NationStates Jolt Archive

Aerionian Newsworld <AN>

BREAKING NEWS

Prince Grants Amkarethz Holdings Autonomous Territory

"His Royal Highness, Prince Damoen Wasterin, has declared the metropolitan area of Raplonis and several surrounding districts as an autonomous territory of Amkarethz Holdings, to be directly governed by the Board of Directors of Amkarethz Holdings.

Amkarethz Holdings was started by the multi-billionaire Lamonth Amkaret, and today shares are worth in the tens of thousands of Gold Leaves. Amkarethz Holdings holds stock in over 100 Aerionian corporations of varying sizes, holding at least 20% stock or over in 5 megacorporations. The Amkaret Family still holds a combined 30% stock in the entire corporation, making them the wealthiest family and individuals in the Grand Kingdom other than the Royal Family with the Crown's assets in various megacorporations.

Political analysists are saying that this is an "significant move in the entirety of Aerionian history, even with changing governments in the past." As this is the most pro-capitalist, or some would say capitalist pressured government. Some political anaysists are saying that the Prince was pressured by Amkarethz Holdings, and other megacorporations. The public, already accustomed to Megacorporations having great influence in the nation, looked up to the Royal Family to counterbalance this as the true symbol of government and Aerionian unity. This may be seen as an act of weakness on the part of the Prince, and Royal Family.

The Crown does officially own 10% stock in Amkarethz Holdings, by Royal Law which states that the Crown shall own 10% of every major corporation and have an Royal Representative on their Board of Directors. The Crown's Royal Assets are currently being managed by the Crown Board, composed of Crown Prince Damoen, his sister Princess Ameria Wasterin, and some other members of the Royal Family.

Citizens living within the Amkarethz Holdings territory are still citizens of the Grand Kingdom of Aerion, but will pay taxes to Amkarethz Holdings which will in turn pay a large sum of taxes to the Royal Government. The Royal Government will maintain some offices, and the Royal Armed Forces will maintain at least 2 bases and 1 Royal Legion in the territory.

Police, Judicial, and other functions shall all be handled by the new Amkarethz Holdings Territory Divison, with the Vice President of that Division effectively acting as an Governor. Policing, judicial, and even semi-military protections will be under the Amkarethz Holdings Corporate Defence Force.

It has been said Amkarethz Holdings already held, and practically owned the city of Raplonis and area around it having control of most local industry and a lot of the properties.

The Royal Government is already withdrawing their offices from the territory, and the Royal Mayor of Raplonis is said to have officially stepped down and returned to the Royal Capital of Astevane to be reassigned.

Overall, to many this sets a very disturbing precedent for the entire nation. To others, it is seen as the Prince simply satisfying the most powerful megacoporation in Aerion.

The transition is almost complete, with Amkarethz Holdings creating small border outposts. The only thing people passing through have to show is their National ID card, as in many public spaces in Aerion even cities, however these border crossings do allow for Amkarethz agents to look at the person themselves. Amkarethz Territory Division has been given limited access to the National Database

OOC NOTE: Feel free to respond via press, written response, etc.

Nagamo looked through the Ottowoan Worker, the privately owned but heavily censored paper, and noticed something that he found both shocking and repulsive.

Amkarethz Corporation Bribes Officials, Gets Own Country

Terrible news for the people today! A Corporation from the greedy imperialist state of Aerion has become it's own autonomous state! In other words brothers, it has climbed high enough on the slime pit to force the monarchs on to their knees in pentinence to their material belongings. We must respond to this tragedy, this atrocity in due time, and I say nothing short of war will succeed in downing this corporate monstrosity!

Nagamo sighed as his people, so fresh out of their wars of formation, were all too eager to step foot into the battlefield today. He knew the Lupinites would urge him towards this goal, but war was the last thing on his mind. He however had to do something, so he started to pen his response.



To the Autonomous State of Aerion
From the People's Headquarters in Ottawo

I, Commissar Nagamo, have recently been made aware of the formation of the Capitalist state of Amakarenthz from a corporation. Before I continue I have to say that this has upset my people greatly. Not merely upset, mind you, they are calling for war. I deny these same sentiments, but my back is too the wall as to what else to do. The formation of said state is an affront to Communist Republic's around the world, and as such it is my responsibility as one of them to respond to the formation of an aberration as this. Thusly, I am issuing an ultimatum. Destroy all notions of creating a state from the scum of the Earth that are corporate hegemons, or I will be forced to listen to my people's will, and take military actions. You have two weeks to comply.

Sincerely,
Commissar Leader of the People's Republic of Ottawo,
Guillermo Nagamo

The National Security Ministry, notably the Department of Foreign Intelligence (which is, basicly, the famous and feared TDI with a new name), intercepted the communist message, analysed it, sent it over to the Minister, who was none else than the Head of State himself. The Grand Duchy was, after all, very protective of the Sisgarian region and kept a close eyes on everything that involved it. And if it meant some eavesdropping on allies, then so be it.

And so, the communist menace was quickly estimated, sighed at, a responce was written and the DFI sent it back to the "Republic".

From: National Security Ministry, Grand Duchy of Taraskovya
To: Commissar Leader Guillermo Nagamo, People's Republic of Ottawo
Subject: Menaces againt a Sisgardian State
Ecryption: Private, Type-4

Dear Sir,

We have been made aware of a certain menace issues by your state and your persona against the Grand Kingdom of Aerion, a fellow Sisgardian state.

The Grand Duchy, thus, wants to make it absolutely clear: undertake any military action against Aerion and your entire bolshevik kin shall be undone. Do whatever is necessary to tame and calm your people or we shall do so ourselves.

Thank you for your attention and please accept our coldest regards.

From: National Security Ministry, Grand Duchy of Taraskovya
To: Amkarethz Holdings
Subject: Corporate Territories
Ecryption: Confidential, Type-3

Dear Sirs,

The Ministry, as well as the Grand Duchy, hereby congratulate your company with the establishment of its own domains within the Grand Kingdom of Aerion. The Vigvar Conglomerate, the leading Taraskovyan corporation with monopoles in many fields, also operates its own doman, which was dictated by historic and socio-politico-economic reasons.

Yet, with rights come responsibilities and the Grand Ducal government thought it wise to remind that, whilst the principle of free market and autonomy of will are sacred for our country, we have some concerns to voice.

Namely, the Taraskovyan people and government would view any transfer of corporate territory to a non-Sisgardian State, be it a national or a corporate government, through standard market means (namely fusion or sell out) as extremely negative for regional stability. The last word is, of course, up to the Amkarethz Holdings and to the government of Aerion, but we thought it wise to make the position officially clear from the start.

Please adhere to our deepest sympathies.

[OOC: And just as a disclaimer, all the agressiveness is strictly IC. GDT just doesn't like bolsheviks and is really very "Monroe Doctrine" about Sisgardia. ;) ]

To: National Security Ministry, Grand Duchy of Taraskovya
From: Territorial Division, Amkarethz Holdings

"We at Amkarethz Holdings thank the Grand Duchy, and the Ministry for their kind words.

We at Amkarethz Holdings understand the great importance in management of our territory, and it is indeed not our intentions in any way to pass this territory onto any entity outside of the Grand Kingdom of Aerion. This would be highly unethical, in our view, and would damage national stability as well as regional stability.

The Royal Government will aide us in any communist threats, as there are several laws against communistic terrorist threats due to the numerous terrorist attacks carried out in the past by the Aerion People's Liberation Army (APLA), an communist terrorist organization. They are responsible for putting the beloved King Wasterin X into a coma, and other insidious activities.

As always we will continue to aide in maintaining the Aerion's economy, and being a stabilizing force for the future of the nation. Our subsidiaries and owned companies providing millions of jobs, with our guidance keeping such jobs stable.

We thank you for your kindness.

Nethkor Donoran
Vice President of Territorial Division
Amkarethz Holdings

The process continued, as Amkarethz Holdings fully became established in governing the territory. Many people had wanted to leave, but could not because they would not be able to find work outside of the territory after being with one or another megacorporation for so long. However, some other megacorporations were withdrawing their offices.

Already, there were rumors that the APLA (Aerion People's Liberation Army) was on the move. Despite the strong national security which included National barcoded ID cards, public surveillance, computerized checkpoints, and even tracking devices the APLA had still managed to function and survive, as well as even having rumored hidden bases and camps underground or camoflauged in the far rural areas of Aerion owned by private front owners but secretly used by the APLA.

Those who had some intelligence in the Grand Kingdom of Aerion (OOC: Those who interacted with me in the past) would be receiving reports of suspicious activities and several arrests of suspected APLA members by the police across the nation. These suspects were then turned over to the Royal Intelligence Service <RIS>, though some hints might be they were turned over to the more shadowy and top secret not supposed to exist RNSA (Royal National Security Agency).

Some suspected APLA members were even pulled into black compact trucks by men in black suits and glasses, and disappeared though these operations would be more secretive and can be considered actions by the RNSA. It is unlikely that a foreign intellgience would have knowledge of these activities unless they just came across it or observed it happening.

Nevertheless, the sudden rise in arrests and detainment of suspected APLA members shows that the Royal Government is reacting on some knowledge of what the APLA is doing or might do in the near future in reactin to the corporation seizure of territory.

Amkarethz Holdings Territorial Division had been busy at work at what they always had wanted to do to the city of Raplonis. They were transforming the infrastructure in favor of their owned corporations, and the corporations they had majority ownership in they were transferring the headquarters to Raplonis (including General Aerionian Productions Corporation, one of the largest megacorporations in all of Aerionian supplying 40% of consumer goods through its subisidaries as well as retailing it through their subsidary ShopMart, the largest general retail chain throughout the nation).

Amkarethz Holdings was also transferring hundreds of thousands of employees of their subsidiary corporation into their territory, presumably some were saying to further control the lives of their employees.

Furthermore, in a sign that some would say symbolically was an outrage, Amkarethz Holdings had purchased the large Governor's Palace for 100 million Aerionian gold leaves, and converted it into their World Headquarters. The beautiful marble Governor's Palace was built in this area in the Baroque style, and some would say even in the Aerionian corporate world is too palatial for corporate offices.

There had been official complaints to the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of the Interior, as well as the Office of the Lord High Treasurer, that Amkarethz Holdings was expelling the competition from their territory, effectively creating within their own territory an 100% dominated market, which would mean an 100% guaranteed profit. The Royal Government's response was of course, that it was Amkarethz Holding's territory, and they could do what they like.

Amkarethz Holdings had began to set up their own judicial system, that was largely composed of heavy fines. However, cases that may require the death penalty or other serious or special cases would be turned over to the Royal Ministry of Justice still. The Lord High Justice had ruled this necessary.

Continued controversy on the issue

Amkarethz Holdings announced it has purchased shares in CBBC (Cute Bunny Burger Corporation) based out of The United States of Allanea. Amkarethz Holdings shares ammount to 5% ownership in CBBC.

They have also opened 600 CBBC branches all across their held territory, many in all 3 cities, and all towns.

(Still an ongoing situation, post if any interest)