarm was in the 1950's a mere generation past. From my knowledge there was not adequate monitoring of a reoccurring threat to the nation. There were not adequate stocks of stored food and water. There was not adequate stocks of species specific pesticides and those that were available were not deployed in a timely fashion. The recent Cultist Genocide and the formation of the Celtic Protectorate adds fuel to the fire as perception of stored food, hording and religious and cultural differences appear in the south. Multiple foreign fleets have moved into the area, also causing concern. East Moreland, Bakkermaya, Achkaerin, Vaguzia and Rokkenjima have all deployed tasks forces, specifically to the aid of the Celtic Protectorate, while UC troops attempt to maintain peace in the area. The Kingdom of Seaforth has deployed the RSS Aid Ollain in a humanitarian configuration and the Krimeon and Neu Ubruzis governments have made at least one flight into Royal Seleucid that was were with some hostility by a half starved crowd. Royal Seleucid also has a small cultural bias towards. The last contributing factor is the unseen and untimely death of King Akakois. In conjunction with the ongoing famine and current crisis in the Celtic Protectorate, it could lead to a prolonged and potentially chaotic transition of power as Crown Prince Hadi steps into his role as the next King of Royal Seleucid.
Recommendations:
1) You can't eat a frigate. There is entirely too much weaponry in the area. I reccomend that all foreign militaries be unified into a single task force under East Moreland's Admiral Briggs and that the total size be scaled down. Cruise missiles will not address the primary problem of mass starvation and a destroyed agricultural sector. The mission profile of this task force will be to provide security for the efforts of JET and the initial gathering place of foreign food aid before it is distributed throughout Royal Seleucid.
2) Foreign Aid. Royal Seleucid is facing mass starvation. They need to activey seek foreign aid. Bulk grain ships are available in Seaforth for example. I would recommend that the government use it's position in OPEN to temporarily reduce oil prices or engage in a decreased value for oil when traded for food and edible commodities. This includes seed grain as weel. The Royal Seleucid government must look ahead to the rebuiding of its' agricultural sector, specifically planting for the next growing season. Foreign aid must be delivered to both the Celtic Protectorate and the rest of Royal Seleucid...and in proportion.
3) Preparation. Royal Seleucid must plan for this ongoing problem. As part of the Agricultral Ministry, or the Seleucid equivalent, an organization to monitor the locusts is needed. They must also stock adequate stores of pesticides and employ them earlier when a threat is identified. Finally, it is demonstrated that Royal Seleucid must engage is some kind of food storage program. High nutritional value, long storage food items of the bar or freeze dried variety will provide the nation with a buffer zone where it's people will not starve before foreign food items can begin to arrive, should another plague happen.
4) Celtic Protectorate. At this point, I would declare martial law and curfew. A buffer zone is needed between the Protectorate and the rest of Royal Seleucid, maintained by Admiral Briggs' task force. Internally, UC Peacekeepers must fill the dual missions of agressive enforcement of the peace inconjunction with food distribution. Stop the violence with measured force and stop the cause of violence with food distribution.
5) Crown Prince Hadi. All national leaders who have deployed assets to the area should issue a statement in support of the Crown Prince. A stable government during this time will decrease the pain, suffering and deaths likely to occur.
Tamora
The Tamoran Empire has also been hit hard economically by the locust plague with the cost of some food items doubling in some places. The Tamorans face less of a long term problem with the locusts and their preparations seem to be adequate in dealing with the problem. The Tamoran Empire is however, in the middle of another crisis involving Slava Lavosk. At the heart of this is the issue of slavery, though it is by no means the only facet. The Tamoran Empire, by its own admission hold upwards of 40,000,000 people as chattel slaves. No nation has been louder in opposing this than Slava Lavosk. Despite its continue vocalization of the problem, results from wider Mundus have been slow in coming and indeed, the seem to be able to retain warm relations with many nations. Still others have issued sanctions against the Empire. With hostilities increasing in regards to Slava Lavosk, a shooting war seems to be on the horizon. The Tamorans appear to have a number of allies, some by default. Traditional good relations with Royal Seleucid have now been joined by nations who while perhaps not pro-Tamoran, appear to be solidly anti-Slavan. Rokkenjima falls into this category, as does the recent developments with Quintelia announcing that they would be sending a task for to aid in efforts against Slava Lavosk. Lastly is the long standing issue of the Medak Pocket. Geographically it is a continuation of the Tamoran lowlands and is indeed on the other side of the Lavosk Mountains. Primarily culturally Tamoran, the pocket has been under Slavan authority for decades. Slava Lavosk has, over the last 50 years or so, engaged in a “Slavation” of the area, awarding government benefits to those that slavans would move there.
Reccomendations:
1) Slavery. It is clear that no person has the right to own another and cannot and will not be tolerated by wider Mundus. This is reflected by the signatories of the MCUR. I recommend the complete economic and political isolation of the Tamoran Empire as long as they continue to practice slavery in any form. This includes the closing of all borders, revocation of VISAS, PNGing of diplomatic personel and a naval blockade established by the signatories of the MCUR. It has been argued that economic measures against Tamora will result in the creation of more slaves. This is false. Economics do not create slaves, other people create slaves. There are more than enough poor people and poor nations across Mundus who do not create, nor are slaves to reflect that. It is also important to note that slavery is a cultural institution rather than a precept of the Manist religion.
2) Freestone Mark: I urge the world wide adoption of the Freestone Mark to support the previous point.
3) Medak Pocket: By any reasonable measure, the Medak Pocket is and should be reflected as a natural continuation of Tamora. It is Slavan only at the mark of a pen on a map and an artificial effort to change the traditional demographic. As such, I recommend the ceding of the Medak Pocket to Tamora. Long term this will remove a continuing source of conflict and stabilize the region.
4) MCUR Signatories must also be held accountable in their dealings with the Tamoran Empire. I recommend a series of increasingly harsh economic measures against MCUR signatories that do not adopt the Freestone Mark and continue to do business with Tamora economically or politically as long as the institution of slavery remains.
5)Reinvesture. The transition of 40 million slaves from indenture to paid work will be rocky for a number of reasons. While slave owners are not paying their slaves, it is also true that the now freed slaves will work and pay taxes. While the Tamoran government is obligated to assist it’s people, slave and non-slave alike, I would encourage the nations of Mundus, especially MCUR signatories and the Mundus Development Bank, to invest in Tamora. This will help to alleviate some of the transitional pains and will encourage the stable and beneficial transition of the Tamoran economy.
Slava Lavosk
As mentioned previously, Slava Lavosk is the loudest anti-slavery voice in Mundus, barring the Iwi. However, you cannot take that at face value alone. I firmly believe that the Slavan stance is primarily to neutralize its large and aggressive neighbour. As mentioned before, Slava Lavosk is engaged in a directed effort to change the natural demographics of the Medak Pocket. By attacking slavery, Slava Lavosk is attempting to undermine the current economy of its enemy and attempting to garner allies. Such is the case with Socram. While overtly benevolent, the anti-slavery stance and the promised aid to Socram…I believe that there is a darker purpose afoot.
President Kravec is by all accounts a charismatic leader, full of passion. Photographic and corroborating evidence on the other hand show he is susceptible to manic bouts. I encourage you to review the brutal execution of Dilara Haghighi. With the manic bouts and his behavior during execution, I suspect President Kravec also has the dark depressive side of someone suffering from bipolar disorder. Historically, Slava Lavosk was closely allied to, but not subservient to the USR. This was done by Slava’s leader to maintain its own position of independence in the face of the power of the soviet bloc as well extend its own power base. President Kravec was a minor military official during that time and the fall of the USR elevated him into his current position. Intelligence indicates that though a mediocre army officer, President Kravec was a master politician. I see no reason to doubt that is still true.
I maintain that the ceding of the Medak Pocket to Tamora would be the best long term solution for Slava Lavosk, though what may be best for Slava Lavosk may not be the best for Vaclav Kravec. Indeed, I see a pattern emerging that shows the president becoming more aggressive and confrontational. The Medak Pocket is now a heavily fortified military zone with minimal civilians present. Any force entering the pocket will take catastrophic losses. The Slavan navy continues to mine not just their own waters, but continually violates the Fair Seas Concordant by mining international waters as well.
Recommendations:
1) Fair Seas Concordant. Slava Lavosk is in clear violation of the Fair Seas Concordant. The deliberate mining of international waters is a danger to all ships in the area. A task force not consisting of potential belligerents should be active in minesweeping operations.
2) Rokkenjima. I am at a loss as to why Empress Beatrice will not remove the Enterprise Task Force from the local area. Rokkenjima is not under threat currently and will still not be if the Enterprise retreats. Should the Task force be removed, talks can happen. If the situation changes, the Task Force can always be returned. I would encourage her to pull back the Task force outside of missile range. This will force the Quintelian Navy to also pull back and allow Slava Lavosk to feel less penned in by Tamora and her potential allies. With room to breathe comes room to talk.
3) Broken Alliances. Slava Lavosk is proving adept at driving a wedge between allies. Such is the case with LISA. Vaguzians have said they would fire on Rokkenjiman ships, Achkaerin has established an exclusion zone regarding Rokkenjiman ships and Rokkenjima has scheduled a referendum regarding continued membership in LISA. As LISA fractures, Slava Lavosk is actively expanding it's own sphere. Courting an ally in Socram, Slava Lavosk has provided pesticides, food and seed grain to the island. Should that relationship develop it could put the Gulf of Auraxis and all the waters in between Midaranye and Socram firmly into the hands of a Slavan/Socram alliance. As that deal is finished another arrives. Earlier this week, Slava Lavosk was invited to the Slavic Summit of Frienship and Cooperation. There is no telling what could develop in the Krimeon city of Kislev, but it merely underlines the fact that Slava Lavosk is not sitting silently or idle waiting for Tamora to attack but actively and aggressively strengthening their position while weakening the positions of others.
One final thought in regards to Slava Lavosk. The expansion of the Balkan Industries chemical plant includes several dual use technologies, including a gaseous centrifuge separation plant, a gaseous diffusion separation plant, and a chemical exchange separation plant. That combined with a recently reactivated nuclear reactor as well as unusual activity in monitored technology and some unexplained seismic activity in an area with no previous record of seismic activity leads me to believe that if Slava Lavosk is not already in possession of thermonuclear weapons, they are actively engaged in obtaining them.
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ACADEMICA HAS NEW MONARCH. RIVALS NOT HAPPY
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As polls closed in Academica today the identity of their new monarch was revealed. The tiny nation is repairing its government in the aftermath of a messy civil war that at one point saw four different factions fight for control of either the whole nation or for the right to break away. The situation was only settled once East Moreland and Vaguzian forces entered the conflict on the side of government forces following the assassination of the old elected government. Following the military success East Moreland troops, along with a token 10 man Heyran force, under the command of Princess Freya acting as Governor-General ensured stability. In the last few months the people went to the polls to first select a type of constitution before determining that they wished to become a monarchy. The exact manner of the constitution will be determined by the people in a months time however it is known that Madeline Byrne will become the new monarch. The 40 year old biology Professor has worked on cancer research projects across Mundus as well as been part of JET for a short time. She is married to a fellow biologist called Alfred and they have a six year old daughter called Elizabeth. In her appearences leading up to the referendum Madeline stated she would abolish the old nobility that had failed to support the government during the civil war, would try and include people from all sides of the conflict in forming the new constitution and would give the people a say on what international treaties to become part of.
The announcement however did not go down well with everyone. As the soon to be Queen Madeline received 45.5% of the total vote her two rivals, Julius Flynn and Anne Ashley have spoken out about the result. Julius Flynn, a 33 year old who fought a guerilla war on behalf of the government, said. "We have more people in this nation who don't want Madeline as Queen. She does not have the support of the majority of the population and as such how can she be put in charge of this process. There needs to be something done to stop her coronation and either extend the referendum period or maybe have a run off between myself and Anne with the winner going against Madeline."
Meanwhile Anne Ashley, who sought asylum in East Moreland during the war stated, "Madeline is a nice woman but she hasn't lived in Academica for a long time now, she may have had the biggest share of the vote but she doesn't command the respect of the majority of the nation. Look at every monarchy around Mundus, Tamora, East Moreland, Ui Cenneslaig, it doesnt matter, the monarch enjoys the broad support of the majority of the nation. There now needs to be a 2nd referendum using an alternative vote system." Neither candidate ruled out a legal challenge.
The election was overseen by East Moreland administrators under the watchful eye of Alex Redfern, husband of Princess Freya and a man who has overseen several large international referendums as a neutral international observer. The former Head of Royal Household in East Moreland said after, "The result may have thrown up an issue, but that was not what we were asked to monitor. The election was fairly run in terms of campaign and the actual casting of ballots was orderly and fair. I've now doubt this result is a true and accurate reflection of the will of the people of Academica and in terms of the individual with the most number of votes Madeline won, what happens next is for legal entities to determine." Redfern and his team of East Moreland civil servant will now be preparing for the referendum to determine the nations constitution however this could be delayed if the promised legal challenge does come.
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THOUSANDS TAKE TO STREET OF AK CITY
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An estimated 20,000 people took to the streets of the capital of Academica today. Alba Karinya City saw protesters march through the streets demanding what many are callling a "People's Vote" . The protests come just 24 hours after the results of the election of a monarch were announced, and while the vote elected Madeline Byrne to be the new Queen she failed to get over 50% of the vote. This lead to many believing their should either be a run off ballot or a rerun of the election with a different method of voting used.
One protestor, former Army Officer Konrad Pettigrew was angry with the initial result. "We have a woman as our Queen who did next to nothing to help us during the war. Now despite the fact that over half the population voted for her not to become our Queen that is exactly what we have." Pettigrew has said that he favours a run off. "Byrne was not my choice but it does seem she was the most popular, we should now work out whether Flynn or Ashley got the most votes and have that person run against Byrne. If she gets 50% then fair enough, however until then I won't view her as my Queen."
Others however believe a run off is not the best way of doing it, instead using an Alternative Vote system. One supporter of this method is Sarah Keynes who said, "From the very beginning this was likely to be the outcome so as a result we've got chaos. What we should have had was a system where we ranked the candidates in order, that would have allowed us to transfer our vote until we got a person the majority trusted to be our leader. I think we now need to sort this out before we even consider having a constitution. The right person have to be at the top."
The newly elected Queen has yet to speak on the matter but Princess Freya of East Moreland who is governor of the province until the new constitution is in place has also spoken on the issue. "This process was one that was discussed in meeting after meeting with groups representing all manner of Academicans. This is the process they agreed to and as such it is up to us to follow it through. We now enter a phase where we will be discussing how the nations new constitution is to look. The people will be given the voice they are asking for but just like any constitution people must respect its rules and procedures, such as those put in place for this process. It is my hope those unhappy with the result will not disengage from the process but will instead become some of its most vocal participants. We need everyone to support this process."
It is understood that a formal petition to the AKO is expected in the coming days.
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CALLS FOR 2nd VOTE CONTINUE
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Anne Ashley was defeated in the recent election for the new monarch of Academica and she is now heading a group calling on the East Moreland government, who are overseeing the final process of re-establishing a government for the former war torn nation. The Alba Karinyan nation has now had two votes, the first on the manner of which the new government should take, here the people elected for a monarchy, the second to determine who should be that monarch, a vote which was won by Madeline Byrne who gained 45.5% of the vote. The fact she failed to gain an overall majority however has lead to both rival candidates call for a 2nd vote, either using a new method of voting or some kind of run off. This however has been rejected by the East Moreland Governor for the nation Princess Freya. The Princess explained, "The outline of the process was made clear from the very beginning. There was a time and place to put forward these concerns long before the vote took place and no one came forward. We therefore would rightfully assume no one has any issue with the process. To our minds Queen Madeline will become the rightfully appointed ruler of Academica and as such a coronation will take place once the final hurdle of the process we outlined takes place."
That process is to begin the the coming days amid the back drop of a call for a 2nd vote continues to be lead by defeated Anne Ashley. The nation will see around 100 randomly selected individuals, along with 20 former elected political figures, 10 former mayors, 10 members of the Academican military and leaders of the eight biggest trade unions meet to discuss the nations new constitition. Princess Freya explained that this will also give people a chance to shape the future of the nation before the monarch takes place. "The people will make this decision without any influence from East Moreland, I will be present during the talks merely to offer advice if requested and ensure talks proceed at a timely pace. Whatever the people of Academica determine should be the future of their nation will be placed before the nation in the final of three referendums, all being well. If they reject the draft constitution we begin stage three again. Should the people truly believe Queen Madeline should not be their monarch they can still shape the constitution in such a way to either limit their power to a system like Dartfordia or to have a mechanism where a monarch can be made to abdicate such as the East Moreland constitution. The future of Academica is in their own hands and a redoing of the monarch vote is clearly unnecessary and goes against the agreement on how to shape the future of this nation."
Anne Ashley however rejected that explanation stating, "We now have a monarch who will be the guiding hand one way or another on our nation, the majority did not want her yet we are now seemingly stuck with her. I call on everyone to come to AK City this weekend and show their support for a 2nd Vote, we must use our peaceful voices and methods to bring about this needed process. I believe should our voice not be heard a general strike should be called."
There is yet no way of determining whether Mrs.Ashley's call for a General Strike has widespread support but already around 20,000 people have used social media to say they'll be attending the protest march calling for a 2nd vote.
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BODY FOUND IN WHITEHAVEN: FUGITIVE STRIKES?
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The body of a 23 year old woman has been found in the town of Whitehaven, Allied States of Ardia. Local police have not released information pertaining to the identity of the victim at this time but they have released information on the current state of their investigation saying "At this point in time we believe, based on our crime scene analysis that the victim was killed elsewhere and left at the scene to be discovered, we do not presently know the cause of death with any certainty but elements of the crime have led us to believe that this is the work of Gareth Bryce."
Gareth Bryce is a criminal who escaped custody (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=50.msg3713#msg3713) just over a year ago. Coming up on eight years ago he killed twenty Christians in Gowu and received a life prison sentence for his crimes, his escape prompted the issuing of an international arrest warrant. Whether or not Mr Bryce is still in the Allied States of Ardia is unknown however several criminal psychologists have commented that "Serial killers continue to kill until they're stopped." giving the impression that this isn't over yet. Police did not comment if they had received a request from Gowu authorities for a joint investigation but if this is the work of Garth Bryce then that's expected to be desired.
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ACADEMICA PASS NEW CONSTITUTION
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Following several weeks of negotiations a new constitution has been agreed for Academica. The constitution was negotiated by a council of some 400 people drawn from a variety of different geographical areas of the country, differing economic and educational backgrounds. The process was overseen by members of the East Moreland Civil Service and King David's brother-in-law Alex Redfern, a well respected soldier who has been part of several referendum observation teams. The Constitutional Convention put in place a lengthy document that was distributed to all citizens and then voted on in a simple yes or no referendum. The new constitution was accepted by 62% of the vote and will come into effect on the 1st May 2019 when nominations for the first elections under the new system will come into force.
Alex Redfern who lead the East Moreland civil servants who watched over the ballot said, "The turnout was very high, around 85% of the population who were eligible cast their votes and did so in an orderly manner. There were a few complaints about Queen Madeline which was something we expected following the protests but the new constitution places the majority of the power in the hands of the soon to be elected National Assembly so I think that put their minds at ease." The new constitution will see the monarch responsible for Foreign Affairs but unable to make any laws in their own right. The only power of the legislative process that Queen Madeline will have is to be able to send legislation for judicial review prior to being passed.
Two new political parties have already been formed in readiness for the elections to come in May. The first is the Unity Party which was set up by a group of people selected to be on the Constitutional consultation process and intends to try and keep the spirit of drawing people together from a wide variety of backgrounds. The second part to be established was the Solidarity Party which was established through various Trade Unions.
LEAK GIVES "VIABLE" PLANS FOR CNN WEAPON SYSTEM
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Recently our journalists were given a secretly delivered hard drive (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=1360.msg11690;topicseen#msg11690). It is our understanding that a number of other news outlets around Mundus have also been given the documents which are stored on a password protected disk. So far only 2 files out of thousands has been accessible. The first file was a video from a man who called himself Trajan and was delivering a message on behalf of the defeated "Empress of Alba Karinya" a woman who lead rebels during the Academican Civil War. The video stated the groups aim was to give information in order to "change Mundus forever helping the sheep of Mundus embrace the saviour of the Goddess that is Empress Clarissa."
The second document was schematics to the CNN produced Land Portable Vertical Launch System, a state of the art highly mobile smart missile launcher. The documents on the disk showed detailed plans of every element of the weapon system and have also included software programmes. We showed these files to an expert in weapons engineering and they confirmed that anyone with the capability of being able to manufacture the components would be able to make the system, there is however one reason why it would still be difficult to use. As the coding is specific to the missiles used by CNN nations only those with the same ordnance would be able to operate systems they made until such a time that they could re-programme the system which could potentially take months and several trials. More disturbingly in this document was an e-mail sent after the first successful LPVLS test form East Moreland Minister of Defence Sir Harry Samuelson who asked whether it could be used to fire a small tactical nuclear missile. The East Moreland Ministry of Defence released a statement saying. "It is natural to examine all possible ramifications for any weapons platform. East Moreland's commitment to nuclear disarmament is clear. We were the first nation to commit to being nuclear free and have been following through with that process under our Kilotonnes to Kilowatts programme centred around the concept of Make Tea not War. It is Sir Harry's job to consider all possibilities and all developments require a full understanding of what their capabilities are as if we have something the chances are potential enemies could have similar things also. If we think of things then so can the bad guys."
It was also claimed in the video that further files will be unlocked over the next few days.
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AFOLAYANS GO ON STRIKE
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Following revelations that several members of the Elwes family (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=1360.msg11773#msg11773) have been recieving payments from the Tamoran government through their connections with the Zimalian Union of Labour a large number of people have gone on strike. The ZUL have a virtual monopoly on many unskilled jobs in Zimalia and through recent years there have been many allegations of them purposely demanding workplaces employ only people through the ZUL and that they have denied the Afolayan tribe membership on many occasions. The strike came following a series of meetings between Afolayan tribal chiefs and various Afolayan Labour Front (ALF) members. The decision was made that around 100,000 members of ALF, mainly those working as labourers in construction, on farms and in the transport industry went on strike. The protesters brought the capital Mogebbe to a virtual standstill for several hours demanding that the ZUL be disbanded, the property of those who received payments from Tamora be seized and that the President commit to ensuring proportional representation in the workplace for the Afolayans who make up around 60% of the population.
In response to the strike and protest the Army took to the streets protecting several key parts of the capital before firing rubber bullets and tear gas into the protesters. By the end of the day around 5,000 had been arrested, around 1,000 people required medical treatment and 2 protesters died. The strike was broken up and the President warned, "To take the words of the conspiracy theorists over your own people is shameful and shows the filth the Afolayan tribal elders wish to just see our nation brought to its knees. The Tamorans are supporting our industry and it is only sensible that they make payments to the government and workers organisations to ensure that they comply with all local laws. These payments are merely fair compensation for work done by the ZUL. Zimalia is not a charity and we do not work for free."
The Afolayans have confirmed that should their demands not be meet there are likely to be a series of strikes in the coming days.
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DID LAKHZOVIA KNOW ABOUT EAST MORELAND BOMB THREAT?
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In yet another shocking leak from the Academican terrorist group lead by the mysterious Trajan an e-mail has surfaced indicating that the Lakhzovian government possessed key intelligence about impending attacks. The leak is all the more shocking as it comes just days after a foiled terrorist attack in East Moreland. A series of explosive devices were left in bins at train stations and luckily discovered by security staff routinely searching stations with explosive sniffer dogs, as a result no devices went off as military bomb disposal teams dealt with them successfully. The discovery of the devices prompted the Borland Separatists, well known for carrying out terror attacks on East Moreland, to deny their involvement as the discovery comes during the Feast of Melanor and the Borlanders have never attacked at the time of a Cultist terrorist attack. The groups leader Kyle Barren has come out and publicly distanced himself from the attacks also a first for the group. As of yet there has been no statement released from Lakhzovia on this leak, nor from East Moreland regarding their reaction. One possible reason for the attack on East Moreland by disgruntled Utmen rebels would be the support given against the Khalinz Brigades by East Morleand forces during the recent civil war. It is understood a joint East Moreland and Ui Cenneslaig special forces group seized and then destroyed an airfield in Northern Lakhzovia which they had intended to use to funnel peacekeeping troops into the nation. This move however was opposed by the Utmen and saw a series of incidents between the coalition and the Khalinz Brigade. The Morelanders and Cenneg forces began shortly after a civilian evacuation process with many of the Lakhzovian refugees still being cared for at Hunter's Vale Refugee Centre while their status is sorted out.
It is likely that the East Moreland government will be calling for the Lakhzovian government to clarify the situation in the coming hours. Should the situation be as it appears at first sight then it is likely to place considerable strain on Lakhzovian relationships with several nations as beside East Moreland the Lakhzovian government received support from Ui Cenneslaig, Rokkenjima and Achkaerin.
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Prosperity, Opportunity, And Positive Force Through Firepower
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- A Citizen Journalist, Somewhere in Mundus
Despite a purported agenda which seeks to serve the interests of peace and international stability East Moreland remains one of, if not the, largest suppliers of arms and armaments to international markets. One need only view the list of clients served by EMAC, East Moreland's crown jewel of foreign arms sales. With sales to the usual suspects of Seaforth, Achkaerin, Lodja and even the Ecclesiastical State being expected EMAC has also signed significant deals with Quintellia, the Krimeon Empire, Vaguzia and the ethically challenged Second Imperial Chinese Republic totaling billions of dollars. Even noting these existing deals one need only think of the billions more which EMAC will rake in over the coming years as more of its tools are developed and placed in the hands of leaders across Mundus, including a nation wherin at least one faction seems determined to unleash a strike against the First Empire of Rokkenjima which would cause "....[REDACTED BY BIS ORDER] deaths worldwide and severe contamination for a possible 200 years." It certainly bodes an air of concern that the controls on the export of East Moreland's armaments do not fully vet to whom they are selling.
In addition to various arms deals with the powers of Mundus East Moreland has stood accused at various times of assisting in operations which clearly violated international laws and norms, such as the Iwi raid into Tamoran territory (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=150.msg10102#msg10102), a clear violation of Tamoran sovereignty which was legitimzed by King David himself by citing the Mundus Convention on Universal Rights. International treaties stand because they are adhered to even in the most trying of situations. If East Moreland truly aided the Maori in this mission, allegations to which the Morelanders certainly maintained plausible deniability, it is an errosion of international standards which may one day have clear implications, done with East Moreland's seal of approval.
If King David is true to his code, an important part of which is "protecting those who cannot protect themselves" will we see East Moreland intervene when the weapons it has sold to various states are turned upon those incapable of protecting themselves? Should the Lodjans deploy the assets aboard their Morelander drone carrier against people armed with canoes will the Morelanders jump to their defense? We already know the answer is no, of course not as East Moreland has engaged in talks with the membership of TUNA to secure a new trade deal, is a fellow CNN member just as Lodja is, and their next Queen is most likely to be a Lodjan. The specifics in this case are not as important as the prospect of Morelander weapons being deployed against people who will most certainly be incapable of defending themselves against weapons designed, produced and sold by East Moreland.
While East Moreland is known to consider compliance with the Uppsala Convention as a perquisite for such sales we've already noted one instance of Morelander cooperation with a state in direct violation of international law, as such has this in fact become a hollow guarantee? This is nothing new to East Moreland, who have had allegations of assassinations and other decidedly illegal actions levied against them since their emergence from isolation. If one international convention is acceptable to be violated by East Moreland, what other ends are they willing to go to in implementing their vision of Mundus? Why should we expect East Moreland to honour its word when it can justify the violation of international laws and norms so easily?
Perhaps East Moreland truly believes in a prosperous world full of opportunity and positive force, and perhaps King David believes that flooding the markets with Morelander weapons is how that can be best achieved. We've already seen Morelander weapons end up in the hands of the Bene Gesserit, and we've seen them provided to Slava Lavosk; another nation which has a questionable record, which was loaned 5 of SmartWars RoboGuards autonomous land units.
I think we have enough weapons in the world, certainly there is enough firepower in the hands of those who should keep all of us up at night. Even those in "good" hands today could end up in the wrong hands tomorrow, with the potential to be responsible for Mundus' next great tragedy. I'm sure those counting the money are pleased, though.
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O.P.E.N's Silent Competitor
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With the four nations of O.P.E.N meeting in Ipsus, this could have major ramifications for the world's oil supply. But the Emirate of Royal Seleucid, Empire of Tamora, Empire of Quintelia and Kingdom of Clysperis alone do not make up the entirety of Mundus' oil. There is another major producer, a nation that most people rarely hear about- the Orphela Imperium. The Imperium has been a silent workhorse for decades, slowly and steady exporting oil. But major international tariffs and a close minded economy have prevented the Imperium from ever being a major player. This could all be changing soon. The leader of the Imperium, Governess Niru has recently taken a stance on increasing international relations. In addition, she is seeking to do away with the closed economy of the past. Already this has led to a relatively minor increase in Nitehymn oil abroad and a lowering of trade barriers. This is expected to only increase.
O.P.E.N, or really any cartel, gains its power from dominating the market. Their ability to control oil prices only works when a major portion of the market follows suit. The Imperium has only been selling a fraction of the oil it produces. In addition the country itself isn't a major user of fossil fuels. So where has all this oil being going? Stockpiled. The exact size the Imperium's oil reserves are a closely guarded secret, but the nation could easily and effectively flood the market. Further compounding this, across Orphela, oil production is being ramped up. The nation has extremely ambition economic plans (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=1396.msg12236#msg12236) for the coming years, and is likely going to use its oil to pay for them.
The biggest question- will the Imperium seek membership in O.P.E.N? Unlikely. Its position of not having to adhere to any other foreign power or market regulations could be extremely profitable. And Nitehymn economists know this. In a recent government report Nitehymn economists outline a system where by undercutting and directly working against any policies, regulations, and prices set by O.P.E.N they could profit heavily. But what does this mean for the world market? Tension and economic warfare. While not official government policy, if adopted, the Imperium will basically be bleeding the other oil producers for its own personal gain. Its unlikely any nation would respond kindly to this kind of behavior. This potential issue only further complicates O.P.E.N's third meeting (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=1409.0;topicseen).
At the very least, this means more oil in the global market, and thus cheaper prices. Which the majority of people can rejoice for.
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The Siege of Haruna
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Spend shell casings, used tear gas canisters and two very noticeable blood stains on the pavement. This is Tenkuichi road in the Ikari-Togura district of Haruna, inside the reclusive Neo Quywe Federation. Here, a guerrilla war is being waged against the NQF police by heavily armed gangsters. During the transitional period between the former governments of the NQF and the Brilliant Speaker's new reign, law enforcement was being reformed entirely and what was left to pick up the pieces was entirely inept. Thus, smugglers took advantage and imported an estimated 300,000 illegal firearms into Himeyama, including approximately 90,000 fully automatic rifles and carbines. The majority of recovered weapons can be traced back to Tamora. When the transition was complete and new police forces marched into the cities, the ones moving into Haruna were met with an ambush. A firefight immediately broke out, and continues to echo throughout the city to this day.
An anonymous Police Enforcer has described the fighting as "insanity". "Every once in awhile we're tasked with supporting plainclothes cops, they usually tell us to bring full ballistic plating. When we hear that as a squad, we take time to sit down and pray, knowing it means someone has probably died out there." The Enforcer went on to comment on the political situation behind the Haruna siege. "Our captains, our deputies and even the colonel of the Haruna Civil Protection are working to make it safer for us. You can't just airstrike or send tanks into an urban center with 1.3 million people still living there. So we're trying to develop new tactics specifically to deal with Haruna."
Elsewhere in the city, one of Free Mundus' reporters was permitted access to a gang stronghold deep in the Hashiru-Okage district. An area that police are currently advised to avoid entirely due to the overwhelming gang presence. The reporter was driven into the stronghold blindfolded and was only permitted to remove it once he was sat down inside. Practically every member inside had an automatic carbine, and were wearing expensive boxing brands. "Haruna's always been this kind of place, except now everyone and their dog has a gun. It's not just the cops we're fighting, most of the fighting is still done between gangs. The police are just trying to slowly wipe out everything." One woman calling herself Hisae said. The reporter noted that nobody in the room appeared to be over 30.
"Drugs, extortion, contraband running. All that stuff from before is still going on. The police just don't have the means to stop it as easily now." The gangsters noted that they aren't intentionally attacking civilians, stating that they believe they're running their own neighbourhood watches on the communities in their territory. "I'd advise the police to stop sending men in. The East end may be safe for you, but we're untouchable over here. If you want Haruna back, you're paying in blood."
The NQF government has not yet responded to any Free Mundus inquiries.
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Escaped Slaves Returned to Tamora[/center]
Marhluk, Abuqiya
Protests have erupted in towns through out western regions of Abuqiya along the Tamora border in response to the deportation of thirty-seven individuals believed to be runaway slaves from Tamora and the detainment of seven nationals of Abuqiya and Foreign origin . The thirty-seven, as reported by local law enforcement, were smuggled from Tamora into Abuqiya presumably to be absolved from their servitude in Tamora. Occurring within the early hours of the morning the thirty-seven, including families and children, were transported via costumised cargo trucks across the border. Stopping in the border town of Marhluk the operation was discovered by local law enforcement whom engaged with the smugglers after citing fraudulent licensee plates. Upon their discovery the thirty-seven where detained by law enforcement the following day before being subsequently deported to Tamora following identification.
Following this incident many locals within Marhluk took to the towns streets gathering in front of the law enforcement building in protest to the action. Protests have involved civil disobedience and vocal attacks or criticisms against the authorities and in particular the Tzanjuk (a regional executive) Qamsaroud, who is believed to have authorized the deportation. The Tzanjuk made the following statement in regards to the situation;
“The situation is this, several individuals have illegally trespassed into the territory of Abuqiya with out the approved authorization of either authority in Abuqiya or Tamora. Thus it is my duty and the duty of our brave law enforcement, in accordance to our sacred oath to the Qarjiyat, Supreme State Assembly, and Abuqiya itself, to enforce the laws of our country. The question of whether slavery is or is not morally right or wrong has no basis in that regard. Azhiran guide us.”
Despite mass protests in Marhluk and neighboring border towns voicing outcry against law authority and the Tzanjuk, Qamsaroud was granted a Faqib (a decree of sorts) by the Qarjiyat, and Supreme State Assembly in “commendation for upholding of the laws and ensuring the security of the state”. Seven of the accused smugglers have been detained by law enforcement. It is belived that these smugglers are apart of an abolitionist group known as the Faraj.
The Faraj, takes its name after an individual of Abuqiya folklore. According to the tale Faraj was born into slavery after his nomadic tribe was subjugated by the city state of Uyareg. Faraj would lead his people in a rebellion against the leaders of the city-state and become the new leaders. Now the symbol and namesake of the abolitionists group, the Faraj have been noted for engaging in abolitionist activity including smuggling of runaway slaves. The groups motto “Azhiran guide us! Faraj free us!” has become a popular saying among supporters of the group. Despite their renown the Faraj have been labeled a terrorist group due to violent clashes with law enforcement some resulting in fatalities. The Government of Abuqiya has thus far tolerated open support of the group requiring investigation before detainment of suspected Faraj affiliates, however there have been motions to clamp down on all forms of Faraj support.
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ELWES "WE ARE NO DUMPING GROUND"
After reports that the Krimeon politician Andrea Bottová was stating in her campaign for re-election that one of their policies was "criminal asylum seekers to be expelled to a reception centre in Zimalia" the President of Zimalia responded by stating his nation was no dumping ground. The self styled "His Excellency, President for Life, Field Marshal, Head Physician and Doctor Binyamin Elwes Hero of the People, Lord of All the Beasts of Mundus and Fishes of the Seas and Conqueror of the unjust and protector of the people" spoke out during a visit to a Tamoran run community centre. "I have no idea where Ms.Bottova is getting this idea from. Our nations are 7,000km apart and we have enough issues feeding our own population yet we are now being expected to take in the unwanted trash of a far away nation. Zimalia is a nation that at times struggles to feed everyone we have, we are no dumping ground. We will not be the solution to Krimeon's domestic issues."
The President also took time to speak of recent allegations relating to the Zimalian Union of Labour being corrupt saying. "The ZUL is working extremely hard to match up its members with these new jobs being created by investment from nations like Tamora. Hydro-electric dams, mining, agriculture. There are a whole host of projects going on across the country. I'd be very excited if I was a young Zimalian there is a real chance to work yourself into a bright future if you are willing and able to put your shoulder to the grindstone so to speak. The ZUL represent any and all Zimalians who wish to be members and naturally they seek to look after the best interest of their members and do a wonderful job. My family wish to support this wonderful aim and they do a wonderful job ensuring young men and women get gainful employment while ensuring they are not being taken advantage of. Meanwhile the Afoloyan Labour Front (ALF) want jobs given out on a racial quota, they want jobs given on the basis of which tribe you happen to be fortunate enough to be born into rather than your skills or work ethic. Tell me which organisation is the corrupt one, the one wanting all Zimalians to prosper or the one wanting to keep the minority tribes downtrodden. No doubt if the ALF was given any significant power they would be the type to welcome the Krimeon Criminal asylum seekers with open arms flooding our nation with all manner of degenerate filth aimed at keeping the other tribes economically and socially subjugated, something I've striven to end under my well supported Presidency."
The President also has spoken of other reasons to refuse the Krimeon candidates policy. "Our nation has little enough provision for basic needs. Our schools see average class sizes of 45+ in many cases. We struggle for health care with not enough qualified doctors. One of the biggest helps in that regard is a series of mobile health clincs being organised by a young Alander called Olivia Robertsson, she unselfishly used a grant given to help her to instead establish a series of mobile medical centres which have seen tens of thousands of Zimalians. If we rely on the support of a young hero like this to help our people meet their basic needs then Krimeon must look after its own asylum seekers." It is estimated that the Alanders project has seen some 75,000 patients since being set up in October 2018 with those seen needing help for issues ranging from dental issues to end of life care.
Finally the President also announced they would accept the offer of providing a test area for an OsmanTech project to help reduce malaria. The recent experiment using an engineered fungus combined with a protein that is found in spider venom has been discovered to kill malaria caused mosquitos. The East Moreland based company has now offered to use the discovery to help in Zimalia where the disease is often a concern. The small village of Kingusa will see its buildings painted in this fungus and levels of mosquito monitored. It is hoped that the number of the insects are greatly reduced. "Its a very interesting project, essentially a mosquito killing mushroom or something. The people of the land to our South can be both our best friends and painful neighbours. We have many times clashed with them over various issues but then we see the people who formed the Principality of Northern Borland rush to our aid with no hesitation when we had an ebola outbreak, we have seen them build homes and establish their own nation which we find very neighbourly. I've seen the ingenuity of the people in the Principality so I have no doubt that an idea originating with their kin will be just as ingenious." It is thought the experiment will begin in the next few days.
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A Death Cult and the Global Arms Trade
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All names and specific references have been removed to protect the identities of all involved.
While previously Free Mundus reported on East Moreland's contribution to the international arms market (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=214.msg12192#msg12192), various reporters have been sent underground to investigate the sell and distribution of armaments through the international black market. Investigators were sent across Mundus to follow the trail of black-market weapons to their origin point. I was part of a team of investigators sent into Haruna, where a street war is being waged between local police and gangsters. (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=214.msg12373#msg12373)
Upon arriving in the city, we were quickly forced to take shelter from the fighting. As the nightly fighting died down, we wandered the streets in such of rebels. Eventually we were able to make contract with the anti-government forces. Gaining access to the gang stronghold within the Hashiru-Okage district, we were permitted to inspect the weaponry. Gang members told us that they bought the majority of arms from the Black Dragons, an international crime cartel notorious for its connections to the illegal drug and arms trades. After coming in contact with smugglers working for the Black Dragons, they agree to smuggle us out of the Neo Quywe Federation for a large sum of money. They would take us to the drop point where they first received the merchandise. Thus, we end up on a charter flight to Tamora.
Our time in Tamora was brief and in a lot of ways much scarier than in NQF. Towards the end of our flight, we were blindfolded in order to protect the security of the illegal landing zone. We landed and were moved into a car, which we rode in for about half an hour. We were taken inside a warehouse and finally our blindfolds were removed. The warehouse was basically being used as a shipping center, there were hundreds, if not thousands, of boxes being held in the facility. Guns and bullets were everywhere. I've never seen anything like the amount of weaponry just laying around. It was almost unfeasible. Workers would open incoming boxes, take inventory of its contents and redistribute it among their own containers. The whole thing was highly efficient and not what I'd imagine when I thought of criminal activity. It was almost identical to the efficiency and precision of a standard commercial shipping center.
We asked a number of workers if they knew where the guns came from. None knew, and few even seemed to care. Working just for the paycheck. Our gun analyst was able to give us our next lead. He said that most the of guns were made domestically in the Nyx Coalition. It's been long regard that Nyx weapons were a huge part of the black market, but our analyst said seeing it all with his own eyes that it was surprising just the sheer percentage of of guns that were Nythymn in origin. Even I had to admit that the excellent condition of the incoming merchandise was alarming. One of the guards told us that they received daily deliveries from semi-trucks coming from the west. This meant that they were originating from Coft Arayne most likely.
We decided to follow our gut instinct and travel directly to the Coalition. While Nyx has long maintained its isolation, with recent changes in foreign policy, the nation had been receiving an influx of tourists. We were able to blend in with the crowds. Surprisingly, it was only a few hours before we were able to set up a gun buy. Simply long into the Nyx Dark Web, a couple of searches, a few messages and all done. We meet on the waterfront, which wasn't as deserted as you'd think. Our dealer was extremely mild mannered. A young adult, maybe in his early twenties. His English was extremely broken but was more than happy to sell to us. In exchange for §10,000, he happily sold us 10 BR18s (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BR18). Which firstly is at, if not below, market value and an extremely modern and advanced assault rifle. He seemed more than willing to talk with us, openly and easily answering any of our questions. He said it was quite common for foreigners to come and purchase arms in the Coalition. Often, they would have to buy an additional price to have them smuggled back home, but that was an extremely easy part of the business. We asked what was his largest sale and he said he had a weekly regular who he'd sell over a hundred rifles to. The only thing he was unwilling to answer was anything having to do with where the guns themselves came from. He proudly told us that he once sold a MBT-12 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_10), a mainline battle tank. He was so excited when it happened that he called his brother and let him drive it for ten minutes.
Given all of this, it seemed clear that Nyx is likely supplying rebels, criminals, and terrorists across Mundus. Given the quality and availability of the merchandise, I think it’s a fair assumption to assume that the arms companies are somehow complicit, if not directly involved. Sadly, that was as far as our investigation was able to get. The Coalition is a strange and different place and trying to find answers proved difficult. But after everything I've learned, I only have more questions. It seems apparent that Nyx has a major problem with gun regulation, which likely means there is a huge rate of violent crime (the Coalition government has never released any statistics on any crime rates), but where seems to be no push to change this. Is this because of its importance in the black market? If so, how important is the black market in the Nyx' economy? Who and what groups are lobbying to protect the lack of regulation? How high up the leadership of these major companies does this conspiracy extend? Is the government involved? Nyx has supposedly maintained its isolation for the last few years, but is that just a facade? Is the Coalition somehow maintaining and conducting shadowy and secretive political dealings with criminal organizations and terrorist groups globally?
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A Royal Invitation to Anjir
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Following the recent rejection of a visit to the Celtic Protectorate by an international delegation the King of Royal Seleucid, Heydar Soter, invited representatives from the Free Mundus Network to make the trip instead. As a result a trio of intrigued reporters made the trip.
Upon arriving in Anjir, the largest city in the Protectorate, we were meet with a delegation of four officials. First was the mayor of Anjir a man in his early fifties called Shadarm Tubriak as a Cultist he was elected two years ago with a sizeable majority in a city where the Cult of Helus is the primary religion. Next there was a military Captain, Hafiz Alinejad, a short and stout man with an impressively smart uniform. We were next greeted by a Sergeant Major from the Cenneg military by the name of James O'Brien, a man who had spent the last six months on the steets of Anjir including during the famine. The final member of our hosts was Thamir Boulos a 28 year old member of the Seleucid civil service.
While we had expected to be accompanied during our visit we didn't expect to be essentially man marked. During our two days there we were exceptionally well looked after, no request was turned down and every luxury you could imagine was made avaliable at our hotel. This shouldn't however be a surprise, the Seleucid people have long prided themselves on their hospitality a throwback to their historical past when many of them wandered the land and meetings between tribes was a cause for celebration. This was something that seemed to spill out onto the streets of the city. We asked on our first day to go and see one of the cities bazaars and were immediately taken in pair of luxury cars. At the bazaar which was carved into some of the many caves which criss cross the city we saw the usual stalls. Store owners proudly displayed their wares ranging from fresh fruit to textiles and even a stall selling second hand mobile phones. The food stalls were according to Sergeant Major O'Brien not at the same level of stock as before the famine but that things were getting better. We spoke to the stall owner, a young man in his early twenties who ran it for his father. He told us that during the famine he had struggled to make ends meet and that the family had ended up selling some family heirlooms in order to make ends meet. The stall owner gave us a bag of fresh oranges as we left. Opposite him doing a brisk trade was an old man repairing shoes, he had a collection of customers shoes waiting to be worked on. He told us he had lived in the city for thirty years and had only left the city during the genocide were he lost three of his five children. We spoke to him about the atmosphere in the Protectorate and he informed us that he had felt nervous during the famine, however since the supplies of food reached the city things had returned to how he remembered it in the 1990's. A city with a vibrant social life based around the cities Temples.
We next asked to go and visit a Temple and were promptly taken to the cities Temple of Helus, the largest in Royal Seleucid. The Temple itself was surrounded by scaffolding, the side to the right of the door still covered in bullet holes from recent troubles were a handful of disgruntled anti-Cultists had carried out a drive by shooting which thankfully had taken place late at night. The Temple frontage though bore tell tale signs of various attacks, according to Captain Hafiz Alinejad, from the time of the genocide. He told us, "I was on duty the day it all went crazy. We had no idea what was happening, those radical members of the Anahitaist faith saw an oppurtunity to what they call clense this land. Meanwhile those moderate members of our faith tried to piece together what was happening and by that time it was too late. I came past the Temple that afternoon and saw bodies thrown on the steps, some killed by their own swords. We tried to post a guard here three of us but we were chased off by outsiders from the region." The Temple inside however was spotless, the floor bearing not a single foot print, the swords hanging on the wall imitating mirrors. It was clear that while the outside of the Temple was receiving some much needed repair the inside was well cared for.
Over the course of the next two days we moved from place to place throughout the city, speaking with members of the public, business owners, even Priestesses. One thing we discovered was that the city is mentally scarred by the genocide of its past. Not many people in the city didn't lose members of their family and they suffered again during the famine. There was an ever present military prescence on the streets but not in a way that you would expect, the Cenneg soldiers carried their equipment but more often than not guns were left hanging on their slings. We saw off duty Cenneg soldiers sat in cafe's enjoying the locally brewed coffee's served at a consistency almost like tar. We even saw in some cases young men enjoying a kick around with soldiers or sharing cigarettes with them. We visited a late bar and found members of the Cenneg peacekeepers had adopted local customs, enjoying shisha and glasses of beer, the only compliant from the Cenneg being a lack of Guinness. We later learned from O'Brien that six of the peacekeepers had even married local girls and intended to ask to stay behind when the unit rotated back to Ui Cennesliag. The overriding feeling we had was that this is not an occupation by force, it is very clearly by consent. The local police often patrolled side by side with their Cenneg comrades according to O'Brien something that has become more and more common since King Heydar assumed the throne.
As we left we were once again showered with gifts. It was clearly a very stage managed visit and when we tried to make unannounced changes to our routine we were quickly joined by one of the three Seleucids in our escorts. It was however easy to see that the people are not living in fear, that they are however cautious. It is this publications understanding that King Heydar had asked for foreign visitors to the Jewel of the Desert Festival to come and give their backing for a plan to get the Cenneg to end the Celtic Protectorate early. Our impression was of a region that is growing more and more secure everyday however a large part of that was due to the presence of the Celts on the street that seemed to give the locals a confidence that things will be OK. Whether that confidence would transfer to a Celtic Protectorate devoid of the Celts is hard to say. What I can say is that under King Heydar Seleucid hospitality is alive and well.
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Innsmouth: What Pullman Isn't Saying
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Entrance of the Innsmouth Zoological Park prior to the shooting
Earlier today, Centralian Homeland Security Secretary Lance Pullman announced harsh measures ostensibly to combat future mass shootings like the one that occurred at the Innsmouth Zoo early Monday afternoon. The official line is that a man with an assault rifle, identified as Mark Evanston, a resident of Innsmouth, entered the zoo and began shooting at guests near the reptile house. Seven people, including the purported attacker, are confirmed to be dead, with a further nineteen wounded. However, anonymous sources present at the shooting present an entirely different story. In fact, there may not have been a mass shooting of the kind claimed at all. Rather, eyewitnesses say that the man identified as the shooter was the target of a Homeland Security raid gone wrong. Evanston was armed, yes, but with a concealed handgun, fully legal under New Haven state law, and the deadly event took the form of a shoot-out rather than a true mass shooting. Most of those killed or injured were caught in the crossfire, and the vast majority were shot not by Evanston but by the Homeland Security agents dispatched to apprehend him.
Furthermore, it remains unclear why Evanston was targeted in the first place. It's possible that the man was a dissident of some sort, but such an accusation has not been put forward at present. However, this being the latest in a series of raids and arrests against members of the Centralian public, we ultimately may have to accept the fact that it doesn't really matter why he was targeted -- only that he was. The very fact that Evanston was willing to fight back against his attempted arrest speaks volumes about the limits of the Homeland Security Department's control over the country. As people begin to realize that Homeland Security has weaknesses, more will resist, and forced government reform may well follow. In the meantime, life in Centralia will remain as dangerous and restricted as ever as long as Lance Pullman is allowed to have free reign.
This has been the Free Mundus Network.
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Primear of Abuqiya criticizes "Aggressive Forign Policy"
In a recent statement during her monthly address to the State Assembly Premier Nahsrin Zarqan voiced open criticism of recent actions taken by the Bakkermaya Navy in response to ongoing tensions between the country and the Water Nomads of the Alucard sea.
"The Humsoo people, or as they are more commonly known the Water Nomads, are humble people. The lifestyles they lead is of llittle consequence to thier neighbours. One could even say their life is desirable. A simple one free of the stress and complexities which fester in the societies of many so called developed nations. One focused more towards the simple family values that have slowly withered away in many other societies. A hefty price to pay for the trait often labeled as 'Progress'
The question then asked, is why? What crimes have these humble drifters committed that warrent such fierce response as war and destruction that Bakkermaya has unleashed upon them? The simple action of living by their customs and traditions? Is mearly living a different lifestyle and embracing one's own culture now considered a crime?
Unfortunately this is not a new occurrence. Perhaps it is without surprise the true agressor in this unamed conflict, Bakkermaya, is devoted to the supposed virtues of the Cult of Helus. Abuqiya of course is no stranger to the aggression carried out in the name of this deity.
Least we forget our own trouble with this Cult in the previous decades. Nor should we forget the violation of the Seleucid Emirate, as invaders planted the flag of Helus on Seleucid shores. Now these invaders occupy a notable portion of the Emirate exerting the will of their true masters East Moreland and Bakkermaya, upon not just the Emirate but the whole of Midrayane.
To our Humsoo friends, know that while the world may fall silent on this issue, Abuqiya has watched and observed..."
The Premier later attributed the situation to an "increasingly aggressive forign policy", likening the situation in the Alucard to "another piece in the agenda of the Helusian Empire". Premier Zarqan and her administration have been known to hold a negative views of supposed imperialist actions. Her administration has also been known to deny that the Seleucid situation of 2016 was a genocide, instead holding firm to the view that it was indeed a hostile Coup d'etat. Despite these seemingly hostile words and actions against forign powers the Premier insisted "Abuqiya seeks not to act hostile, only to ensure national sovereignty is respected. However this is an issue we will not remain silent on...".
While her statements have received positive reception in Abuqiya, primarily from members of her own political faction and citizens associated with said faction, not all are pleased with her statements. Siavash Boromand, a prominent member of the opposition in the Assembly, dismissed the Premiers statements as: "[a] strategy to distract focus from the domestic problems that ail Abuqiya. Problems her administration has been slow to address!"
Controversial image banned in Abuqiya
The picture above was posted on social media a couple days ago. It depicts a young boy sticking his tounge out at the viewer. He holds in his hands a paint brush and bucket filled with black paint. The attire he wears is the iconic regal attire of the late Qarhjii, or king, Khomeshahr of Abuqiya. On social media the picture is captioned and tagged with: "Stop the lies! Stop the oppression! #neverforget1987"
As of today the social media post has thousands of likes and shares nearing the millionth mark. It has also been censored and banned in Abuqiya. Persons in possession of a copy of the picture facing imprisonment for two years and a fine of 1,000 Dinars, the local currency of Abuqiya.
Why?
The picture is depicts the son of Komeshahr. The current ruling Qarhjii, Qazvimsahr who attained the position following the assassination of his father and other prominent members of the ruling family in 2016. The bucket of black paint, aswell as the tag "#neverforget1987" is a hommege to the Uhl-Buqyir decree of 1987 and subsequent years. A controversial topic within the country.
During this period, a decree was called by Komeshahr for the expulsion or conversion of religious and ethnic minorities within the country. This prompted resistance from said minorities, most notably Cultists whom been awarded land grants in the country following the end of the Great War.
Black paint was used to identify the residences of those "deemed undesirable", according to the accounts of exiled Abuqiyans.
The aftermath saw the displacement or death of nearly 1.5 million between the years of 1987-1992. Many international observers especially Human Rights groups have labeled the affair a Genocide. This something the Abuqiyan continues to deny and challenge this accusation, citing the death toll as a result of legal engagement against terrorist activity.
Regardless of which story is more agreeable the posted image sends a suggestive image; that the current boy king of Abuqiya will follow in his father's footsteps. Local authorities are searching for the origin of the post. It is belived the image originated outside the country. The ruling family and their representatives have yet to make any official statement on this incedint.
OOC: Posted from phone please forgive grammer/format errors.
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HELUS IS ALIVE AND WELL AND LIVING IN ACADEMICA
Leyton Arkwright on the source seems like a happy go lucky man in his early 50's. A greying beard and friendly smile greet everyone who visits his little small-holding some 30km South of Alba Karinya City in Academica. He purchased the land at the end of the nations civil war transplanting himself from a life in East Moreland. However the former Royal East Moreland Air Force pilot claims to be more than just a man seeking a peaceful retirement he believes he is in fact Helus, the chief diety of the Cult of Helus a faith native to his former homeland. In 2018 he changed his name legally to Helus Unasson and established the hamlet of Helusiandale which today is home to some 30 people all of whom believe what he teaches.
"It was in my final days in the Air Force that I began to realise who I was." Mr.Unasson explains. "I kept getting what I believed at first were dreams, vivid dreams in which I was constantly fighting for my life. I was surrounded by gore, by blood and by death. I used to wake up in the night screaming and lashing around like a fish out of water. In the end it slowly began to dawn on me that dreams are just where we see out our past in different forms and so as such I realised this wasn't a dream it was my past. It wasn't then long until I started to get messages, requests for instructions in my memories. It was my fellow Gods asking for guidance. I had somehow recreated myself on Mundus. I'm still working out how as the process has damaged my memory slightly but once I work it out I believe I will be able to bring Marissa and then the others through and we can once more join with my children." While this may sound like a proposterous idea Mr.Unasson has a group of around 30 followers who gave up their lives across Mundus to join him. "I realised there was work to be done. My beloved Morelanders had done well stabilising themselves following the wars with the Underlords but across the world my children are just learning of my words. Bakkermaya, Seaforth, Royal Seleucid and Achkaerin have seen the word taken by brave missionaries. It was then I realised there is no bbetter way for the faith to spread than me spreading it. Academica was torn about and its people needed guidance and so I used my retirement money to buy a farm here. I had no better joy than myself, Marissa and Frossaj tending our crops back in the days before the Underlords and sought such tranquility to heal my mind so I can bring them back to this world. I started a website and soon found I had some people listening to my work and before long I recieved a message on facebook from Charlie Morgan.
Charlie Morgan is a 23 year old former Engineer from Bakkermaya and was among the first to move to Helusiandale. "What Helus says made sense to me." He explains. " I thought to myself if Helus loved us enough to save mankind from destruction why would he have ever left us. I know Helus believes if his prescence had remained obvious the Underlords may have struck back and hiding as a warrior in East Moreland, his most loved land made sense. I began talking to Helus on Facebook, then we chatted on the phone and when I had a break from work I went over to meet him. Instantly you know he's telling the truth. Their is a strength and a warmth to him that just screams God and after three days of working with him in the fields, hunting and enjoying his company I rang work and told them I wasn't coming back." Soon Charlie was joined by others all coming to find answers to their own questions about the faith. One of those was 54 year old Rebecca Henry. "I was a school-teacher and had just gone through a divorce. I was seeking support from the Cult and just stumbled across this man writing some of the most heart warming sermons on the internet. I knew men aren't suppose to be Priests and soon you just knew he was getting messages from somewhere else, or at least that was what I thought. I lived in Keepton, its about a five hour drive to Helusindale and so I asked if I could come and speak with him. He counselled me better than any Priestess and told me things only a God could know. I returned home, sold my house and brought a wooden cabin that I had moved to Helusindale.
The small hamlet grew steadily since Charlie and Rebecca moved in and this summer saw the first birth in Helusindale. Three month old Raimond Halford was born to parents Grace and Freddie, a couple who ran a bakery in Northfort before moving. "When Grace got pregnant we had always talked of bringing up our children in the countryside. I stumbled across a YouTube clip of Helus and Helusindale and something just clicked in my brain. This guy just knew things and soon I had Grace watching them with me. A month later we moved here and then were blessed when Raimond was born. He's now going to be brought up in a beautiful area of countryside with a God educating him and his faithful watching over him."
The community is close knit. An old stone farmhouse is home to Mr.Unasson and the barn has been converted into a kind of Temple, although Mr.Unasson prefers to call it his office. Everyday the community gather to hear him speak, teach his message and give notices about things going on. On one of the days we visited Mr.Unasson was telling his followers about the time the mini-bus was leaving to go and watch a rugby game. "Even the Gods love rugby" he jokes to us. "Beside we are a community, communities live, work and play together so people shouldn't be surprised we enjoy things like rugby, music and TV." He is keen to show us the "Helusiandale Inn", a wooden building no bigger than an average living room. In it a bar stands with two barrels of beer tapped. "Me and Jekar used to enjoy a beer or two while we watched mankind go by. So we built our own little pub. We even have plans for building a brewery eventually as we grow. My dream is to make Helusindale as self sufficent as possible. Charlie is building us wind turbines and we hope by the end of the year to be able to get by with no electricity from the Academican power grid."
The community all have their own patches of farmland and a wood surrounds the settlement. An average day starts at 6am when the residents gather for a quick morning prayer and then spend around an hour practising sword-craft. We see Grace and Freddie taking it in turns to practice while the other looks after little Raimond, all the residents own swords and all seem very competent at using them as Freddie explains. "We're the vanguard. When the Underlords come back it will be us who will be Helus' weapons. We have to be ready and so we all practice. When Raimond is old enough he'll start practising alongside us with a simple stick." The youngest resident of Helusindale is 8 year old Xena, an Academican girl who is cared for by her Aunt Sarah. Xena was orphaned during the civil war and adopted by Sarah soon after, Sarah had been a Priestess of Marissa and had no children of her own. Sarah tells us, "Even as a Priestess I had questions about the Cult. I asked them naturally, I asked Joanna Ironside once I thought being of the Unasson blood line she'd know but she struggled to give me anything satisfactory, and so I left the Priesthood just as the civil war here broke out and then became a Mother but also found Helus' blog. He answered my doubts and so when me and Xena needed a new life here we came." Xena seemed to enjoy the life here saying. "I get to play outside and everyone is really nice. Its not a village really, its a family and Helus is like our lovely old Grandpa."
After sword-practice the residents go about their own chores and work. Some still hold down regular jobs such as Chris Templeton a 38 year old from Bakkermaya who moved here three months ago and now works as a delivery driver. Most though undertake work on the land. Residents agree to make a contribution to "Village Funds" each week and this money is used for making improvements. Currently the village has plans to build a new log building to be a school. Mr.Unasson says, "We have now Xena with us, and Raimond will grow quickly. I hope we have more and more children come and they will need to be educated in our ways not those of man." The afternoon sees more work and Mr.Unasson spends a lot of time creating and posting online content for social media and his own blog. It is the growing interest in his YouTube videos that help bring in some funds for the village.
In the evening the village gather for prayers and often a communal meal. There is often a camp-fire, songs, jokes and drinking. It is in many ways idyllic and not hard to see why so many of the residents talk about peace. Mr.Unasson believes he is learning more about how he came to be each day and believes it will not be long until he can send word for the other Gods to come through. "First I will call for Jekar. I don't know if the process I went through was dangerous but if it is I know Jekar will face it willingly. He'll kind of be our test pilot. Once he is through I will bring my love Marissa, and then the others. Once we are here we can show the world our true power and naturally then all will flock to join us. Obviously not everyone can come here but we can make a template for how the world should be." We ask him what he thinks about the Cult of Helus and the Sisterhood of Helus. "The Cult is doing a fine job but it has a few mistakes. I have written several times to Skye Maddix to correct her but never hear anything back. I am sad to say that I will require her resignation once the others join me. I know she means well but frankly she is not strong enough to prepare mankind for future troubles. As for the Sisterhood Jinny Denman is a fool. I mean she can come to Helusindale anytime she wants and see I'm a man. I think she's a dangerous fool."
We then asked what he believes his relationship with King David of East Moreland is. Many in the Cult believe that King David is a direct descendant of Raimond Unasson, a man beloved of Helus. "David is not the great-great-great etc grandson of Raimond Unasson, he is my direct descendant. I knew for mankind to have strong leadership my seed would need to flourish and so as Raimond lay dying he urged me to take his wife as my own. The man was a hero and in the weeks that followed I did as he wished. Me and Martha were as man and wife for a time and she bore me a child. Hundreds, thousands of generations later he sits on the throne of East Moreland." We asked Mr.Unasson what he thought of his descendant. "I think he's a good boy. Sometimes not as devout as he should be. Here is one way me and Denman do agree. He should find a woman as dedicated to following my laws as his sister Joanna was. She should be of noble birth but nationality is unimportant, after all I did not create a world with borders. For a time I was angry that my descendants hid away from the world when they should have been leading it, but David seems like he is at least trying to change that. He now just needs a son or three."
We left the village with good wishes for the future and invitations to settle there if we wished. However we did have a foreboding that as this group grows it has the potential to become a kind of obsessive Cult. The followers show such reverence to the man who claims to be Helus, bowing to him each day, following his instructions even over what to grow in their fields and where their children should be educated. We spoke to the local government about the group and were told, "We've had some issues with a child and school but this was cleared up. We have no reason to believe anything other than a religiously focused community exists there. They pay their taxes and seem friendly." The East Moreland government were also asked for comment and said, "Mr.Unasson is not Helus. He is not the great-grandfather of King David and we are concerned that he is taking advantage of people in unfortunate circumstances. He had an exemplary military record and we wish him a long and happy retirement but believe he should seek help. He saw a fair bit of combat as a strike pilot in the Alps against the Borlanders and we all know first hand these kind of things can have strange results." High Priestess Skye Maddix said, "We welcome all to the Cult and will work to try and educate those who may be seduced by a fraud." Jinny Denman meanwhile stated "This man can not be Helus. He may have man-boobs but that doesn't make him woman enough to be Helus."
Following our report we heard that Mr.Unasson is due to undertake a preaching tour of Bakkermaya and is hoping to visit Royal Seleucid soon after.
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Infantry of the Nurashima Defense Force. A semi-autonomous component of the Armed Himeyan Republic's military, tasked with the safeguarding of the Himeyan islands of Nurashima. The NDF consists primarily of experienced combat veterans from the AHR and local volunteers.
THE NURASHIMA PROBLEM
The story of Nurashima, also known as Styx by the Conglomerate and allies, is a grand tale of bloodshed and the the never ending cycle of change. Its pages stretch across centuries of history, from a trader's haven to a key military objective to a thorn in the side of stability in the Mhorish; switching hands and allegiances constantly in the process. This small island chain continues to persist as an unsolved problem. The mere mention of it by certain parties is enough to draw controversy. Despite its rich and complicated history, the only question on most of the world's mind is:
What's the issue?
The islands in question have been disputed by Himeyama and the Conglomerate since the 1970s, and the current situation between the Neo Quywe Federation and Armed Himeyan Republic is salt on the wound. Currently, the Armed Himeyan Republic is in de facto control of the Himeyan side of the island chain; as it is considered to be a part of the Suiseikawa province, which has remained independent from the NQF since the latter's formation. All Himeyan military personnel and assets on the island by extension, are part of the Himeyan Republican Defense Force. While Himeyan administration applies to the majority of the Nurashima island chain and most of its population, centralized in Hakae-shima; the Conglomerate maintains control over the northwest island of Voltox and all its residents, and is believed to maintain a military presence on the islands roughly proportional to the AHR's.
However, due to both nations claiming the whole island chain as their own; the sovereignty of Nurashima is controversial enough that no real conclusion can be made on its ownership. Personal convictions from both sides of the issue have to date resulted in 15 armed standoffs between the Conglomerate and the Armed Republic, sometimes spiraling into minor skirmishes with military and civilian casualties. Political analysts from both the Ardian and Alba Karinyan think tank believe that tensions in the Mhorish region could swell beyond levels seen in the past, and could flare into an active combat situation. Due in part to a third party claiming ownership of the islands.
While the Neo Quywe Federation has no known military presence on the island, and naval patrols by the Serpent's Teeth (the naval branch of the NQF armed forces) rarely come within 200km of them; their de-facto claim on all of Himeyama by extension applies to Nurashima. Consequently, Brilliant Speaker Junko Kamaejikawa of the NQF has put forth rhetoric in favor of NQF ownership of Nurashima. This in turn has led to an increase of AHR military presence on the islands, and by extension the Conglomerate's, increasing tensions dramatically in recent months.
Journalists from Free Mundus have made their way to both Hakae-shima and Voltux in order to conduct interviews.
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Photo taken of Conglomerate personnel during military exercises, the photographer was escorted offsite shortly after. Officers on the scene cited safety concerns.
"Life has become difficult recently." Says Lancer Masayoshi Minoshima of the Nurashima Defense Force. "The exchange of goods between Hakae-shima and Voltux has been halted, so many things have become more expensive." Lc. Minoshima continued, never taking his eyes off the treeline. Seemingly tracing shadows beyond the trees with the barrel of his rifle. "On top of that, nobody wants to fire the first shot. Neither us or the Heyrans, but I've almost had to many times. There's just so many of them now, and they're constantly in sight."
Free Mundus will continue to report on the current situation as details become available.
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(https://i.postimg.cc/hGnw2Qtv/FMN-resize.png)
Abuqiya to boycott the Rugby World Cup
The State Congress of Provisional Representation and Interests, the state legislature of Abuqiya, has passed a motion to officially boycott the upcoming Rugby World Cup. The action comes after the announcement by the Mundus Sporting Committee that this year's games will be jointly hosted by the Kingdom's of Ui Cenneslaig and Cantabria. This action will be a continuation of criticisms by Abuqiya against what it claims is an “Armed Occupation” by Ui Cennslaig in what is the Celtic Protectorate of Royal Seleucid. First Minister Masood el-Nour made the following statement in regards to the motion and subsequent action:
“ While others may be willing to look past and perhaps even support the aggression of Ui Cennslaig against Midarayne, the Qiyadi will not be swayed by international fanfare to shirk our duty to Midarayne. To attend these games is to condone the imperialist agenda of Claith and dignify the armed occupation of the Seleucid Emirate by Ui Cennslaig...”This action is one of a continuing trend of Abuqiya forign policy which has been officially stated to be one of “hostility to imperialist action or agendas against Midarayne and Abuqiya”. Recent escalation in tensions between the Royal Seleucid and the Commonwealth of the Iwi have been met with an equally negative reaction by Abuqiya causing the Midarayne nation to denounce, suspend all diplomatic & economic activity with, and label, the Commonwalth of the Iwi as a rouge state. Abuqiya has also voiced disapproval of attempts by Ui Cennslaig to reach a diplomatic resolutions between the Royal Seleucid and the Commonwealth of the Iwi, citing the close relationship between the Celtic and Iwi nation with “no confidence” claiming to view such action with “suspicion”.
Abuqiya's continuing negative and critical views of Ui Cennslaig, have been dismissed by some political observers as unwarranted paranoia and saber rattling in an attempt to “flex its political muscle”. Others have cited the country's narrow view of the situations in particular regarding the the Celtic Protectorate as “dangerous rallying”. The Celtic Protectorate is currently housing Ui Cennslaig military personal following agreements with the Royal Seleucid and the approval of Seleucid King Heydar Soter.
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(https://i.imgur.com/hegvgLO.png)
Euirasia's New Nationalist School Curriculum
International observers had expressed concern over the Commonwealth of Euirasia's increasingly radical rightward trajectory, the latest example of which has been a shift in the national curriculum taught to all children between the ages of 5 and 16.
The Free Mundus Network has been able to obtain copies of new textbooks and teaching materials destined to be introduced later this year which seek to rewrite the country's history, with a significant focus on the rehabilitation of the legacy of the Ardian Empire of which Euirasia was an integral territory.
While previous governments sought to emphasise Euirasia's state of subjugation during the imperial period, the new regime has apparently reversed course and seeks to portray the country as a direct successor to the Empire, and in the process has began to weave a new national mythos that seeks to adopt the Ardian Empire as representing its own historical golden age.
This has led to a significant revision of the events surrounding the great war which saw a coalition of nations defeat the Ardian Empire leading to its collapse. In a move that is certain to sour relations with its neighbours and other world powers the defeat and subsequent dissolution of the Empire is being portrayed as an historical crime with Euirasia being unwillingly and illegally detached from the Empire as part of an allied conspiracy to weaken the Ardian people. The textbooks are particularly scornful of the role of the Rokkenjiman Empire in what they term the dismemberment of Ardia.
In a potential sign of things to come new teaching materials have begun to refer to the Euirasia as the 'Ardian Commonwealth of Euirasia' amongst a number of changes aimed at reinforcing the Ardian character of the nation.
Euirasia has a large ethnic Ardian majority as a result of its long history as an integrated territory of the Empire, however an estimated 11% of the population are made up of ethnic Rokkenjimans mostly located in the western border region. Government policy has turned hostile to them recently, and the increasing focus on the Ardian character of the nation leaves many worried about the future plans for the community.
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(https://i.imgur.com/hegvgLO.png)
(https://i.postimg.cc/y8mkvHGm/Nekhtou.jpg)
President Nekhtou is still a target for a FMN interview.
"I Just Wish For A Free Clysperis" Proclaims Nekhtou
President Nekhtou is a difficult figure to cover. On one hand his forces are accused of horrid war crimes while, on the other, he claims to fight for the freedom of the Clysperi People. In two recent posts from the notoriously hard to contact President I've gathered his comments for your convenience.
"Look, I want a referendum," he said unprompted. "I want to know the People have my back, you know? I started this fight as an insider privy to the information of the Clysperi royalty, and their depravities, but I didn't do it to rule as their King. Did you know our system of governance is not only thousands of years old, but tied to the belief that Beketaten's line is derived from divinity? The People are in chains, not physical, but of the spirit, and it may take generations to mend that level of control."
"It's been that way since I fought for my nation against the Soviets," he continued. "I didn't fight for Ramses V, or his daughter, but for our People. And trust me we tried to nudge them toward reform but, the allure of the power of the gods had them corrupted. I don't know what will happen next, how this war will go, or whether an Achkaerinese missile will snub me out, but I fight for the People and their right to live life free, not under the rule of gods our People created thousands of years ago. Mistakes have been made, but I'll make sure they're not made anymore and will make an example of the bad apples."
"Fleur and New Derusmia are courageous, I mean, Achkaerin to the north and now Rokkenjima to the south coming at the throat of the Confederacy? Our democracy is being smothered before it has a chance to succeed. I'll allow any investigators, observers, or other non-biased forces to observe the conduct of our military in freeing Clysperis from this point onward. At the end of the day I didn't have a professional army to lead as I did against the Soviets but a multitude of different groups who stood against this Pharaoh and her archaic regime. But I think we've worked the kinks out and should see good and proper order enforced on those under my command."
The FMN is seeking a proper interview with President Nekhtou and will update you should he grant that request.
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(https://i.imgur.com/hegvgLO.png)
(https://i.ibb.co/Wg2TZV4/tam-mil.png)
Tamora’s large military is not the only or even the main weapon that Djerb has deployed in the Clysperis civil war
Analyzing Tamoran involvement in the Clysperis civil war
Those following foreign relations especially those of the Midaranye region know that Djerb (the capital of Tamora) – Khemnen (capital of Clysperis) relations are exceptionally close: the two countries share a common currency (a legacy from the time Clysperis was a Protectorate of Tamora), Manism ( the native religion of Tamora) is recognized as a peer faith in Clysperis, the two countries share an agreement that greatly reduces barriers in the labor market and the two royal families are set to join through the marriage of Pharaoh Akasha and Prince Naser. So it of little surprise that Djerb is involved in the Clysperi civil war by supporting Pharaoh Akasha. We will try to present some less well known aspects about Djeb and civil war or provide more detail to aspects that are well known:
1. Djerb is not happy with the presence of non Midaranye forces in Clysperis. Pharaoh Akasha has talked at length about the coalition forces that are supporting her government and has praised their involvement but there has been no mention of the coalition forces from Djerb. In fact, if one is to look at their press or their government statements one wouldn't even know that Achkaerin, NQF and Dragovah are actually involved in supporting Pharaoh Akasha. The one mention that the Tamoran government did regarding those forces in Clysperis was to agree with Vanora and Safraen that they shouldn't be made permanent. This is not by accident. Various Tamoran foreign policy experts that I have talked to all agree that Djerb sees the non MidAranye troops in Clysperis as a sign that Tamora cannot protect or stabilize the region and therefore foreign intervention is need. Furthermore, Djerb is concerned that those troops might become permanent and will seek at all costs to avoid anything like the Celtic Protectorate in Clysperis that involves foreign (non MidAranye) troops.
2. The number of Tamoran troops and ships sent to Clysperis is quite small compared to other coalition forces. Tamora has deployed five thousand soldiers to Clysperis and has sent one corvette and two subs. That pales in comparison with the aircraft carrier and its task group sent so far by Dragovah, the estimated 13 thousand soldiers which will be deployed by NQF and the aircraft carrier and approx. ten ships sent by Achkaerin. Furthermore, the troops sent by Tamora are the same that were announced prior to the civil war. This shows that for whatever reasons, Tamora has not tried to “outbid” the other powers in the troop numbers games. It also means that Pharaoh Akasha has more room to maneuver since should she need more troops she has at least one ally that has the ability to send more.
3. Tamoran efforts in the civil war are not exclusively focused on the military aspect. Tamora has lessened the restrictions for Clysperi to come to Tamora allowing them easier access to the country to escape the fighting, has pledged support for refugees centers in Abuqiya, Safraen and Venora( whether that help will be accepted remains to be seen) has raised money in its religious institutions to send to Clysperi religious organizations. Djerb seems to spend a lot of effort to win the hearts and minds of the Clysperis population (or better said to preserve the high trust Djerb already enjoys among Clysperi) and to present itself as the “older brother” (to quote (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=1361.msg13406#msg13406) the words of Pharaoh Akasha) they can turn to for help. It does this for several reasons but one of them is clearly to counter the Confederation (the Clysperi rebels) propaganda. In fact it is in the propaganda war that Tamora is most heavily involved. The Confederation and its President has often made the argument that Tamora has too much influence over Clysperis, that Pharaoh Akasha is using religion to subdue her people and has promoted the idea of democracy and pursuing a foreign agenda less bellicose towards nations outside of Midaranye. That message is totally opposed to Djerb’s foreign policy goals as well as the values it holds and promotes. In order to counter the Confederation’s message Djerb is seeking to show Clysperi people they can rely on it for help (like handling refugees in other countries or receiving more Clysperi) and is also engaged in a propaganda campaign on its own. It is why you see domestic movies like the “A time of darkness” being heavily promoted by Djerb. It seeks to remind Clysperis and Tamorans alike of the history the two countries share but also seeks to indirectly portray the Confederation and its president as “a spiritual successor” to Soviet values. This is done just as much for the Clysperi population as is for the Tamoran one because Djerb knows that the ideas and values promoted by the Confederation could take root in Tamora, something that Djerb will definitely want to avoid. The risk to Djerb must not be underestimated; Tamora is a majority minority country when it comes to both religion and ethnicity. That is fertile ground for ideas like the ones promoted by the Confederation. Djerb, and that includes both the government and private institutions like their church, are heavily engaged in a propaganda campaign that seeks to draw ever closer the Clysperi population to Djerb, to enhance religious ties between the two countries, to promote the Parthian language and Tamoran values among the Clysperi diaspora in Tamora and fund organizations in Clysperis like the local Manist church, the Common Defense League and various other organizations that are friendly to Djerb.
4. Tamora has been very active on the diplomatic side, especially when compared with the other nations that are part of the coalition in Clysperis. Djerb has been very vocal against New Derusmia and Fleur which have showed support for the Confederation and has declared the entire staff of the Derusmian embassy in Djerb as persona non grata and indirectly threatened Fleur with closing their schools in Tamora. The reason to why Djerb is so active in this front is linked to the previous point we made. Djerb sees itself as the protector of the region (whether that is a reasonable expectation is a topic that is outside the scope of this article) and seeks to project that imagine of itself in Tamora, Clysperis and the rest of MidAranye. Foreign policy experts expect that Djerb will continue that approach regarding the nations that support the Confederation and will make little concessions on the issue for fear of losing face if it does.
5. Djerb is discreetly training, arming and soon will be deploying freedom fighters in Clysperis. Not many regular people know Tamora has a very lax guns laws and a vibrant gun culture. Lately though, Djerb has turned a blind eye to Clysperi citizens residing in Tamora that are acquiring weapons and training alongside Tamorans. According to estimates hundreds of freedom fighters (both Clysperi but also Tamoran) could be deployed to Clysperis. Whether these will join the Common Defense League ( a Clysperi militia that is heavily Manist and pro Pharaoh Akasha), start a new militia or both remains to be seen. While military analysts are correct in saying that hundreds or even a thousand freedom fighters will not make a significant difference compared to the massive numbers of troops deployed by the coalition that is not likely the goal of Djerb. The most likely goal of the Djerb will be to use them for propaganda purposes and to increase their influence in Clysperis. One can only imagine the impact it will have when the Tamoran propaganda will use the freedom fighters as examples of Clysperi returning home with Tamoran “brethren” to fight for the Pharaoh Akasha. It will also be used as proof that Tamora’s influence is Clysperis is not top bottom but is based on a large support among the general population.
6. The Manist Church (the native religion of Tamora) is heavily involved in supporting Pharaoh Akasha. While we have previously mentioned that the chuch has raised funds to support the Manist community in Clysperis that is not the main support the Church is providing to the Clysperi Pharaoh. Those not familiar with Tamoran society are unaware of just how huge the influence of this organization is in Tamora: schools, universities, hospitals are owned either by the Manist Church or other religious organizations. Imams are everywhere in Tamoran society as one could observe during the Elysium Economic Forum. The Manist Church is also not shy in mixing politics and religion and even going so far as to declare a jihad in 2018 against Slava Lavosk. The influence the Church has over Manist faithful remains huge, and while only approx. 11% (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1JoyGmSgeJk72_6rojB43nCgGOfBE69c_up9fp3FbHj4/edit#gid=0) of the Clysperis population is of the Manist faith most of them have been radicalized against the Confederation. The Church leaders preach daily against the Confederation, have made it a religious obligation to not support the Confederation in any way and are actively suppressing anyone in their community who even dares show any pro Confederation views. In the Manist communities of Clysperis supporting the Confederation is seen not just as treason but as an offense against the Church and the community. That is why it is no surprise that the Common Defense League is led by a Manist Clysperis and has so many Manists among its ranks. Of course, the Confederation treatment of the Manists in its controlled areas is also to blame but that is a different topic.
7. TINS (Tamoran Imperial News Service) and its subsidiary Clysperis is one of the most effective tools of Djerb's propaganda machine. Not many outside of Tamora know but the network is not state owned and is instead owned by the Manist Church. We will not comment on the reputation the network has outside of MidAranye and the Manist communities in Mundus. We will say that the network enjoys high ratings in Tamora, especially among the Parthian and Manist segments of the population and, while we lack specific data, the network also enjoys a significant audience throughout MidAranye including Clysperis. Pharaoh Akasha had developed good relations with the network before the start of the civil and is of no surprise that the network is a major supporter of the Pharaoh. The network is openly pro Pharaoh Akasha and gives wide coverage to the terrorist attacks and other crimes committed by the militias of the Confederation.
8. Djerb is already planning and acting with the aftermath of the civil war in mind. This is why it seeks to include Clysperis on the list of countries that will be financed by the Sharia compliant bank proposed by Djerb to Abydos and Pramoria. It is also the reason why Djerb does not make any positive declaration about the collation of forces supporting Pharaoh Akasha. Foreign policy experts believe that as soon as the Confederation will look like is defeated, Djerb will begin the rhetoric that those forces need to leave and that they risk becoming occupiers bent on stealing the resources of the Clysperis people. In fact, as we speak the Tamoran propaganda machine is promoting the idea that the President of the Confederation is willing to sell the resources of the country to foreigners, it’s not hard to imagine how that message will be easily changed to “the foreign powers keep their troops in Clysperis so that they can steal the resources of the Clysperi people”.
To conclude, Djerb is making use of many if not all of its soft power weapons in its arsenal and is using the Clysperis civil war to cement its influence there. It will also attempt to use this civil war to increase its influence in Midaranye.
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(https://vsquare.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Backlit_keyboard-1024x576-1024x585.jpg)
Tamora’s use of web brigades shows just how engaged they are in hybrid warfare
Analyzing Tamoran involvement in the Clysperis civil war part 2: the internet propaganda
We are now continuing the analysis by describing the most recent propaganda tool used by Tamora. Djerb’s intelligence services have been recruiting from among the Clysperi diaspora living in Tamora for some time now. It is hard to estimate the number of people that have been recruited so far but a rough estimate indicates from as low as dozens of people to more than a hundred. What do these people do? They are part of what is informally known as web brigades. They are paid to post 8 hours a day, seven days a week. comments, articles, memes and other material that promotes the interests of Tamora in Clysperis. There is ample evidence that Djerb intelligence services made use of such web brigades at home but we are now seeing them being used in Clysperis. Tamora is a Parthian speaking nation, like many MidAnraye states among them Royal Seleucid and Pramoria, while the Kingdom of Clysperis has its own native language far different than Parthian. It is for this reason Djerb has acquired Clysperi speaking operatives in order to be able to spread its propaganda in CLysperis.
What type of messages are these web brigades promoting? We did our best to analyze them and we have grouped them into the following categories:
1. Anti-Confederation propaganda: the messages spread by Djerb’s web brigades are painting the picture that the Confederation and its president are spiritual successors to Soviet ideas, they flood social media and forums with pictures of the terrorist attacks committed by forces claiming to be loyal to the Confederation, they promote the idea that the Confederation is wholly responsible for the war and devastation of the country and push the idea that the Confederation is selling Clysperis and its resources to foreign powers “just as they did the graves of the ancestors”.
Spoiler: examples of such propaganda • show
(https://i.postimg.cc/XYhSZWL4/60496-F0-C-97-A4-4606-98-B0-2-C70-CD2-DA034.jpg)
Confederation democracy in action: 57 dead in Apne
(https://i.ibb.co/nCQY14B/articfacts.png)
The number one export of the Confederation.
Q: What is the difference between Stalin and President Nekhtou?
A: Stalin never had the audacity to claim that he was raping the country for the good of the Clysperi people.
2. Pro Pharaoh Akasha propaganda: the message here is to put the stable and peaceful Clysperis in contrast with the civil war caused (according to them) by the Confederation.
Spoiler: examples of such propaganda • show
(https://i.ibb.co/yNwyhJc/honor-guard2.png)
The Tamoran Imperial honor guard welcoming Pharaoh Akasha during her visit to Djerb. Because having Djerb greet you with the highest of honors makes you their puppet.
(https://i.ibb.co/ftzKtTc/Clysperi1.png)
Heskinen (a large city in CLysperis that is now under the control of the Confederation) while under the rule of Phraoh Akasha
Heskinen “improved” with democracy thanks to the Confederation
(https://i.ibb.co/PYJprF0/comp100.png)
On the left, the Pharaoh recognized by almost all the countries of Mundus, the one who has criticized unapologetically the highest powers of Mundus, the one who represents more than four thousand years of tradition and soon to be part of the Safavid Imperial family aka just a “Tamoran puppet”.
On the right, the Confederation President, a man who is labeled as a terrorist by more states than he is recognized as president aka a “strong and independent leader”.
3. Anti-Coalition propaganda: Djerb is not shy to push anti- coalition propaganda though its web brigades. In case you were wondering, Tamora is not considered part of the coalition according to the propaganda. The messages they put forward paint the following picture: why has the coalition made of former antagonists (like Achkaerin) or countries that have little relations with MidAranye (NQF and Dragovah) amassed tens of thousands of troops and dozens of ships against a rebel force with little equipment and fewer numbers than the coalition? Because they want the oil of the country and because they have no intention of leaving, they have arrived in such high numbers so they could no longer be dislodged when the rebels are defeated so claims Djerb’s propaganda.
Spoiler: examples of such propaganda • show
Jokes:
Q: Why did the coalition forces send 20 thousand troops to Clysperis while Tamora only sent five thousand?
A: Because Tamora already has oil back home.
Q: What does a 20 plus ship coalition force do in the Gulf of Safren?
A: It looks for oil.
Q: How does the coalition plan to defeat the Confederation?
A: By making sure they get the oil first.
Q: What is a Clysperi free trade zone in coalition terms?
A: An oil rich zone where they trade oil free of Clysperi interference.
Q: Is it true that Emperor Peter of Achkaerin only agreed to help so he can take our oil?
A: Of course not, silly. He does it out of the kindness of his heart.
(https://www.railpictures.net/showimage.php?id=518516&key=8200417)
Can you see the difference between these coalition tanks and the Soviet ones?
That’s because there isn’t one. They are here for the same thing.
4. Pro Djerb propaganda: it is of little surprise that Djerb tries to paint itself of the savior of Clysperi people, that was always been there for Clysperis no matter what. The propaganda often puts the Tamoran forces in contrast with the rest of the coalition and presented as interested only in defeated the “terrorists”, aware of Clysperi culture and part of its history, fighting alongside the Common defense league etc. They are also not shy in promoting Tamora as a haven for Clysperi people.
Spoiler: examples of such propaganda • show
(https://theiranproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/basij-forces-drill-680x360.jpg)
Can you tell which one is Clysperi Common Defense League and which one is Tamoran? No, because they all fight for the same side.
(http://globedia.com/imagenes/noticias/2013/9/11/hallan-restos-mortales-soldados-iranies-irak_1_1828559.jpg)
Tamoran “masters” returning home.
Q: What does democracy mean?
A: Democracy happens when the people want to be ruled by Pharaoh Akasha, have good relations with Djerb but are not allowed because of foreign powers.
Q: If Tamora has always helped us in the past and continues to do so in the present, why are they oppressors?
A: Because they don’t have elections like Soviets did.
One of the key questions regarding the propaganda Djerb is spreading though its web brigades is how effective it is in convincing the Clysperi people to believe its message, especially when one has to take into account all the other weapons employed by Djerb’s propaganda machine of which we have described many in our previous article. We lack the proper tools to give an answer, we will however say that the “army” of people posting such messages all over CLysperi internet sites and social media does create the sensation of an overwhelming majority of support for Djerb’s message as it simply "drowns" all other opinions.
Before we conclude the article we also want to raise another issue of concern. When the war is over, and according to analysts it will likely lead to either a two state solution or a Pharaoh Akasha victory, it will be interesting to see how Djerb will “redeploy” the web brigades by promoting another message since it is unlikely that Djerb will dismantle such a weapon. If we were to guess, they will attempt to further promote Tamoran values among Clysperi people and solidify Pharaoh Akasha’s grip over her country.
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(https://i.postimg.cc/y8mkvHGm/Nekhtou.jpg)
President Nekhtou issued a plea for international attention.
Nekhtou Promises Change, Openness
President Nekhtou of the Clysperi Confederation has often lamented that foreign powers didn't take his offer to send observers. "I left an open offer, come, see what we are trying to build, and the world was silent," he said with lament. "Where is Rokkenjima, East Moreland, all the great fathers of freedom of choice in a moment like this? What more do we have to do to prove our intent? Why even try when the world is silent to your plight unless it benefits them?" he asked rhetorically.
"And now we've at least four armies aligned against us from foreign nations," the President continued. "I'm doing the best with what I have, I'm diverting resources from the front line to ensure that things like the Apne mosque attack don't happen again, but there's only so much I can do. We're out here fighting and dying for democracy, and the world passes us by as if everything is as it should be. We're fighting against over 2,000 years of religious dogma that says we're the devil for questioning a woman born into her position, yet she gets the support of all these foreign governments? The word of Mundus is hollow!" he continues with anger.
"Look, I'm doing what I can with the militias, and my invitation for observation remains. I'll halt my armies today if an international referendum effects a free Southern Clysperis; if we can't save our northern brothers, at least we can offer them an alternative. Give us a chance, meet with us, send observers, anything. Do not accept the lies of Beketaten!"
FMN has reached out to Pharaoh Akasha for a reaction. We will reach out once she has responded.
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(https://i.imgur.com/hegvgLO.png)
(https://i.postimg.cc/MZy4SSpB/Nekhtou2.jpg)
President Nekhtou speaks with FMN, offering a different look at a man not truly known to Mundus.
Nascent Clysperi Democracy Being 'Smothered In Crib' As Complacent Mundus Watches, Claims Nekhtou.
President Nekhtou of the Clysperi Confederation is a man who is somewhat hard to understand. When one looks at him at face value it is hard not to distrust him, to dislike him, for the conduct of forces under his command. "I didn't do enough," he says to me as he sets the glass of water down, "I didn't take the concerns seriously enough, soon enough, to prevent actions like that from taking place. We've completely distanced ourselves from the militias we had to rely upon at first and are now working solely with a young, but fully professional, Confederate Army of Clysperis. Once our Congress has had the opportunity to hold a formal vote, I also intend to see the Confederation sign the Uppsala Convention as well as the Mundus Convention for Universal Rights, two Treaties the Pharaoh has gone great lengths to not only not sign, but also to run an active campaign to undermine them."
As we spoke Nekhtou revealed that he is complex, multi-faceted, and that there is indeed more which is to be discovered about the man than what is publicly visible. "When the Pharaoh turned down the help offered by the IRSA I was shocked, I mean, these are people who dedicate their lives and specialize in crises like what we're seeing in Clysperis, and she basically tells them to kick dirt. The Confederation has airfields, and we're willing more than willing to work with the IRSA, that is if the Coalition is willing to allow their aircraft to operate for this humanitarian mission. Ms. Lusk, if you're watching, or if you read my words please, I know I may not be the man you wish to work with, but let's get these people out of harm's way and allow your talented people to do the work they live for."
Nekhtou laments, more than anything, the apparent apathy toward what he says is a movement for democracy. "Fleur, thus far, is the strongest voice for our democratic movement, yet you look for the great stewards of democracy and where are they? Silent, content to sit in comfort as this nascent democracy is smothered in its crib. One voice normally friendly to democracy, one of the most advanced militaries of Mundus, is instead aligned with the Pharaoh as she holds the pillow over our faces. Democracy isn't often seen in Midaranye, but when it's before you, when the lives of millions living in absolute poverty are right before you, you turn the other way and align yourselves with a tyrant. Then again, despite our advances in science, the advent of democracy, you look at all the great powers and the number of monarchies that comprises them, and perhaps it's of little wonder that democracy in Clysperis hasn't gained greater support. The rule of kings, queens, emperors and empress', this archaic system of governance is all too sadly the norm."
We spoke of the atrocities, which clearly moved Nekhtou, who stirred as I listed off the brutality forces under his command had carried out. "Again, I didn't take it seriously enough, and I didn't have the luxury of turning away fighters who were willing to align themselves against a so-called deity. I'm doing what I can though, purging the militias from my ranks, signing Uppsala, shifting our armed forces to a professional institution...it's not easy when you've this many armies aligned against you. When we're not fighting the Royalists and their allies we're trying to keep the lights on, fixing pipes that burst to keep clean water flowing, checking up on and delivering food to the elderly who can't go outside due to the conflict. Winning hearts and minds from the Pharaoh and the Church that keeps them in chains. Without help, we're stretching limited resources, and I know what happened initially was evil and it pains me that I didn't step up sooner to combat those elements. Many less would be dead."
"And the tomb raiders, they're being dealt with, arrested. I've posted what security I can at the tombs and temples while working with local police where I can't spare forces. I'm not a politician, I'm not as great an orator as Beketaten, my expertise is on the battlefield. I'm learning what to do on a daily basis and trying my best, I haven't had years of preparation for leading a nation like my opponents. But, by the grace of the People, I think I'm starting to do well and, if given a chance, Clysperis can have a brighter future. Maybe we'll have another opportunity like this but, if not, thank you for helping me to get my side of this story out. People need to see both sides of an issue, you know?"
Pharaoh Akasha, meanwhile, reached out to us and issued a short statement on Nekhtou's proposals.
"The Kingdom of Clysperis has been clear, and remains clear, that we do not negotiate with terrorists or cooperate with their efforts to gain legitimacy. Nekhtou is disgraced, betraying his vow to his Kingdom and his People, conducting actions which disrupt harmony, justice and all sense of good order within the Kingdom. There will be no referendum, no partitioning of Clysperis, only the destruction of the rebels and their campaign of murder, rape and theft. Honey-coated words will do nothing to bring back those killed by the forces of the Disgraced, nor the damage he has done to the Kingdom and its People."
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"PRINCE" JAMES WANTS TO RETURN HOME
In a videoed interview at an undisclosed location the fugitive "Prince of East Moreland" James Ironside has revealed that he wants to return home after nearly five years on the run. James was sentenced to life in prison following an attempted coup to replace his cousin, the current King of East Moreland, King David. However he and another prisoner managed to escape and have been on the run ever since. The coup was aided by the Borlanders and after his escape the Morelander royal was captured by the terrorists before escaping their clutches. During the interview it appears James' life on the run has been rather adventerous "I've been worshipped as a God in Zimalia, been part of a religious cult, was in Krokom during the disaster there, hid in Royal Seleucid during the genocide posing as a Odinist, I've been all over constantly looking over my shoulder. I'm never sure if a knock on the door is a Borlander looking for vengence, local police or maybe even a Red Legionnaire with orders to kill me."
FMN:- "So are you saying you believe your cousin would have you killed?"
JI: - "I believe he would yes. I may have only done 21 weeks in the East Moreland military before being declared "unfitting of military duty" but I saw enough to know that the East Moreland military would be capable of getting rid of someone they felt was an embarrassment or a threat. I'm sure if it came down to it if they couldn't be sure of the locals handing me over if they found me then they would wipe me out. I may have only been King of East Moreland a few days but in that time I know the military had trained for hits overseas if need be.
FMN:- "Do you think you'll ever be able to go home."
JI:- I wish I could say yes but honestly I think my cousin will never permit it. David is a man who is very much guided by his faith, in the eyes of the Cult of Helus I am essentially a cast out, a Lackblade as they call it in our faith. As long as that label remains he would struggle to treat me with anything other than contempt. Until the Cult accept me back in then I know David never can. Even if by some miracle the Cult did give me my name back David would then still see an issue with accepting me back because of how I allowed the family to be treated. I made the mistake of allowing the Borlanders to corrupt me via some friends I trusted over years unknowing they were essentially grooming me to be their puppet. I allowed them to target Freya and Joanna and so having targeted his beloved sisters I think that has sealed my fate.
FMN:- "You've a son you've never seen. Do you have any contact with him?"
JI:- My son Tristen is someone I think of all the time. Every year I've arranged through the internet to send a card and gift, Moonpig is great for sending them without compromising where I am. He'll be three years old now and I'm not even sure if he knows who his father is. I write letters to him regularly but know they can't be sent. I've got about 100 letters in a folder that I wish I could give him. I've not even been able to do the things a father should, begin smithing him a sword, teaching him about the Gods. I feel grateful to my cousin David for standing by Tristen's mother Charlotte and now I'll never be able to repay him for that.
FMN:- "You've also a wife out there somewhere and how is that relationship?"
JI:- I have no idea where she is, she has disappeared pretty much like I did from East Moreland. If I'm honest that was a scrape I got into that I didn't really think through. The issue being to divorce I'd need to appear in a court somewhere and I'm pretty sure if I did that I'd find an extradition order waiting for me. As such it means we're probably going to be married for a long time yet.
FMN:- "You recently visited the Celtic Protectorate in Royal Seleucid. Why should the international community listen to your views on that?"
JI:- I can appreciate why some people may not trust me. Ask yourself this though, I took a major risk going there and as a result what I say is something I think people should listen to. I've got no connection to any nation involved in this whole saga and so I'm not on any side, its not in my interest to aid anyone. I was able to visit undercover almost and so I'm more likely to be able to see what things are actually like rather than the propaganda show an announced visit would bring with it.
FMN:- "As someone who knows the Borlanders better than most people on Mundus what would you have to say about the Ruud Rumpelstilzchen (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=1692.msg15149#msg15149) interview where he says the conflict could be solved by "free cake and coffee, sitting down with each other and talking things through peacefully"?
JI:- This man has never meet an actual Borlander and I suspect reading some of his interview a real Morelander. Since King David began ending the nations isolation we've sent Morelanders around the world on annual exchanges or extended prison escapes. East Moreland doesn't really need its eyes opening to the world, I mean David is about to marry a Lodjain, that would never have been imagined ten years ago back home. What Ruud needs to also consider is this, the Borlanders don't want just a little bit of East Moreland they want the whole cake. This is not like someone saying "Give us Keepton and we'll be happy" this is someone wanting to fundamentally change a nations future direction. Kyle Barren as King is not a prospect I'd wish on the world, I wouldn't even want him being King of an apartment block.
FMN:- Do you think there is a solution to the Borlander issue?
JI:- It'll die out eventually. Look back to the Medieval period and you had tens of thousands of people who felt the Barren family were the ligitimate bloodline of Raimond Unasson. Now you've probably a few hundred. The only difference is that it is easier in todays world for a handful of people to make big waves. Look at the terror attacks in Tytor, a handful of people can make a huge impact on fighting for what they see as a cause. It gives the impression that the group enjoys much more support. I suspect as the years pass and more people switch to the view that the Unasson bloodline myth is just a metaphorical one the religious zealots will disappear and that will end the Borlanders support. Give it 100 years and this shall be a footnote of history.
FMN:- Is there a message you'd like to send your cousin King David
JI:- I don't think any would make a difference. I'd just like him to know that I regret being taken in by those I called friends, I had no idea they were Borlanders and they prayed on my insecurities as a young man. I was weak, I allowed myself to be manipulated and its happened time and time again. I believe fully I am a weak man and I need help. That help is not prison, even there I found myself being taken advantage of time and again. I need wise reliable people around me who will help me see how I should live my life. I pray daily to Helus that he will allow David and Freya to help me by letting me return home. I could accept house arrest, I could accept being constantly under guard and limited if it meant being able to see my son. If it meant being home and I could regain his trust. I do not wish to live a lonely life wandering Mundus overlooking my shoulder. I beg my cousin to allow me to have a home.
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Euirasia goes dark as military crackdown begins
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Photo: Tanks roll down Krimeon Boulevard in the Capital Maldun as military begins crackdown
Euirasia was plunged into a media blackout today as the military appears to have begun a widespread crackdown in the wake of the assassination of Prime Minister Ventham.
The blackout has seen the internet cut off across the country, while television and radio stations are broadcasting a repeating message that a curfew is in effect and for citizens to remain in their homes.
Foreign journalists have been restricted to their hotels with military guards posted in the lobbies to prevent them leaving to document the events. There are also reports of journalists having had equipment confiscated.
While the current situation makes it difficult to get information on what is happening on the ground some foreign correspondents have been able to find ways around the blackout to provide a scattering of reports. Our FMN reporter was able to snap the above image from the window of her hotel on the Krimeon Boulevard in Maldun, while she reports that gunfire can be heard in the distance.
Euirasia has endured over a year of civil disorder as the right-wing government faces down the unions and left wing opposition parties on the issue of economic and social reforms. The economic fallout of the mass strikes and daily disruption has left the country on the brink of complete collapse.
The Christmas Day assassination of Prime Minister Ventham led to the election of the hard line August Crassen to the role. Crassen of the Nationalist Party of Euirasia promised to utilise the full force of the state to end the crisis and it would seem he has wasted little time in setting about this.
The Euirasian government is yet to make an official statement, while the international community appears to have been caught off guard.
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PRESIDENT KRAVEC KILLED IN FAILED COUP ATTEMPT
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Vaclav Kravec, President of the Republic of Slava Lavosk, has been killed in a failed coup attempt. The President who rose to power in 2006 following the collapse of USR rule was a man with a contrasting figure, to many inside Slava Lavosk he was a man who saved the country and brought it out of the ashes of civil chaos, to many outside the nations borders he was a pariah.
The tragic events happened sometime during the night, as members of the Slavan military thought to be co-conspirators with Markus Bathory, Minister of Foreign Affairs and noted communist hardliner, raided one of President Kravec's estates in the ensuing gun battle the President was killed. In the capital city of Sarajevo there was further tragedy as Premier Merak was assassinated, only the swift response from Admiral Konrad Radvak, Minister of Defence, has prevented the country from returning to civil chaos. Speaking to the press this morning Admiral Radvak said the following:
"Today our country mourns a great man and a national hero. President Kravec gave so much to our nation and for that we shall always be thankful. Until such time as a Presidential elections can be held the cabinet has agreed that I am to act as interim President. In the hours after the attack on our President and following discovery of evidence we have arrested former Minister of foreign affairs Markus Bathory on charges of treason and conspiracy to murder. It appears Mr Bathory sought to replace President Kravec and return our proud nation to being under the boot of Communist rule from abroad. Today I send him and his conspirators this simple message, if you think just because President Kravec is gone that we're weakened then you are wrong because the fire and passion that Vaclav Kravec had for this nation burns deep within all of us, we will never again suffer under Communist rule, this is our home and it's future is ours to determine."
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President Nekhtou announced incoming elections for the Confederation.
Nekhtou Announces Elections
President Nekhtou has announced that next week will see the first elections held in Clysperis "in living memory" for "a Congress of the Confederates." Despite the losses suffered in Apne the President remains committed to enacting an agenda of Clysperi Democracy while warning the people to "Vote with Clysperis, not a Party, in your hearts. While one Party may promise swift reconciliation, and another the whole of Clysperis under a democratic regime, we cannot allow our democracy to fall into the trap of party over country. Vote well, vote often, but do not allow the will of the Party to smother the will of Clysperis."
"The road ahead is bigger than any one issue," the President continued, "and one vote alone will not heal our nation. Already Apne has fallen to the Pharaoh's foreign legion, and the calls of stalling our military efforts grow amongst certain political circles. We cannot rest, however, until our borders are secure. Should we stop where we are, with what we have, and build a Clysperis worth defending, one that stands free, strong and true? Perhaps, but that would leave our brothers to the North in chains. We shall see what the People call for at the ballot box."
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(https://i.imgur.com/hegvgLO.png)
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The liberation of Tarfu from rebel control has been celebrated by Tamoran media (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=1659.msg15517#msg15517) as both a major win for Pharaoh Akasha and as proof that the rebel government enjoys little popular support
Analyzing Tamoran involvement in the Clysperis civil war part 3: state building in Clysperis
A few weeks ago the town Tarfu has changed hands from the rebels to the Tamoran forces and their Clysperi allies, the Common Defense League. This is the largest settlement that is now under the control of the Tamoran coalition and gives us the opportunity to analyze what Djerb is doing in the regions of Clysperis it controls alone or together with its Clysperis allies. We have shown in the previous parts of our analysis that Djerb sees putting troops on the ground and fighting the rebels just one part of its effort in the Clysperis war. Now with settlements such as Tarfu under its control we now see them engaged in a new facet of the war: state building (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State-building#Definition). We will present below the steps Djerb has undertaken in Tarfu and its surrounding villages that show a consistent effort of Djerb towards their goal:
1. The commander of the Tamoran forces in Clysperis has decorated 5 militia members of the Common Defense League (CDL) with the Order of the Friends of the Prophet, the highest military decoration that can be given to non Tamoran military soldiers. This is part of an ongoing process to legitimize the CDL and also maintain close relations between the Tamoran military and the CDL.
(https://i.ibb.co/Khwb9b8/taminclysperis2.png)
Tamoran officer awarding the decoration to Clysperi militia member
2. Djerb has created a new paramilitary organization, called the Basij, with members from the rebel army that have switched sides to the Tamoran forces.
3. Djerb has begun pouring funds to rebuild the infrastructure of Tarfu which has been affected by the civil war. Djerb is aware that a large part of the population of Clysperis is becoming wary of the war and wants to show them that backing Pharaoh Akasha is the sure way to returning to their previous standard of living. Djerb is now funding the rebuilding of roads, utilities, schools and medical facilities. Also, the Tamoran forces on the ground are always quick to frame any attack the rebels do against them an attack on the fragile economy that is slowly rebuilding and presenting the rebels as terrorists.
4. The medical facilities in Tarfu have been receiving free medical equipment as well as volunteer medical staff to operate the facilities.
(https://i.ibb.co/P5xbLBb/taminclysperis.png)
Tamoran medical staff and equipment has been brought to Tarfu to help the medical system of the town
5. Djerb has been using its influence to over the large Tamoran business to pressure and incentivize them to continue working with Clysperis businesses. The announcement (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=1071.msg15511#msg15511) made by Polakis Energy, the company in charge of the construction of the Haghighi Dam, that they continued to work with Clysperi companies despite the civil war in Clysperis is not a singular case. Many Tamoran big businesses have continued to do so under pressure from Djerb which is giving the Clysperi a lifeline they badly need under the current conditions. Of course, Djerb has made sure that Clysperi businesses from the rebel side are no longer welcomed to do businesses with Tamora thus rewarding Clysperi that are loyal to Pharaoh Akasha as well as crippling the economy of the Clysperi rebel state.
These are just some of the steps Djerb has undertaking to both increase their influence in Clyperis as well as prop up support for Pharaoh Akasha and her government. Knowing the Tamorans, there is no doubt that there are other measures that they undertook which are more discrete and have yet to surface.
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First Minister Absent
Masood al-Nour, the First Minister of Abuqiya and the country’s de facto leader has seemingly vanished from the public scene. The first Minister was last seen in an official address to the Qiyadi public regarding the developments of the Clysperi civil conflict, a conflict which has become a major concern for the Midaryane nation who shares a border with the war-torn nation. It is unclear why the First Minister has yet to make a public appearance since then, even to the people of Abuqiya who seem equally perplexed by the vanishing.
Prior to the disappearance the First Minister and officials aligned with the Monarch of the nation did appear to have disagreements regarding the unfolding situation in Clysperis. The ruler and his supporters sought to establish a humanitarian effort via “Refugee Centers” which would accommodate incoming Clysperi Refugees. The First Minister and his own supporters were opposed to the idea. Citing financial problems caused by the effort.
Government spokespersons have remained quiet on the topic. Though seeming to silently acknowledge the absence of the First Minister. The sudden vanishing of a prominent official has led to a plethora of speculations. From a discreet resignation on the Minister’s part to rumor of a political purge. Many are seeking answers to the alarming development within Abuqiya. Regardless of what may be the truth, the Government of Abuqiya appears to be continuing with business as usual. Discourse is underway regarding the possible appointment of a new First Minister in the country’s legislative assembly; the Supreme State Congress of Representation and National Interests (SSCRNI) .
For now all many can do is wait and speculate.
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First Minister Ousted Over WMRA Links
Marcello Catino the first Minister of Awhaele has been ousted from office following a vote of no confidence in the Awhaele Parliament. The vote follows allegations emerging over the weekend that Mr Catino was linked to the Vaguzian terrorist group the WMRA. In a statement following the vote Mr Catino apologized for the situation, however he is expecting to be investigated in relation terrorist offences and has pledged to fully cooperate.
In the interim the political landscape of Awhaele is now up in the air as the vote of no confidence triggers a snap election, and leaves many people wondering if the days of Vaguzian sister parties holding sway are over.
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Smoke rises over Makeni in the aftermath of a government air attack
Merinan War: Mass Gas Attack in Makeni
(Makeni, Merina) "Mass casualties" are reported in the wake of a suspected government chemical attack on the densely-populated rebel stronghold of Makeni, part of an ongoing offensive by government troops in the region. In shocking images, first published by Kaedwen's Daily Sun newspaper, Merinan National Air Force aircraft can be seen dropping bombs somewhere in the city centre, moments before a cloud of the suspected chemical weapon engulfs the area.
Medical services within the city - still believed to be held by the Merinan Peoples' Army - have been reportedly overwhelmed by the attack, according to a statement from the Merinan Red Cross. In this statement, Kubu Ngei, the head of the Red Cross in Merina described the strike as a "despicable act, made by a regime which has long since abandoned all pretense of morality", going on to describe the conditions of medical services inside the city as "completely overwhelmed; we've seen these kind of attacks in the past, but never on this scale, we simply weren't prepared to deal with this many casualties... made even worse since almost all those we've been treating have been noncombatants - the area targeted is miles behind the front lines. There can be no justifying this, the intention was solely to spread terror amongst the defenseless..."
The true number of casualties may never be known, though it is suspected to number in the thousands, if not higher.
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Tamora makes use again of the web brigades just like in the Clysperi civil war
Analyzing the Tamoran involvement in the Merinan civil war
With the civil war in Clysperis concluded ( we also have a series on the Tamoran involvement there that can be checked here (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=214.msg14874#msg14874) and here (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=214.msg14945#msg14945) and here (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=214.msg15557#msg15557) ) Tamora seems to have gotten involved in another civil war. This time however it is on a different continent and in a country they have few relations prior to their involvement. Still, the Tamora seems to apply some of the same methods that have proven successful in Clysperis. One aspect we will be focusing on is the online propaganda that Djerb's cyber brigades have started to engage in. We have analyzed the social media in Merina and we have come to the following conclusions:
1. The Tamoran cyber brigades are focusing on promoting the idea that President Nguessa is the only solution to a peaceful Merina. The articles, comments and video blogs that have sprung up recently push the narrative that any other option is not just worse but that they have no chance to win and that they only continue the conflict for their personal gain. Slogans and hash tags like "Merina United" , "One Merina" , "Peace in Merina" are all used for pro Nguessa propaganda painting the idea that Nguessa equals peace and an united Merina while all others just want to carve a piece for themselves. It is worth noting that the propaganda deployed seems to be aware that Nguessa is not popular in the country so the focus is more to present him as the rational choice, the best option among those available or the best option to bring peace fast since he alone can make the other stop fighting. In order to alleviate public concerns they also promote the idea that Nguessa will allow for elections once the other factions have been defeated.
2. Tamoran propaganda has steadily increased since Tamora has made public its involvement in the civil war. We have monitored the number of posts, articles and sites that are pro Nguessa and the increase has been steady and substantial.
3. There has been a spike in comments on social media immediately after the chemical attack became public all pushing the narrative that the rebel forces are getting desperate and have resorted to using chemical weapons to get the international community’s attention. Any opinions suggesting the government might be responsible is immediately drowned with questions like "why would the government gas its own people when it is winning? ", " why would it do that now that the whole world is watching"? Etc. There is a coordinated effort to pin the chemical incident on the forces of National Liberation Army.There are dozens of articles and dubious sites dedicated to the incident which present circumstantial evidence at best that the forces of National Liberation Army are behind the incident.
4. There is an effort to create the narrative that Nguessa’s forces are winning battle after battle and that the more the war drags on, the more the people suffer since the outcome has already been decided. All collateral damage and destruction are presented as being caused by the stubbornness of the other factions that continue fighting instead of making peace with Nguessa.
5. There is a coordinated campaign to paint the other factions and especially their leadership in the worse possible light. The communist faction is painted as wanting to wipe out religion, Marshal Diakame Bemba is painted as a power hungry wannabe dictator that will kill all those who did not support him, the Free State as amoral foreigners stealing the resources of the country and Pindari Fedayeen as secessionist wanting to oppress the Catholic minority in their areas or even to engage in potential cultural genocide should they ever become independent.
6. Because Tamora has very few historical connections with Merina, it has been more subtle in promoting its involvement in Merina and it is usually done in contrast or opposition with the other Council of Albion countries which are presented as wanting to take control of the resources and impose their will on Merina. The fact that Tamora is not rich like the Council of Albion countries is presented as prrof that they are not a nation which has made their wealth from stealing from other countries. It is an attempt to paint Tamora as more trustworthy to understand the needs of Merina and to not attempt to “neo colonize” the country. The Clysperis civil war is often cited as an example of where Tamora was involved and brought peace quickly. The role of the other coalition partners in that war is simply ignored as is Tamora involvement with slavery.
7. The campaign also focuses on presenting a vision for a post war Merina. Since the announced Tamoran involvement in the civil war there has been a spike in the number of mentions about the Tamoran investments in Zimalia and how those could be replicated in Merina. All this goes to create the impression that should the fighting stop, very soon prosperity would begin to return to Merina.
It seems that just like in the Clysperi civil war, Djerb pays close attention to the public opinion on the ground and is actively engaged in trying to influence people's opinions and perceptions.
It is hard if not impossible to accurately assess the effectiveness of the ongoing Tamoran propaganda campaign and it will remain to be seen what its impact will be. For now we can say that their propaganda is extensive to the point that it seem to drown most other narratives that are critical of President Nguessa.
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(https://i.imgur.com/hegvgLO.png)
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AWHAELE ELECTS NEW GOVERNMENT - "SOVEREIGNTY QUESTION" TO BE RESOLVED
Following the ousting of Marcello Catino from the office of First Minister, in the wake of his links to the WMRA, elections have been held in Awhaele and the newly elected First Minister is Joachim Mortimer, from the Awhaele Liberal Party. The first act of the First Minister has been to announce that a three way referendum on the future of the territory will be held at the end of June, which will see "the status of the island resolved and the sovereignty question answered." the territory of Awhaele has been governed under a joint Achkerinese/Vaguzian treaty since 1880 but the treaty was not renewed by Vaguzia this year which coupled with the recent ousting of the former first minister is the basis on which the referendum is warranted. The referendum will see three options on the ballot paper 1) Achkaerinese sovereignty over Awhaele 2) Vaguzian sovereignty over Awhaele or 3) an Independent Awhaele.
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THE MINORITY OF MORELAND
East Moreland today began the first of several repatriation flights for some 80,000 Lakhzovian refugees to their homeland. Of the 80,000 who were evacuated through the Utman Conflict in Lakhzovia only 874 of the refugees will be remaining in East Moreland. This mirrors a similar process during the Mavrosia refugee crisis several years ago where some 35,000 refugees were evacuated to East Moreland and all but 1,000 returned home. It begs the question of why when the government of East Moreland are so open to taking refugees why do so few remain after in what for the Lakhzovians at least has been a lengthy stay. One need only look at the demographics of East Moreland to see that it is perhaps one of the least diverse nations on Mundus. 97% of the East Moreland population define themselves as "White", with 92% identifying as "White-Morelanders". In addition 95% of the population identify as devotees of the Cult of Helus while among the remaining 5% are the faithful of the Sisterhood of Helus and even a handful of the Helusan faith, which in essence means that perhaps less than 3million Morelanders describe their faith as "non-Helus related." It begs the question the as to why East Moreland seems to be the land that lacks diversity so we went on a journey to explore the lives of the the minorities of East Moreland.
If we look at how a nation can measure equality it is how minorities are represented in their elected parts of government. In East Moreland that means the 350 person Representative Council which is elected every five years. The Council has only existed for five years however has in that time seen two rounds of elections because of resignations and reshuffles which gave no party a majority. Out of the 700 potential seats that have been determined in those elections not a single person from a minority race has been elected as a Councillor. The lack of diversity goes even further with only 5 non-white candidates standing. The other part of the East Moreland government is the King's Council which as the name suggests is selected by the monarch there has only ever been one member from a minority background and that was Edward Tamana (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=91.msg330#msg330) who served as both a Science and Technology Minister before becoming Foreign Minister, his time in the King's Council lasted just under five years however as irregularities in his National Service forced him to resign. Tamana is the son of Zimalian immigrants who moved to East Moreland in the 1980's. We caught up with Mr.Tamana, who is currently lecturing in International Politics at Keepton University, to hear about his experiences. "Growing up in Rockhampton I was very aware of being different to the other children. I don't remember life in Zimalia as we moved when I was two years old so life in East Moreland has always been what I know. It was hard at times to make friends because I was seen as different, there was name calling and bullying. Quiet a lot of it was calling me racist names but the adults in my life, by that I mean people like teachers and football coaches, always stood up for me and stopped it. They always made the people doing it ashamed by reminding them the Code of Canley made it their duty to protect people who needed help. It wouldn't solve the problem overnight but it helped. I think though as people get older they perhaps understand the Cult's teachings more and became more accepting. I found my 16 weeks in the military very eye opening and realised why there is perhaps a problem for those of us from immigrant backgrounds to make our way in the world. East Moreland has such an entrenched military tradition that people place an emphasis on traditions like serving in the same units as grandparents. There was even a guy in our platoon called Jack....I can't recall his surname sadly, who was the 11th generation of his family to serve in the unit. As such he was automatically like part of the furniture. Meanwhile when asked about my families military history the fact my Dad was a militia man in the Berko tribe didn't quiet give me the same respect Jack had. When you go into a job in civilian life, so in my case OsmanTech, the idea of your families military heritage becomes important again until you've proved yourself. Once you've done that then there are no problems. I was lucky that I was able to raise pretty far as I was great at my jobs, I in the end let myself down and I feel guilty as I now think people will view the fact I falsified my national service record as a reflection on others from immigrant families."
It seems then according to Tamana that the root of the lack of diversity in key parts of East Moreland isn't down to racial discrimination but rather down to a lack of "Moreland Heritage" through things like their military service. We then went to speak to Lance Fusilier Promising Winthrop, whose grand-parents moved from Zimalia to East Moreland in the 1960's, he is one of around 150 "Career Legionnaires" in the East Moreland military. As a nation with a manditory 24 months National Service programme all Moreland citizens are required to undertake 16 weeks of military training before being streamed into either military service or alternatives such as environmental conservation, auxiliaries in hospitals or helping look after national memorials. Many though elect after their 16 weeks to sign up for a career in the military and sign on for a minimum term of 5 years as a "Career Legionnaire." That is exactly what L/Fus Winthrop did at 18 and now four years later he is looking to extend his service for a further decade. "I grew up in Northfort and as the capital we perhaps saw a little bit more diversity than the other cities in East Moreland. When I turned up for the military though there were questions asked about where my family had served, neither of my parents had done the full term of national service in the military and so I found myself already looked down upon. I loved the training though, I've always been really active and sporty so it became second nature. When I graduated top of my intake I wasn't offered a place in my first choice unit and so was surprised as I wanted the Royal Northfort Rifles as they're a very prestigious unit. At first I thought it might have been because I was not a "Morelander" in some people's eyes however later that day the Training Centre's Commander took me to one side and said they were sending me to the Rapid Advancement Course which helps promising soldiers become leaders quicker. I was the first black soldier to attend and people trusted I was a capable soldier. It did mean though going to the Fusiliars as they lacked NCO's at that time but I got over the disappointment of not joining the rifles as I'm effectively 18 months further along in my career than I would have." L/Fus Winthrop has served in Seaforth and Royal Seleucid operations and has since our interview had his service extended further and is being admitted to Officer Training School should he complete the next 12 months with no demerits on his record, this would make him the first black officer in the East Moreland military.
East Moreland lacks not just ethnic diversity but diversity of religion. We spoke to High Priestess of the Cult of Helus Skye Maddix who offered one potential reason why. "To the Cult of Helus East Moreland is THE Holy Land. Every bit of soil was once walked upon by Helus himself I think therefore this pulls to East Moreland cultists across the world. People wanting to reconnect with the Gods or in some cases people who have discovered the Gods and now want to live alongside them. Take our Queen for example, not a Cultist herself but a follower of the ideals of Helus. Long before becoming Queen she opted to come and live in East Moreland. The Cult is the centre of daily life here, its traditions shape our calendar and our attitudes. It perhaps is something that puts people of other faiths, such as say Catholics, off from living here. Its not that they are not welcome just perhaps the land isn't as appealing." This is an argument that is perhaps clear to see as the nation where most immigrants to East Moreland come from is Bakkermaya, a nation that shares both a language and religious connection with East Moreland however their are hints of perhaps more discreet attempts to maintain the Cult as the dominant force in East Moreland. A long standing law prevents any building of a religious use standing higher than the Temple of Helus in a settlement. In the capital of East Moreland that means no religious building may stand higher than 98.9 meters ensuring the Cult retains a visual dominance of any settlements skyline. In addition to this the Temples of the Cult play a huge role in day to day life as social hubs. For example even as a Christian living in East Moreland it is likely if your a rugby playing youth the Cult will be helping organise local leagues, the Cult will run local youth clubs and the Cult will be hosting major festivals throughout the year that appeal to young people. As a result of this it is easy to see why so many immigrants, such as the parents of Edward Tamana and Promising Winthrop converted to the Cult. For some this is done by a genuine warmth towards the Gods as described by Skye Maddix however some it will be a feeling of necessity with the need to have a "Sword Ceremony" a kind of coming of age ceremony for Cultists, being almost a requirement for many routes to success in East Moreland. Without a Sword Ceremony you can not hold political office and you can not be part of any of East Moreland's prestigious orders of chivalry. While there are routes to having sword ceremonies created for non Cultists these still require an individual to be approved by a Priestess of the Cult giving the religion a significant influence that perhaps limits the spread of other religions.
East Moreland is by no means alone in its lack of diversity. Waddan is perhaps even less ethnically diverse than East Moreland, largely thanks to its long isolation and nomadic lifestyle. Religiously Nya Aland is perhaps less diverse but this is done by design through their pro-Odinist anti-non Odinist laws. It therefore remains a sociological mystery why East Moreland lacks real diversity. We asked the government how things might be made easier for minority groups to flourish in East Moreland and current Chief Councillor Grant Nightingale meet us in the Museum of Blades in Northfort, a place where East Moreland venerate the swords that play a central part in many cultural traditions. The highest ranked elected official in the nation choose the venue for a specific purpose and took delight in showing us the blades on display. A vast timeline of sword design and technology from the Bronze Age until modern day. Among them designs from various places across Mundus, one he was keen to show was the replica of the sword of Anezaki Ayanami. "Today people were surprised that a Lodjain has ended up as a Queen of East Moreland, lets remember though that she isn't the first. We've seen through Paul the Explorer a Achkaerin Queen, we've seen him make connections with Rokkenjimans and Paul's followers ended up setting up communities and living in Bakkermaya and even Royal Seleucid. We've shown historically East Moreland embraces and welcomes others. It does though seem that we lost our way in this process some 300 years ago when superstition and "Prophecy" shut us down. Its something that will get reversed and we are gradually seeing it come through. There are no barriers to minorities in East Moreland and I think that one day we will see a Black Chief Councillor, I think it may take at least a decade as our society sees military service as such an important qualification for public service and it will take time for 2nd generation immigrants to complete their service and make their way up the ranks. It will happen, Edward Tamana opened a door that anyone else can easily walk through."
Nightingale though may have to wait longer than a decade. With Promising Winthrop set to become East Moreland's first black military officer and with what he hopes is 15 years more military service ahead of him then a suitable individual with the preferred military service may take more time. Even L/Fus Winthrop isn't sure this is a path he wants to follow. "There has been in the history of Red Legion one black Legionnaire, but never a Red Legion officer. I hope to change that. I'd like to think that when the time comes to leave the military I'll be in my late 40's and then hopefully a career in intelligence could be a path I'd take, perhaps my ultimate aim could be to be the first black Head of the National Intelligence Agency." It is clear however that despite these lofty ambitions there are not yet many others to follow in his footsteps in what may be the most un-diverse nation on Mundus.
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AWHAELE REFERENDUM RESULT
The Awhaele referendum result has been announced, the people were voting on the future sovereignty of their nation, the options on the ballot paper were as previously reported Achkaerinese sovereignty, Vaguzian sovereignty or independence from both. The results of the referendum were as follows:
Achkaerinese Sovereignty - 65%
Vaguzian Sovereignty - 22%
Independence - 13%
So a clear result in favour of Achkaerinese sovereignty, to some it may seem a shock however with a population that's majority wise made of Achkaerinese and Vaguzian nationals its perhaps not that surprising that the independence vote didn't gain traction. It's also likely that the recent debacle with the former First Minister of Awhaele being linked with the WMRA swung undecided voters toward the Achkaerinese option. The current First Minister Joachim Mortimer spoke following the declaration of the result saying: "Today we have a clear result and a direction that we as an island wish to take, accordingly I will be contacting the Achkaerinese Government in the next few hours and we shall begin the transition to the future that the people have voted for."
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JOSIAH RHODES PUTS TO SEA QUIETLY RAISING QUESTIONS
As Cecelia Anselmo makes steam for Portworth, East Moreland another Reverence Class battleship, IRF Josiah Rhodes steamed quietly in the Rokkenjima Sea. Imperial High Command declined several requests for comment as to the deployment of the supposedly decommissioned class of ship, however, sources who did speak with us have claimed that Josiah Rhodes is serving as a testbed for further automation of the Reverence Class. The program has a reported goal to see the compliment reduced to 975-1,000 per vessel, further improvements upon the propulsion systems of the class, as well as pairing the Reverence Class with a carrier which would field the new Akuma autonomous fighter.
"The focus of the Empress remains on a fleet which pays greater attention to the submersible capabilities of the IRN," one such source shared with us, "however, much time and funds have been devoted to the Reverence Class and the Harbinger shells which are employed upon them. Providing fire support to Rokkenjiman forces is a role which the Reverence Class was tailored for, and one which some within Imperial High Command wish to invest further in. Josiah Rhodes has seen further modifications, with work being attempted to automate her turrets, reducing the crew required to operate them from nearly 100 to 25-35. These projects represent the ambitious goals of Abstergo and Rosa Shipyards in reducing the crew requirements of the Reverence Class beyond the reduced yields already realized.
While it remains to be seen whether this project is an active pursuit of the Imperial Rokkenjiman Navy or an experimental pursuit which serves as a testbed for other projects the IRN is pursuing, it does raise the question as to why a second vessel from a class which has been formally removed from active service has set to sea. Those we spoke to theorized that only three or four of the Reverence Class would be pressed back into service under this alleged program. "The firepower of the Reverence is apparent, so too is the changed world in which we live. We will see what comes of this project, if it is intended for utilization in the Imperial Rokkenjiman Navy or if these tests are a part of some pursuit which we do not clearly understand as of yet."
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Grissin Human Trafficking and Drug Bust
The Griss Confederacy has long been an isolated bulwark from the rest of Mundus. The Council of Elders, its leading executive government body, has mostly ignored Mundus because it maintains that the nation has few ties and meaningful connections outside its borders. Outside of the political idealism of this belief is the reality that the Confederacy is deeply connected to the international criminal world. The Confederacy refusing to cooperate on any level with foreign and international intelligence and policing agencies has devastated the security of the nation. Because of this the Griss is a major player in international money laundering, the organ trade and drug, arms, and human trafficking.
But the country has chosen that rather than dealing with this, it is better to sweep these things under the rug. It has long been theorized that the Confederate government can't tackle these crimes due to heavy rates of corruption in lower government offices and urban police districts. Any legitimate effort to investigate political corruption is mired by infighting and scandal until it disappears. Speculators say that if the government were to make a fully realized effort to stamp out corruption, it would take years and millions, if not billions, of Guilders.
This situation has dramatically changed as of yesterday. In a stunning raid, the IDNPD (Illegal Drug and Narcotic Policing Division) were able to bust a major drug and human trafficking safe house. The house had over §30 million in drugs and narcotics (divided between mainly between cocaine and heroin), another §10 million in cash, over 100 firearms and 40 unidentified individuals thought to be victims of human trafficking. It is believed that the safe house is a transit location as the victims are both domestic and foreigners. Some of the international victims come from countries such as Toshikawa, Neuva Ardia and Lodja. It is currently believed by the IDNPD that international victims are meant for domestic sex trafficking while the Grissin victims were meant to be sold abroad. The raid is reported to have been relatively peaceful, the criminals were stunned by the IDNPD storming the safe house and quickly surrendered.
It is reported that several high-ranking members of various criminal organizations were among those taken into custody. An IDNPD spokesperson said that, "this could be one of the biggest breaks in Confederate history. From these criminals we get everything. We get their ties to the government, we know which cops dirty, which judges are being paid off. But the difficulties are in is the international nature of these crimes. We've never had to really deal with foreign nationals before." Foreign language specialists had to have been flown in from across the nation to translate.
The Confederate government has made no comment as of yet. Sources state that the government is quietly exploring avenues to deal with the situation. This is said to include reaching out to foreign governments.
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Report On Religious Oppression in Aschlon
Please note: PORs are the official designation for people who openly worship in the People’s Republic of Aschlon
This report, written by Willaim Donald, follower of the Manist religion and once teacher at the University of the Low Lands, has written and published this report to inform the rest of Mundus on the injustice facing open worshippers of faiths in Aschlon.
Employment
In a series of questions to 256 business owners on religion, 27.9% said that they would not employ PORs, 44.3% said they would be hesitant to employ PORs and 27.8% said that religion was not a factor in deciding who to employ.
As is publicly known, the option to join the military, ASSO or the police force is not available to PORs, apparently due to security concerns, as well as protecting the right to dishonourably dismiss anyone who converts to faith whilst serving.
In addition, ASSO’s ability to remove from employment people who teach or care for minors has been used almost exclusively on PORs. This has apparently stopped many minors from being influenced by PORs at a young age, stopping any chance that they could be converted.
There has also been a limit on how much a POR is allowed to be paid, with a maximum salary of 32000 Fiste. If they are paid more than the limit or have multiple occupations, their wealth is confiscated for use by the state. This was apparently put in place to discourage them from taking well paying jobs from non-PORs.
The most likely reason for PORs being held back employment wise is most likey due to discrimination, not security claims.
Representation in Media and Education
PORs are often represented badly in modern day Aschlonian fiction. Most fictional tales, both in literature and television, in Aschlon are written with religious characters being portrayed as the antagonist or rival of the protagonist. The few Aschlonian ones that do present them in a positive light are often quietly taken off the market.
Religious Education is not a subject taught in Primary or Secondary Schools, however it is taught in most universities. In the rare case it is taught, RE presents religion in an extremely negative light, which is opposed to the usual way of teaching subjects with a neutral view.
The majority of foreign media is usually much more expensive compared to native Aschlonian works, probably to discourage purchasement.
It should also be noted that the process required to obtain a religious scripture, such as the Bile or Qur'an, is rather similar to the process of getting a gun, with the purchaser being marked down as a POR, their family and employers being notified as well as extensive background checks.
PORs are also not allowed to work in any news broadcasting service, including newsletters as insignificant as a school newsletter.
Civilian Rights
PORs are not given the same amount of rights as non-PORs. They, for example, are not allowed to own a gun, get married in an open ceremony, or collect unemployment benefits. Until several weeks ago (3/09/20) they were also illegible for homeless benefits, free health care or public transport, however the Tarc reversed these policies.
There is no law stopping PORs and non-PORS marrying, except that the newly wedded couple will both be classed as PORs, as well as their next generation of children.
The children of two PORs are not classed as such, except in the aforementioned example. However, any action that would result usually result in being classed as a POR, for example attending a religious service or having evidence of prayer.
Lynching and Looting
The Lynching of PORs (or suspected PORs for that matter) is sadly not uncommon in the capital, Hootoft City. Though the government actively attempts to stop these lynchings, due to the often crowded streets and ban on vehicles bigger than a bicycle, by the time the police arrive to try stop them it is too late, and the perpetrators have disappeared into the crowd.
In addition, very rarely (about 4 or 5 every year) POR owned shops will be looted, often with all its stock being robbed and massive damage to the fixtures on the property. Unlike looting, the government takes very few steps to prevent this.
Public View
The large percentage of the population are not PORs. Due to anti-religious propaganda (usually done by ASSO), terror attacks done by groups such as the NACG as well as the King’s policies (apparently instructed to him by God) public opinion of religion is low, particularly in the Hootoft provenance. The opinion generally goes up the further you get from Hootoft, with the Eastern Island and Mainland having a much better (yet still negative) opinion on religion.
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THE KAITAINE STALEMATE
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Today marks the third anniversary of the ending of what is often known as the Seige of Seitch, an event sparking what is essentially a civil war within Kaitaine. Back in 2017 the Western city of Seitch was ordered to be evacuated on "environmental and health" grounds by the Soviet government of Kaitaine, the city however contained a large number of people still loyal to the outlawed Bene Gesserit faith who see the city as one of two Holy sites. With a large number of its residents refusing to move and an early attempt by a Light Infantry unit to clear the city failing the city became besieged and the world was introduced to the Truthsayers, an all female religious militia, who effectively held out against the seige for several months. It was then on October 18th 2017 that an event now called the "Liberation of Seitch" by the Bene Gesserit but the "Horror of Seitch" by the Soviets took place. During the night a force of Truthsayers had apparently treked across the desert which dominates Western Kiataine and in a co-ordinated assault with those within the city defeated the beseiging force. To date no one has discovered where exactly those who walked across the desert began from however some of those involved came from nations such as Ui Cenneslaig, Achkaerin, Aosta and Cantabria where the Bene Gesserit diaspora access private schools known as Chapterhouse Lifeboats which are named after the faiths so called Holy Island which is in the East of Kaitaine. Over the next few months there were back and forth skirmishes through the region saw the Truthsayers establish themselves in the city which now three years later has returned to almost daily routine life.
While the Soviet forces would normally be able to easily overwhelm the Truthsayers there have been two huge stumbling blocks to this. The first is the geology of the area. It is well known that Kaitaine is a nation rich in coal and several seems run under the city itself. Experts speculate that the use of certain weapons could ignite the close to surface coal seams causing a fire that would be burning underground potentially for decades. The second factor is that in the months following the battle at Seitch the Soviet forces fell into disarray with sabotage of equipment, high profile assassinations, espionage and desertions all taking place by members of the Bene Gesserit faith who had seemingly infiltrated the Kaitaine Defence Forces over a long period of time hoping for a chance such as this. Recent estimates have reached the opinion that around 10% of the Soviet forces may infact be loyalists to the Bene Gesserit cause however because of the nature of Soviet media and reporting many intelligence experts suspect this number may be as high as 15%. One example of what these infiltrators have achieved was evident at an airbase just outside the capital of Arrakeen where around three months ago a pair of explosions saw a supply depot used to house components for the Air Force and a large fuel depot destroyed. The Soviet media portrayed this as a failed assault by the Truthsayers however local residents who we managed to interview said there was no sound of gunfire or any other indication of military action beyond the explosions of the depots.
Out in the East of the nation the geography of the nation is also no friend to the Soviets. The border between the territory controlled by the Bene Gesserit and Soviets is largely made up of a network of steep and high mountains making it extremely easy to stop an advance through them. The Bene Gesserit have become experts at repulsing these kind of attacks with effective use of IED's and having an extensive knowledge of the underground network of caves that are present in the region. That left only the Southern Highway which ran through the town of Secundas. This town was reinforced heavily by the Soviets however in May 2019 this strategic point was capture when a Regiment of KDF effectively began fighting among itself following the assassination of its commanding officer by a Bene Gesserit loyalist known as Ruth McSheffrey, who had been married to a KDF major for 10 years. Today McSheffrey is living in Secundas under the control of the Bene Gesserit. She told us about the day she effectively caused a civil war within her ex-husbands regiment. McSheffrey is a member of the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood holding the rank of an Honored Matres. "Normally we are attached to significant members of the faith to help bring about the birth of the Kwizach Hadrach. In Kaitaine though we have been used as information gatherers. I was presented with a chance to get inside a high ranking circle of officers and then when the liberation began we took a chance and I had only really hoped to take out the officers, I never expected the unit to have so many loyalists." Today the city is heavily fortified and has a strong prescence of both the Truthsayers and their male militia men known as Pangolins. The Soviets meanwhile explain that the city is effectively being used as a holding centre by the Bene Gesserit for those unwilling to convert to their faith and point to the checkpoints present that they claim prevent people from leaving. The Soviet High Command claim the only reason they have not retaken the town is because it would cause "a huge loss of innocent life." From our reporters visit to the town however we are of the belief that people are free to come and go largely as they wish.
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A typical pass between the "Theocracy" and the Soviet controlled Kaitaine
What many would perhaps accurately call a civil war is in effect now more a case of probing attacks along the divide between the territory each control. Over the last year the Truthsayers admit that a total of 62 of their members have been killed either in combat or through execution after being discovered in Soviet Society, this number even included a 42 year old woman who was a secretary to Vice President Vadik Pasternak. On the other hand the Soviets claim that only 17 members of their armed forces have died in the last 12 months yet from what our reporter saw this number is a massive under report. During their stay in Seitch they witnessed a group of trucks return from duty in the Highlands and they brought with them a number of injured KDF soldiers, these alone told us that they had originally been 30 men in their unit, however only 7 remained the rest believed to have been killed. Those who find themselves in custody in Seitch are locked up in the old dungeon of the Red Palace in Seitch and we were granted permission to speak with them. We saw around 200 people in conditions that are not ideal but certainly are not designed to be inhumane. They are feed, given access to washing facilities and access to medical care. Those we spoke too complained of being kept undergound since their capture which in some cases has been two years. They have though been permitted to write to their families and it is understood the Truthsayers distribute these letters by essentially posting them from within the Soviet controlled part of Kaitaine. Letters though can not be recieved. We contacted the parents of one such soldier who asked us to keep his name out of our report. They had recieved two letters and explained that they now believed others may be being intercepted by the Soviets keen to push the narrative that the Bene Gesserit execute Prisoners of War. Those capture by the Soviets however are routinely tried for either treason or terrorism and executed.
In terms of what the future holds it would seem that a long standing stalemate will last for potentially years. It is clear the KDF can not put together an effective push to retake the territory that the Bene Gesserit have claimed due to the lack of trust in their own forces. Meanwhile the Bene Gesserit lack the heavy firepower, air force and manpower to push the borders of what they control any further. The prospect of a negotiated ceasefire is also impossible. The Bene Gesserit believe the land they claim is sacred and are unlikely to give up any of it without a fight. Additionally the fact that Chapterhouse Island which sits just off the East coast of Kaitaine is seen as the faiths most sacred site and is firmly under Soviet control is likely to mean the Bene Gesserit couldn't accept a compromise. A more likely end to the stale-mate would perhaps come only if Rodinha, a nation rebuilding itself after its collapse, joined the conflict or perhaps if Chistopol, a nation to the North of Kaitaine and bordering the "Theocracy", could be persuaded to enter the conflict against their former Soviet occupiers. Additionally as the Bene Gesserit seek more recognition as a legitimate religion they could find support elsewhere. The faith was labelled as terrorists in many nations after they sought to steal nuclear waste from East Moreland, an incident that Erin McGregor, the head of the Bene Gesserit faith says was not carried out on her orders but by rouge members of the faith. This stance has been supported by Ui Cenneslaig intelligence who have presented evidence to East Moreland however to date the Morelanders have not changed their stance against the Truthsayers and still label them as terrorists, going so far as to share intelligence on Bene Gesserit activities with the Soviet Kaitaine authorities. Rokkenjima are also providing financial support to the Soviet Kaitaine government in their efforts to remove the Truthsayers who they also label as terrorists. On the reverse of this is the fact that Tamora have recognised the "Theocracy" as a nation going so far as establishing an exchange of ambassadors with them.
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Chapterhouse Island, today used as a military training centre for KDF Officers
For now it is clear that the conflict is not going away and life for those on and around the border of the Soviet and Bene Gesserit controlled areas will remain a daily test of nerves.
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END OF THE KAITAINE CONFLICT
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Moments ago news had emerged from talks going on in Tartu, Chistopol, that a ceasefire has been put in place between the forces of thE Soviet Republic of Kaitaine and opposition forces of the Bene Gesserit sisterhood. The talks are the colmination of a lengthy process that had brought to and end the four year long conflict and has been seen by many as largely now creating two nations, the communist controlled Soviet of Kaitaine in the East of the nation and a new "Theocracy of Kaitaine" in the West. Negotiations between the two parties have been chaired largely by the government of Chistopol with go betweens from Tamora, Ui Cenneslaig and Rodinha also said to be involved.
The war between the Soviets and the Bene Gesserit has a long history going back to the 19th century when the Bene Gesserit faith was the dominant influence within Kaitaine. Following a communist invasion by the USR which saw a lengthy period of persecution for the Bene Gesserit. Their sacred island of Chapterhouse which housed the faiths now famed scholarship network was turned into a Kaitaine Defence Force base for many years and the faith was outlawed with members routinely being accused of treason and executed. In early 2018 however the city of Seitch in Kaitaine, the 2nd most sacred place to the Bene Gesserit, was ordered to be evacuated by the Soviets however a force of Bene Gesserit female soldiers, known as Truthsayers refused to leave and utilising the narrow streets of the ancient desert city fought the Soviets off. As a result a six month long seige was lifted on the city when a 2nd force of Truthsayers, who many believe had infiltrated from either Chistopol or Rodinha helped spring an ambush on the beseiges. This lead to a lengthy campaign that eventually saw most of the Western region behind the mountain passes that split Kaitaine fall under Bene Gesserit control.
There were further road-bumps during the conflict such as an attempt by allegedly splinter members of the Bene Gesserit trying to steal nuclear waste from East Moreland which lead to East Moreland recognising the Bene Gesserit as terrorists. As a result East Moreland for several years provided intelligence and logistical support for the Soviets as they waged their war against the Bene Gesserit. Other nations also backed the Soviets with Rokkenjima contributing undisclosed sums of money to the Soviets in order to support their anti-Bene Gesserit efforts. This situation however began to change in May 2019 when the East Moreland ambassador to Kaitaine was ambushed and kidnapped. For several months the ambassador was unheard of until in a year later that she was returned with evidence emerging that "misguided and ill intentioned" special forces soldiers from the Soviets had been holding her as part of their ploy to bring East Moreland further into the conflict. This revelation saw East Moreland, and then Rokkenjima withdraw support for the Soviets.
Meanwhile several nations were very clear in their support for the Bene Gesserit. Extremely early on in the conflict the Empire of Tamora issued a recognition of the Theocracy existing and even went so far as establishing an embassy there, however until December 2020 this embassy had nothing more than an office and a flag hanging outside until the first Tamoran arrived. Chistopol also supported the Theocracy having permitted the Bene Gesserit faith to construct a library in their nation before in November 2020 announcing that their border guards would "Not intervene to stop transit south" effectively meaning anyone was free to cross into Bene Gesserit controlled Kaitaine from Chistopol thus effectively giving Truthsayer reinforcements from across the globe a route into their "homeland". Many argue this was a significant turning point in the conflict.
There were two other significant turining points in the conflict. The first coming in January 2020 when the Kaitaine submarine known as the Leighton essentially halted Kaitaine maritime operations in a significant port. When the sub was returning to base a sabotaged torpedo exploded leading to the sub being evacuated only for a senior officer to betray the Soviets and scupper the vessel effectively closing the port. This lead to a huge amount of mistrust in the Kaitaine military as it was believed Bene Gesserit's or their sympathisers had infiltrated many key positions. This helped render the KDF a less effective fighting force. It further lead to an investigation among top ranked individuals that saw Minister of Defence Jacob McRobert uncovered as a member of the Bene Gesserit. Mr.McRobert escaped the nation into Chistopol however many of his associates were executed drawing condemnation from some nations across Mundus.
The second major turning point was the creation of the "Gates of Hell (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darvaza_gas_crater)" which is an environmental disaster which had major consequences on the war. The unique geography of Kaitaine sees pockets of coal fields and associated gas pockets spread across the nation. These factors had been a large reason for why large scale bombing couldn't be used on the Bene Gesserit positions for fear of underground fires beginning. In order to investigate this situation President McPherson of the Soviets ordered test drilling in a remote area of eastern Kaitaine. Having released a large amount of gas the "Gates" were ignited. As of yet no one has taken responsibility however initial reports now say the fire will burn for decades. The disaster also caused sink holes, subsistance and damage to natural water sources across Eastern Kaitaine reducing the support for the Soviet as well as meaning large numbers of the KDF were needed to handle the situation.
There were also a series of propaganda victories for the Bene Gesserit including in June 2020 the Reverned Mother of the Bene Gesserit faith, Erin McGregor, appearing in Seitch for the sacred festival of the "Spice Harvest" which sees shell castings from a unique speices of millipede collected and ground up to make a spice called Melange which is central to the Bene Gesserit rituals. This had followed action in August 2019 when a group of Truthsayers effectively took control of Chapterhouse Island for two hours taking part in a sacred ritual, meditating and making videos before escaping.
The Soviets though also had taken their toll on the Bene Gesserit faith. An estimated 12,000 Bene Gesserit faithful had been imprisoned during the conflict with around half having been connected to the Truthsayers in court being executed.
With the war reaching a point where it seemed neither side would be able to bring about a decisive victory Reverned Mother Erin McGregor issued a series of suggested terms to bring about a ceasefire. With President McPherson at this point having ordered a huge border wall to be built between the disputed territory and the Soviet it was probably the case these would be likely to be seen favourably. The initial terms put forward would see a formal seperation of Kaitaine into two nations, the Soviet and the Theocracy. It would also see the new border fence policed by Rodinha on one side and Cenneg, Tamoran and Chistopol forces on the other. The Isle of Chapterhouse was to be made an effective Cultral Exchange Treaty Organisation protectorate. The final article would see free transit for Bene Gesserit between the Soviet and Theocracy. McPherson however rejected some of these while amending others. However the initial draft was supported by Tamora, Chistopol and Ui Cenneslaig with surprisingly Achkaerin's Emperor Peter offering his support, effectively giving Achkaerin recognition of the Theocracy a few days later. By early March 2021 McPherson was willing to meet with mediators in Tartu, Chistopol to discuss the situation.
It is understood that today following weeks of mediated talks in which McPherson refused to meet face to face with any Bene Gesserit an agreement has been reached. A team of three Rodinhans, a Cenneg, a Tamoran and a Chistopolian acted as go betweens and reached an agreement that was signed by all parties in seperate rooms just hours ago. The agreement, which is known as the Tartu Accord, is shown below in its keypoints.
1. Neither faction will cross the border fence (Insisted on by McPherson so as to not permit a document to exist calling the Theocracy a nation.
2. Created a border made up of the Soviet erected fence which will be policed on the Eastern side by Rodinha and on the Western side by Ui Cenneslaig and Tamora. Wth Chistopol being a bordering Kaiatine it is thought McPherson inisisted that Chistopol soldiers not be involved.
3. The Soviets will permit the creation of an air corridor between Chistopol and the Theocracy however any aircraft outside of this will be considered hostile and shot down.
4. Chapterhouse to remain Soviet controlled with CETO monitoring.
5. A deadline for moving from the East to the West will be put at three months from the agreement being reached meaning it will cease on 12th July 2021.
With media being strictly controlled in the East it is hard to gather what public opinion there is of the agreement however in the West, what is now the de-facto "Theocracy of Kaitaine" scenes of street parties in Seitch have been witnessed with internet blogger Sarah Bradshaw (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=66.msg9426#msg9426) officially closing her blog tonight. The 24 year old Sergeant was one of the relief force during the siege of Seitch and has kept weekly video journals of the conflict as well as writing extensively from within the "Theocracy" during the conflict, some historians have said that her writings could be considered "One of the most significant and insightful primary sources from this affair." The 24 year old filmed herself and her unit in the streets of Seitch of dancing before addressing the camera a final time saying, "For life to begin there must at some point be an end. To those who willingly went to their end so we may live I will dance your memory with joy in my heart, I will go now and pray as I travel our new land, free by the lessons you gave." Her final words mimicing part of what has been adopted as the Theocracy national anthem.
The next few days are likely to be hectic on the international stage as nations must now determine whether they will recognise the Bene Gesserit controlled portion of Kaitaine as a seperate nation or will deny the Theocracy a chance at statehood either way for now the conflict in Kaitaine is over.
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Foreign Nationals Released: Ibueri
Three Foreign nationals were released from detainment today. Maxence Delarue & Jean Pichon, both from the Republic of Fleur, and Aldric Leutwin, from the Federal Union of Jugland, were released from the Ilirne detainment center among others. The three individuals were apprehended by local authorities following their suspected involvement in political activism in the form of demonstrations against the Government of Ibueri within the town of Illirne. Branded as foreign agents and officially accused of acting "with intent to undermine the authority of, and threaten the unity of, the country" the three were promptly detained by authorities following a clash between law enforcement agents a demonstrators.
Within Ibueri it is illegal to engage in any organization, gathering, or assembly with intent to publicly criticizes the Government or the Bilyar, with many such breaches often resulting in prompt disruption by local authorities and subsequent prisons sentences. The release of the three offending individuals is an act many within the country itself, and international observers, have deemed "uncharacteristic" for a government often criticized as "authoritarian". Even more unusual, the release of the three individuals, and of native Ibuerian activists is reported to have been a direct request from the office of the Bilyar himself, an official letter of pardoned dawning the leaders signature securing the their release.
Whether an act of genuine judicial mercy or the machinations of politicking not yet known, the act is a potential sign of a new shift in domestic policy for Ibueri. As for the three now freed foreign nationals, part of the official pardoning calls for the three individuals to voluntarily leave the country by the end of the week or otherwise be deported.
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Clysperi Guards Arrest Hundreds Across Kingdom
Reports of hundreds of arrests across the Kingdom of Clysperis poured into our offices in Khemnen as the day progressed, many of family leaders resisting the call of Pharaoh Akasha to release indentured servants from the binds of their service. One family in Khemnen, who had four servants under one roof, said that the decision "came as a shock" and didn't know what they would do. "They wronged our family, they were sentenced, and now they gets to walk free? Sure the check will be nice but by what metric is the Pharaoh determining the remaining value of their service?"
From former servants simply dropping their tasks midway through to servants not returning to be formally relieved the effects of the Pharaoh's words are being felt across the Kingdom, to which she has stated "They have served their time and owe nothing further to their victims; I alone have taken on that burden. Those who refuse to release indentured servants will face the full force of the law." In Khemnen alone four families were arrested for refusing to release their servants, with many other across the Kingdom choosing to face the force of law for not releasing servants.
The Pharaoh reminded all Clysperi that "compliance is not optional; these people are now free and those who keep them against their will, will be prosecuted accordingly." We will continue to bring you the latest as conditions change on the ground in Clysperis.
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ENVIRONMENTAL CALL CAN BE "HOLLOW"
Yesterday the Rokkenjiman government issued a press statement which was critical of "some nations who refuse to recognize the legitimacy of the science as well as those who do nothing to curb emissions or make only token gestures." and that these would be labelled as " threats to the national security of Rokkenjima" While this is a noble call from a nation which is a signatory of the Treaty of Wellow it is also a call that rings slightly hollow.
Rokkenjima is a nation which utilises for its diplomatic transport a specialised supersonic airliner. There are several nations who have also taken a keen interest in supersonic passenger transport in the last few years including New Derusima, Tytor and as of late Nya Ĺland have also experimented with technology that would permit supersonic passengers planes to operate over land. At the best of times diplomatic aircraft are poor for the environment. While a traditional tourist passenger plane will transport upwards of 300 people in a modern aircraft a diplomatic flight will often feature less than 100. This already increases significantly the flights carbon footprint however when we take into consideration that a supersonic airliner would consume 5 to 7 times as much fuel per passenger as subsonic aircraft on the same routes if full we can imagine the exact amount burnt per person to be much higher. It is reported that the old "Imperial Concorde" would burn 22 tons of fuel an hour, twice that of a passenger filled aircraft using traditional engines.[1] With several nations, Achkaerin and East Moreland among them, having recently experimented with electrical powered propulsion for aircraft this is a route that would be better served rather than development of gas guzzling supersonic vanity projects. Even then these electrical powered aircraft, if brought to scale, would still require careful monitoring of how electricity is produced to refill their batteries. Currently there are approximately 25,000 commercial aircraft in the world[2] and estimates are that if just 500 of those were to be supersonic airliners then they would produce the same amount of CO2 as 10%-17% of the current fleet, a substantial increase to global emissions while also reducing the amount of capacity for routes. With the Treaty of Wellow stating that nations should "Reduce pollution caused by air travel by 35% by 2030." the introduction of supersonic aircraft, and their continued use is unlikely to see nations reaching these targets.
While it can be argued that Rokkenjima utilises ships for some diplomatic missions the Austrana and its newely commissioned replacement as the "Primary Yacht" the Azukishima are not without environmental issues. The Austrana currently weighs in the region of 10,000 tons and similar designs are capable of carrying around 700 people, a combination of luxury passengers and crew required to meet their needs. Vast quantities of fuel are required to move the immense mass of a ship of this types, with commensurately huge emissions of CO2 as well as nitrogen and sulfur oxides. It is estimated that a typical 3,000 capacity cruise ship burns around 0.40kg of fuel per passenger per km[3]. With much of the Imperial Yachts manifest being kept secret it is likely that they have many less people onboard considering the design, and furthermore the ship weights much less it is hard to be certain of the exact fuel burn for the Imperial Yacht, however it is likely to produce a significant amount of CO2 during its criss crossing of Mundus. In addition to the fuel concerns ships criss crossing Mundus can also damage the biological nature of regions. For example ships routinely need to utilise water for ballast. This often see's water brought onboard in waters of one part of Mundus and off loaded in others, while more modern techniques allow filtration and various other minimisation protocols there are still routinely cases found of biological organisms being transported to non native waters, this has in the past also seen diseases such as cholera taken across Mundus. There is also the risk of pollution within the sea from water from the bilges of the ship which often contain oil, urine, detergents, solvents, chemicals, pitch, particles, and other materials which can damage the oceans. It is often impossible to store waste waters onboard as it is estimated that an average cruise ship produces up to forty liters of sewage and 340 liters of water from sinks, showers, and drains, per person, per day[4]. It is therefore impossible to store such quantities onboard and often these are removed into the ocean and even with onboard sewage treatment systems, likely to be state of the art on the Imperial Yacht, this can still lead to pollution. Even when docked the ship and those like it can damage the environment. Paint used to prevent the growth of barnacles often contains plastic and metals. This paint often flakes off during voyages and can linger in the waters causing significant pollution in the local ecosystem. While advances of technology have begun to minimise this the problem is still significant around port areas.
Rokkenjima are at the forefront of many space endeavours and as of late are in what could be argued as a "Shuttle Off" with their Cross Straits partner Daitō and this too has significant environmental impact. Each space shuttle spewed thousands of pounds of metals and other chemicals into the air, many of which will eventually find their way to the ground causing damage to flora and fauna. With space tourism being expected to quiet literally take off in the next decade or so the amount of pollution caused by these launches is likely to multiple significantly. With the average space shuttle launch releasing 443 metric tonnes of CO2 (https://everydayastronaut.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Rocket-Emission-Totals.jpg) this is a significant impact on the environment. With the burning of fuel and the falling metals there have been noticeable impacts on animal life. Take the example of Ui Cenneslaig whose launch sight for their space programme is located on the edge of a coastal region inhabited by seals and rivers close to the site are home to beavers. Studies on these animals have shown they have higher than average amounts of iron in their livers[5] and also have shown significantly elevated thyroid hormones, which can disrupt growth. It is therefore likely that the recent "Shuttle Off" may have had significant impacts on local wildlife in addition to the environment.
With these measures having been discussed it is therefore the case that many nations that have signed the Treaty of Wellow have yet to fully embrace their responsibilities. It can also be said that those individuals who have signed it are also among those contributing the most to the issue the Rokkenjiman government have highlighted. Diplomacy is a huge cause of pollution. As diplomats criss cross Mundus, King David for example having undertaken eight overseas state visits this calendar year so far, they leave behind them a significant amount of pollutants. We live in a day and age where video conferencing is getting more reliable, more secure and more utilised in business, this should therefore be used more for such measures. So what should be done. First the idea of supersonic airline travel should be placed on the back burner, it often has minimal time impact for diplomats who have access to large luxury aircraft with palace like facilities and no waiting times at airports. Ironside One for example has facilities that have allowed the King to manage international incidents while still in mid-air meaning that there is minimal time loss. More must be done to support measures of electric powered aircraft, these however for the time being are likely to be less luxurious and slower meaning diplomats must resign themselves to a loss of luxury. This would send a clear message that the environment is truly what matters and that it is the role of us all to tackle climate change not just select individuals or nations.
Article by Dr. Henrik Rathmalsson from Krokom University
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Live TV Report: Centralia's Secret Civil War
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File photo of the Presidential Palace in New Providence in 2010
International news regarding Centralia has been sparse since the rogue broadcast that hijacked a CNTV newscast back in September. Centralia has not sent athletes to sporting events in which it usually participates. International flights into and out of Centralia's major cities have all but ended. The Imperial Rokkenjiman Navy has quietly dropped Innsmouth and other Centralian ports from its port-of-call rotation. With no official statement from President Tanner or his cabinet, the world is mostly left to wonder about the situation inside the country. A Free Mundus Network journalist, Gail Featherstone, made her way into the Hermit Republic with a small camera crew at the beginning of January to find out.
According to early reports Featherstone made to FMN via satellite phone, the Lord's Resistance Army's broadcast seems to have been real. Security has been heightened extensively in Centralia's major cities, and a rapidly escalating guerilla war appears to be underway in the countryside. The extent of the rebels' territorial control seems difficult to determine, as the Centralian government, especially the Department of Homeland Security, keeps a tight leash on domestic information flow, but it seems to be fact that the rebel leader, former televangelist Nehemiah Godfrey, is using his old church in Ashboro, state capital of New Jordan, as his headquarters.
Indeed, Godfrey seems to have turned Ashboro into a veritable fortress, using it as a staging point from which to--
Hold on. <Muffled> Is this for real? Do we have her? What do you mean, "no"? Just the footage. So, like James in Ubakasa however many-- All right, fine, hang a moment.
We go now to footage we here at FMN just received from Gail Featherstone in New Eastland City. As I understand it, her team shot this all of... an hour and a half ago. <Muffled, to offscreen> Phil?
<Recording begins>
<Off camera> "And we're rolling."
"Good. I'm Gail Featherstone, reporting from the observation deck of Grant Tower in New Eastland City, Centralia. The largest city in the country is less than a hundred miles, or a hundred and sixty kilometers, from New Providence, the capital. And now, as I record this, the LRA is in the suburbs, moving further toward the city center with every passing moment."
<Distant gunfire off-camera, followed by explosions>
"Fighting is heavy, from what we can tell. The Federal Army is here in force, but the LRA seems to have heavier weapons than one would expect from a backwoods guerilla force. The few soldiers I've been able to talk to over the past hour or two make it seem like there was some sort of army base outside Ashboro that the LRA got its hands on months ago."
<Jet passes overhead, camera focuses on missile strikes>
"Good grief, that's 31st Street! How many blocks away is that?"
<Off-camera> "Uh... I'd say nine or ten. Running full-tilt, those fighters could get to this building in, what, thirty minutes?
"Well, then we've got time. Okay. Now then, where...? Oh, yeah. As we can see, the domestic line that this is nothing more than a few disgruntled farmers making trouble in the countryside is complete crap. For the rebels to be in New Eastland means that they have momentum, possibly enough to make a break for New Providence itself. It must be truly a mark of how few true friends the Federal Republic has around the world that it has neither asked for nor received aid internationally. It may be only a matter of time before the Tanner administration is toppled outright at this rate."
<Off-camera> "Hey, you, <expletive> reporter lady, don't you know we're evacuating this building?"
"I'm in the middle of recording--"
<Off-camera> "I don't care if you're the Empress of <expletive> Tamora, get your <expletive> butt downstairs before I make you!"
"Gah! Fine. You win. All right, Hank, let's get this show on downstairs. You and Will get the equipment dismantled, and let's find a place to send this home."
<Off-camera> "Righto, Gail, cutting out right--"
<Recording ends>
...Well. From that, we can gather that the initial reports were inaccurate. Centralia is engulfed in a civil war the likes of which it certainly has never seen before. This "Lord's Resistance Army" is in the process of taking over the country's largest city -- or at least it was, about an hour and a half ago. It's unclear at the moment how much of this Mundus's major powers already know, but it's clear to me that Centralia's public silence has been concealing an unmitigated national disaster of epic proportions. It is now up to the international community to determine how -- and whether -- to respond to the Centralian crisis.
This has been the Free Mundus Network.
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NO PEACE IN THE EAST
In the 16th Century the world saw improvements in maritime technology that allowed longer and faster voyages thus opening Mundus up for trade and in many cases conquest. One such conquest was that of the territories of Northern Albion by the military of Abertone. Having grown on the continent of Ardia the Empire had reached as far as it could without coming into conflict with its neighbours and so looked across the oceans for new oppurtunities. This saw Emperor Bruno III authorise an expedition by a group lead by Duke Silvio Martinelli in 1544 that laid claim to an area bordering modern day Kermah. With this region full of semi nomadic tribes the expedition was able to establish a coastal settlement at what today is the city of Lafiagi, the capital of the Eastern Empire. Since then the fortunes of this Albionic outpost have been vastly different to those of the West.
Demographically the two Empires are very different. Emperor Bruno II did not flood the newly acquired territory with settlers instead encouraging locals to come and gain the relative security of an established trading port. The Eastern Empire went from strength to strength as it took advantage of disorder among the tribes in the region however following Bruno II's death his soon saw the new territory as something more akin to a store of resources and a people to be converted. Emperor Roland II sent missionaries to spread the Catholic faith and while giving with one hand took with the other as the boats that brought the missionaries took home gold, silver, slaves and various other resources ensuring the wealth of the Western Empire. This divide today is still visible. Any individual who visits Lafiagi will, as they enter the old port, see the Citadel of St.Nicholas, the last spot in the East slaves would have spent time before being taken to the West. The Citadel today is used as a museum that embraces the wrong doings of all those years however there are some in the East who wish to see it wiped from existence. One of those is Massimo Umbecki a 23 year old student of Eastern origin and is part of the Rediscovery Project. This project aims to help teach young people in the city and surrouning area about the heritage that Black Abertonians have had hidden from them. "Today there is the idea that we are one Empire, that we all are treated the same. Even this attempt at bringing in the Arbahamic Declaration is an attempt to hide the past. We are not treated the same all over the Empire. Our past is closer aligned to the people of Kermah that the people of Abertone and the Citadel is a daily reminder to the people of this city that our Emperors ancestors saw us once as nothing more than a trading commodity."
It is this sense of growing understanding of the past and the inequality it has caused that has lead to some of the tense situations that are found in the East. Just last week a sniper attack in the city left eight people dead (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=2666.msg24320#msg24320). Polls suggest that there is a growing number of young people who are in favour of some form of independence. The most recent poll suggests almost 1 in 5 citizens of the Eastern Empire would support some form of independence however this increases to 1 in 3 for those aged between 18 and 30. The Republican Front are among several groups described as terrorists by the Empire who are active within the East. So far this year the Republican Front have carried out ten different attacks and currently 12 members of the organisation are awaiting trial for such crimes as bank robbery, kidnapping and murder. In the first six months of 2021 that figure was around half the amount for 2022 showing there is perhaps growing support for the groups aims. The task of dealing with groups such as this often falls to the Carabinieri, a form of military Police, who are regularly seen patrolling in military fatigues. Their current commander in the East is Lt-Col Gianni Donado who has served the last five years in the East and is of mixed East-West heritage. "We've seen the level of sophistican within these groups increase this year and we are yet to work out why. We've seen a better standard of weapon and they are becoming better funded and trained. We are currently investigating several avenues to reverse this and turn the Front into a ineffective body but that takes time and in the meantime people will be dying. Polls suggest that the people of the East don't want to become seperate from the Empire and it is our job to ensure they are not forced out by terrorists." So far 7 members of the Carbinieri have died this year in attacks.
The East of the Empire though is slowly changing. Since becoming Emperor in 2019 Emperor Marco IX has seemingly supported work to improve things in the East as explained by his Consol and cousin Graziano. "The East is a beautiful part of the world. Crystal blue seas, some amazing landscapes and with some investment it could well become a major producer of agricultural products and other materials. Its our job to make sure that these things happen and that the people there benefit. There was in 2019 a differential of around $11,000 in terms of GDP per capita between the East and West. We have still got lots to do with a gap that large being unacceptable. We have though in three years reduced that differential to $8,700, its still got a long way to go but its a start." When asked whether this process was purely an economic one the Consul said, "The East retains elements of its own culture and we should celebrate that. We are an Empire and Empires that are strongest have accepted and embraced diversity. We're trying to ensure that the curriculum of schools in the East gives them the freedom to ensure that their culture and past is presented in a way that is accurate and relevant. I think it is safe to say that as my cousins reign continues so will the improvements there."
The Consuls confidence though is not shared by people like the young Massimo Umbecki. "In Graziano we have a man who I think does have peoples best interest at heart. He has visited us several times and I know he's tried to appoint to his staff people from the East. Meanwhile we have an Emperor who has been here just once. I don't think he could even spell Lafiagi yet alone find it on a map. I think many young people would embrace the idea of Republicanism just because of Marco." Umbecki though is aware of the advantages of being part of the Empire. "One positive is that we have a way of escaping poverty here. We can travel freely to the West and there access good quality education. The problem is though once educated we need people to come back and help improve the East and fight for better treatment here but people seem content to remain in the west and enjoy the better quality of life there."
This brain drain from East to West has however raised concerns by some in the Imperial Senate. The right wing Capital Party have several times called for a form of immigration control for those moving from East to West. The Party won 5% in the last elections but are very vocal on the streets of the city Abertone. At one of there latest rallies the parties leader Silvano Manaderi explained. "The people in the East flood here knowing we have created a society that is safer, that is wealthier and one that is only going to get stronger. We have always propped up the East and as more and more immigrants come here our services and resources are being taken up by the Easterners rather than them working as hard as us to improve their community. We need to put in place strict vetting procedures so that we ensure these Republican terrorists don't come here as we have an open door. We also need to stop these unskilled workers coming here and taking opportunities for locals. We need to send more troops to the East, vet every person coming here before they get on a plane or boat and then limit how long they can stay here." It is unlikely that the party will do better in future elections however there have been reports of members of the party getting involved in scuffles with campaigners for reform in the East who have held rallies in the city of Abertone.
While the Empire has been around some 500 years there still remains questions about it stability. While the present situation suggests the Empire must weather another round of terrorist attacks these have in the past come in waves. As each peak of terrorist activity comes so do reforms, investment and various other strategies these usually has the consequence of bringing a reduction in the attacks that last several years. With Consol Graziano Lupin currently pushing a raft of measures to help the East it is likely the activities of the Republican Front will find fewer supporters in the years ahead. The problem though is the fortunes of the East rely squarely on who sits on the throne in the East and with many seeming to lack any confidence in the current Emperor it remains to be seen if the Consols work will actually have an impact on an Empire that has always been divided.
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TROYES: CITY IN NEED OR NEEDING TO BE LET GO?
an opinion piece by Crown Princess Serenity Azurewind of the Holy Empire of Achkaerin
The Marseilles crisis of 2015 will go down in history as a successfully resolved incident by members of the international community, that put an end to the terrorist threat posed by the Sorority of Materna, the success of the various operations involved is all the more remarkable when the litany of failings surrounding the incident is considered - I won't list all of them as that is not the focus of this article but we're looking at lack of communication, empty promises and a failure of leadership right at the top of the international coalition force. The success therefore is perhaps better attributed to the resilience, adaptability and determination of the troops involved across the board rather than anything else, and the aftermath bears this out a fair amount as well consider how the Aquitaine situation was originally dealt with by some and then we come to the Troyes situation, a port city, a Marseilles city one day and Seaforthian protectorate the next, and so stood the clock in 2017.
The basis of Troyes being under Seaforthian protection, between 2015-2017, has been cited as a need to provide sanctuary for the nobility of Marseille the implication of this being that there was a threat to them posed, that might be a valid perception in December 2015 or early 2016 as tensions are typically still on a knife edge in the weeks following a crisis of this nature but beyond that point? I wouldn't agree with an assessment without proof and to date there has been no indication of any threat posed against the remaining nobles of Marseilles. However I would also question why a special case for Troyes needed to be made in that period because as per the ten point plan put in place by the then leader of the Real Marseilles and agreed to by the international community Marseilles was to all intents and purposes still under the international community at that point, the referendum on the Marseilles Constitution did not happen until late 2016 so CTOMM forces were still in country, the only outside circumstance affecting Troyes in the 2015-2017 period is that the city became sanctuary to approximately three million Seaforthian refugees following the fall. So it appears that the initial point of a Seaforthian presence is in keeping with what was agreed following the crisis.
It's important to take a moment to explain why the date of 2017 is important in this context - it goes to back to the ten point plan mentioned above, it lays out that within six months of conflict ending the Provisional Government must hold elections for the council, that this council would then elect a President and draft a constitution that would be put to the people in a referendum within a year. All of these steps occurred between December 2015 and December 2016. The year 2017 becomes important because point eight of the plan states "Once the constitution has been established all CTOMM forces to leave upon the request of the President." given that the constitution was approved by referendum in December 2016 it was very practical and understanding of President Papin to wait until mid January 2017 to make that request, practical because the time allowed for the implementation steps to be done and understanding because December is culturally speaking a very heavy month especially towards the back end of it. In any event the withdrawal of CTOMM forces happened on schedule in 2017.
The incorporation of Troyes as a protectorate is one of those decisions best described as a head scratcher, it doesn't appear to add up, certainly not in a legal sense as I find it hard to believe that the Government of Marseilles would sign away its own sovereign territory especially without a very good reason. The foundation of Seaforth's decision is the return of the former Grand Duchess of Marseilles Alys Arsenault, so accepting that as grounds for the moment I would firstly suggest that the recent arrest of Miss Arsenault would appear to satisfy the Seaforthian concerns, I would then secondly ask a simple question - Alys Arsenault is wanted for crimes covered by both the Uppsala Convention and the Historical Crimes Treaty, why wasn't she arrested in 2018 when she turned up in Troyes? Surely she should have been, but it matters not for if she truly be the basis of the 'Troyes problem' then her arrest surely makes the continued need for protectorate status unneeded. Mundus is full of nations that have championed international law and norms, we've seen how they've stood their ground through crisis after crisis, how they've championed self determination time and time again, so why are the people in Troyes denied this? A lot of blood was shed to free Marseilles from the Sorority of Materna, I don't believe the people of Troyes assisted that effort to trade Sorority terror for rule by a foreign power. Alys Arsenault sits in custody while things are worked out in regards to any extradition, the stated basis for Troyes as a protectorate territory of Seaforth no longer appears to hold, now is the time for the people of that city to have their say on their future, so that this question can finally be resolved one way or the other.
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Rhand's Crown Prince Unveils Bold Reforms, Drawing Both Praise and Criticism
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Crown Prince Laurenz Hajioff of Rhand
In a surprise move, The Ardiapur Palace in Rhand has announced a series of significant economic reforms aimed at liberalising its economy and opening it up to foreign investment. The reforms, which were unveiled by Crown Prince Laurenz, have been met with mixed reactions from both domestic and international observers.
Supporters of the reforms have lauded them as a long-overdue step towards modernising the Rhandian economy and boosting its competitiveness on the global stage. The Crown Prince has been keen to emphasise that the reforms will create new opportunities for local entrepreneurs, as well as attracting investment from abroad. In particular, the move to reduce tariffs on food imports has been seen as a positive step, potentially increasing the availability of affordable food for ordinary Rhandians.
However, critics have been quick to point out that the reforms also carry significant risks. Some fear that the reduction in tariffs will lead to a flood of cheap imports, putting Rhandian farmers and manufacturers at a disadvantage. Meanwhile, concerns have been raised over the potential for foreign firms to dominate key sectors of the economy, potentially leading to the exploitation of local labour and the extraction of profits from Rhand without significant reinvestment.
These concerns are compounded by the fact that Rhand remains an absolutist state with significant inequality, widespread poverty, and underdevelopment being placed in the bottom of the Human Development Index scores for Mundus. Some commentators have warned that the reforms may exacerbate existing tensions, particularly if they lead to widespread job losses or other economic hardships. Others have expressed skepticism over the Crown Prince's ability to push through such radical changes in the face of opposition from entrenched interests.
Overall, the reaction to the Rhandian reforms has been mixed, with many unsure of what the future holds for the country. While some see the changes as a positive step towards a more open and modern economy, others fear that they could lead to increased instability and inequality, further fueling social and political tensions. The coming months will be crucial in determining whether the Crown Prince's vision for Rhand can be realised, and whether the country can navigate the challenges that lie ahead.
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As Kalasin Heads to the Polls, Some Ask: "Will Peace Return to the Troubled Nation?"
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RANONG: Vast crowds gather around polling stations across the bustling capital of the Democratic Republic of Kalasin, intending to vote for who will lead the country into the future. These elections mark the first since the conflict in 2018 which saw a military intervention by the Empire of Daitō and which left close to one thousand civilians dead as well as many more internally displaced. Scenes around the capital, as well as in major cities across the country, are noticeably tense, under the watchful eye of local security forces, whose presence there is, per a source within the country's Ministry of Defense, meant to maintain peace and order on this important day. As it stands, the current front-runners in the race for Prime Minister are Arun Kaikaew, representing the left-leaning Prachāṭhiptịy (Democratic) party, and Prawat Krairiksh, the leader of the right-wing Kxb Kū Chāti (National Salvation) party. Per opinion polling, it is suggested that Prawat Krairiksh is likely to win in these elections, however, it is still too soon to be certain. Other candidates include the Nạk S̄ạngkhmniym's (Socialist Party) Kanchana Chearavanont and the various leaders of regionalist parties across the country.
No matter who attains victory in this election, however, there are some things which they will all have to face. Most notably, they have to contend with both rampant corruption and the continued prominence of militia groups operating across the country. In 2022, the country scored 23 on the Corruption Perception Index, making it the sixth most corrupt country on the planet. The leaders of the major parties participating in the election have vowed to combat this corruption, which has limited the country's economic growth as well as foreign investment for years. As for the continued presence of armed militias across the country, that is a far bigger issue, one which some experts worry may not be possible to resolve at this time due to the state of the country's military, the Kalasinese Defense Force. The largest of these militia groups, such as the "Vax National Army" and "Antawsai Revolutionary Army", have forces numbering in the tens of thousands and in some cases, such as the VNA, even operate aircraft and govern in their local regions. Some suspect that if Arun Kaikaew's Democratic party wins, it may move to invite foreign forces into the country to assist in putting down these militia groups, however, others remain skeptical that they will succeed. After all, when the outgoing Prime Minister, Xiao Nap Lai, requested the support of Daitōjin forces in 2018 against forces operating in the country's Ka-hki territory, the ensuing power vacuum only led to more violence after the operation came to a close.
Whatever the case may be, whether this conflict is resolved by military means or by diplomacy, it is unclear whether peace will return to Kalasin.
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Arrest Attempt Made Against Kasidej Rangsitpol
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PATTANI: The sound of gunfire could be heard throughout the night as forces belonging to the Kalasinese Presidential Guard fought off a combined force of Union Police and loyal military units as they tried to detain the country's de-facto leader, "President" Kasidej Rangsitpol. Rangsitpol, aged 64, was elected to his current position in 2021 following what has been noted as an "upturn in nationalist sentiment" among the population of the country, which is claimed as a part of the Union State by the government in Paechon. Just a few days ago, he initiated a vote to secede from the Union State, an act which was considered illegal by the central government in Ranong. As a result, the newly-elected President of the Union, Arun Kaikaew, reportedly ordered Rangsitpol's arrest, which has resulted in a firefight in the city of Pattani, the capital of Kalasin. As of this time, casualty figures are unclear, however it is believed that at least six soldiers belonging to Union forces have been killed alongside one member of the Presidential Guard. The remaining would-be captors of President Rangsitpol have reportedly dispersed among the local population, an a manhunt for these men, believed to be between six and eight in number, is ongoing at this time.
President Rangsitpol, in an address to the country following the arrest attempt, claimed that the "attack" constituted an act of war against Kalasin, and that his government would respond in turn. Already, reports that Kalasinese forces have been deployed to coastal regions, ostensibly to ward off a potential landing, have been made, while the country's air and naval forces are reportedly on high alert at this time. However, there are also reports of fighting behind Kalasinese lines, presumably between those loyal to the Union and secessionist forces. As one observer noted, it may be necessary that international peacekeepers be sent in to stop the conflict from further escalating and to prevent a needless loss of life as a result of the crisis. Some have also looked to other nations for a chance of mediation, but as of this moment, the fate of Kalasin and of just over 46 million people rests on a knife-edge. FMN will continue to monitor the situation in Kalasin as it evolves.
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Asadal: Armed Forces ends military campaign in eastern region
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SOBURISANSEONG, ASADAL: The Armed Forces of the Great Kingdom of Asadal ended their two-month military campaign in Hayanttangam, the eastern region of the kingdom, against the forces of the so-called Free Commonwealth of Thajav.
For this campaign, the kingdom mobilized thousands of men, participating troops from the four military branches, including the Grand Royal Guard. The government forces had about one thousand casualties. It has been reported that the Free Kevisbtham Army could have lost about 1/3 of their forces during the conflict. It has been reported as well that at least two hundred civilians lost their lives. It was the largest offensive of the government forces against the rebel group in more than a decade.
Sim Paskalswe, leader of the Free Thajav Movement since 1992 and the most senior member of the Free Commonwealth of Thajav leadership, has been confirmed dead, the rebel group announced last week. It was not clear, however, if he had died as consequence of fighting between government and rebel forces, as it was not confirmed the causes of his death. It has not been announced who will be Paskalswe's successor. The Free Thajav Movement is considered the de facto ruling political party in the rebel "Free Commonwealth" since 1970. However, others have claimed that the political party is simply the political wing of the Free Kevisbtham Army.
The Free Commonwealth of Thajav controls a large territory in the eastern region, although with a low density in population. The Free Commonwealth was officially established in 1959, although insurgency started in the 1940s. Most of their militants are members of the Gaxhong ethnic group. The Free Commonwealth of Thajav has described itself as "an independent state", although without international recognition. While the Free Thajav Movement claims to be a secular movement, most of the population belongs to an syncretic form of Christianity.
As the military campaign ended, government forces withdrew from Paskheon, the second largest town of the region. The move in itself is not considered meaningful, as government forces often leave the town during Winter, due to the poor communications and the harsh Winter, to avoid exposure to attack from the insurgency until the next Spring.
The rebel group exclusively operates, besides a few isolated attacks against government groups in nearby provinces, in the region of Hayanttangam, a high mountainous region and the poorest region of the country. It is estimated the GDP per capita in the region to be around $1,000, several times smaller than the national average. Most of the population lives in rural settlements. Agriculture is the main, if not only, source of income for most of the local population, which almost exclusively lives of subsistence farming. The military campaign also caused displacement of population in the area, with at least twenty villages to be abandoned as their inhabitants took refuge in areas closer to the Yeogaehanam region.
Asadal government's recent decision of remove remaining restrictions to agriculture production, including coca leaf and opium poppy (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=2983.msg28236#msg28236), which are largely produced in the Nolanpul Valley, has been also understood a move aimed to reduce the mistrust toward the government as well as aimed to increase the standards of living of the population. Experts believe the move may be also motivated to drop the prices of these goods, which were reported as a source of income of the rebel group in the past.
It is expected that hostilities are likely to cease until the end of Winter. However, while it is unclear if the government plans to launch a similar campaign in the future, it seems clear that peace is still in a long way in this region.
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Can Kusan Be Blamed?
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An oil refinery in Kusan following Rokkenjiman bombardment, 1949.
Can Kusan truly be blamed for its hatred of Rokkenjima and her allies, especially as the Anselmo regime did not take advantage for the chance of reconciliation with Kusan?
It is estimated that, during the Republican campaign upon Kusan, conventional weapons such as explosives, incendiary bombs and napalm destroyed roughly the entirety of Kusanese towns and cities including upwards of 85% of Kusanese buildings. Some 32,600 tons of napalm was dropped upon Kusan, killing indiscriminately between civilian and Kusanese official alike. With figures such as this, with some suggesting that the Rokkenjiman campaign against Kusan saw levels of destruction not realized beyond atomic bombings, can we really remain surprised that Kusan views a robust military as its only resort to ensure that Rokkenjima, and I would remind you that the Anselmo Crown has not renounced the violence against Kusan nor has it apologized, can we remain surprised that Kusan has transformed itself into a nation capable of inflicting untold horrors upon any nation that would tempt invasion or even mere intervention into its affairs?
Much is misunderstood about the so-called "hermit kingdom" that Ri Sang-Hee inherited following the concerns of her father that Ri Chŏng-jun was "wholly unfit for leadership....the bastard would lead us into wars which would prove capable of overwhelming the DPRK," he penned in his reported journal which is why, in 2023 on his deathbed, he anointed his daughter over her elder brother to continue the Ri dynasty in Kusan. The memories of Rokkenjima's attempted conquest in Kusan may have been overlooked in the history books of the Federal Republic and even the First Empire which displaced it, with even Empress Sutāraito posting an ill-informed meme against the Kusanese, almost rubbing salt into an open wound even, reigniting the flames of Rokkenjiman-Kusanese tensions when she could have instead taken the opportunity to apologize and recognize the crimes against Kusan by the Federal Republic. Instead she chose to ridicule Kusan and, in doing that, I feel she claimed the actions of the Federal Republic against the Democratic People's Republic as legitimate actions of Rokkenjima. This is an error I certainly hope she recovers from and recognizes that we, as Rokkenjimans, have harmed the Kusanese and does what no one before her has been capable of: normalizing relations and making up for past crimes.
Let no one be mistaken, we absolutely leveled Kusan under the Federal Republic and yet, somehow, they persisted. We hit all of our targets and yet we lost the war; Kusan lived to fight another day to become a satellite of Warsaw and, later, as a last voice or echo, if you will, of the Warsaw Pact. As they once again enter the public consciousness I would ask our readers, as a professor of history myself, to put aside biases you might hold and to instead view Kusan as we did East Moreland when it ended its isolation all whilst looking in the mirror. Kusan doesn't hate Rokkenjima for being Rokkenjima, no. Kusan hates Rokkenjima because the Crown inherited, foolishly, the Republican ideas about Kusan and instead of cutting them from the soul of our nation, they instead doubled down. We created the enemy of Kusan, we fed it and raised it, and when we had the opportunity to bring an end to that and actually talk to them, we didn't. It's as simple as that; the demon is of our own creation."