NationStates Jolt Archive

(OOC: As events in Altanar are about to pick up steam fairly quickly soon, starting a news thread seemed appropriate and overdue.)

Agaranth's speech met with optimism, skepticism

After the inaugural speech of new Prime Minister Jinella Agaranth, the overwhelming mood amongst the citizenry of Altanar was one of cautious optimism, albeit with a few skeptical criticisms.

While most people gave Agaranth high marks for her stances on the economy, immigration and social welfare, most of the skepticism revolved around her plans to call a hasha, or tribal council, to discuss the longstanding insurgency in the Argali and Akamian regions of Altanar.

"This whole thing about calling a council is just the beginning of [Agaranth's] plans to split Altanar apart and give in to the separatist traitors," Altanari National Front leader and former PM candidate Karan Peraer said in a response to Agaranth's speech published in several newspapers. "As an Akamian herself, anyone with half a clue should know that she's in league with the separatists herself, to subvert our government and bring about their demands," Peraer's statement also added.

Hani Pashan, the spokesperson for the Agaranth administration, called Peraer's statement "as utterly ludicrous as anything else the man ever utters", pointing out that Agaranth has been bitterly opposed to the separatist movement in the past. Pashan also suggested that Peraer "should leave the conspiracy theories to the scriptwriters of blockbuster movies, as they're a lot better at it than that fascist has-been."

Meanwhile, an umbrella of Akamian and Argali activist groups, led by the AAA political party, cautiously welcomed Agaranth's plans to call a council. "If the government really intends to talk to us, and try to find a peaceful way out of this mess, it's welcome. But if it's just more obfuscation to try to put us off, the government won't like our response," AAA leader Jamir Kerasa warned.

The newly created Liberal Party, which formed from the Liberal Alliance that challenged the AUP in the elections, also welcomed the hasha. "It is long overdue that the government realized that no amount of soldiers, cops, guns and tanks can hold down people who want freedom. We've been calling for discussions of moving to a federative model, or at least greater autonomy for Akamia and Argalia, for a long time now. We think that this council is a vindication of our stance," LP chair and Assemblywoman Alana Kasimira said.

In a poll taken by the AKUS Media Group, most citizens polled indicated that the council has cautious support, but that any discussions of autonomy for Akamia and Argalia would require those regions to share tax revenue, and income from the profitable natural resources industry, equally with Altanar to gain widespread support. The poll also indicated that any discussions of outright independence for the Akamian/Argali regions, or breaking up the Altanari state completely, would have roughly 30% support in the Akamian and Argali regions, but only 5% support in Altanar.

Solar Pantheonic Church chooses new leader

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r56/smurfie_bucket/isthana.jpg

Isthana I is the new High Priest of the Altanari indigenous church

ALTANA HOL - After no less then seventeen rounds of voting, the Solar Pantheonic Church of Altanar has finally chosen its new leader. The new High Priest replaces Melakis IV, who was assassinated earlier this year during the attack on Prime Minister-elect Norgan Sheloran's inauguration.

In a surprise win, Isthana Ekanar, the Archpriest of Nalioka, was chosen as the new leader of Altanar's indigenous church. At just 25 years of age, Isthana is by far the youngest leader the SPC has ever had. The difficulty in his election was seen as concern about his relative youth by the older and more conservative Archpriests and Great Priests of the church. However, Ekanar's popularity among younger church leaders, as well as the rank and file of the clergy, was key to his eventual choice. Ekanar is renowned throughout Altanar for the fiery, passionate speeches he gives, as well as his strong support for helping the poor and less fortunate.

The newly enthroned High Priest Isthana I gave a brief speech to church followers at the Monastery of the Mountain, the home of the SPC at Mount Kilaris, in which he pledged to "renew the sacred energies and blood of the Mother Church, and make it relevant to all the peoples of the Altan steppes once more."

Insurgents attack oil facility in Akamia

Millions of solaris lost in revenue and damage; Agaranth deploys Army

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r56/smurfie_bucket/oilfire.jpg

The Akash pipeline burns after an insurgent attack

Insurgents attacked an oil pipeline 25 miles outside the Akamian regional capital of Celavan today, causing millions of solaris in damage. The attack on the Akash pipeline is also costing millions of dollars in revenue to be lost, while the pipeline is out of commission.

The attack also threatened to cause "a major environmental crisis" in central Akamia, according to Infrastructure Minister Simon Wilkinson. Wilkinson stated that the pipeline's operator, the Royal Minerals and Resources Corporation (RMRC), has dispatched repair and cleanup crews to get the situation under control.

A previously unknown group calling itself the "Akamian Independence Force" claimed responsibility in a posting on a web forum frequented by Akamian activists. The group said that the attack was their "way of welcoming the new Prime Minister, the traitor Jinella Agaranth, to her new job", and also threatened further attacks. "We will not accept the so-called 'tribal council' that the government is calling. We will keep fighting until complete and total independence from Altanar - with absolutely no strings attached - is achieved," the posting also read.

The Agaranth administration responded swiftly to the attack, mobilizing 30,000 soldiers of the Royal Army and dispatching them to guard vital industrial facilities in Akamia and Argalia. "This latest group of terrorists can fight all they want - all they'll get in return is the chance to experience the seven hells in person. The Royal Altanari Defense Forces will not tolerate further attacks, and will use whatever force is necessary to shut down the insurgents," Defense Minister Pargal Khaskereth said.

Date for first hasha set

Traditional council to set foundations for resolving insurgency

The Altanari government today announced the official date for what will be the first of three traditional councils aimed at negotiating a solution to the ongoing Akamian/Argali insurgency.

The first hasha is set to be held in two weeks, and will be held at the Ashakiya (http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r56/smurfie_bucket/ashakiya.jpg), in the Argali capital of Argalia City. The Ashakiya is the formal meeting place of Argalia's clans, and was touted as an "ideal" place to have the meeting by Prime Minister Jinella Agaranth. "The Ashakiya has been a place where people have come to meet and discuss the issues facing them for centuries, and it is only fitting that it is the first place where the people of Altanar, Akamia and Argalia will come together to resolve their issues in a fair and just manner," Agaranth said.

According to the government, the first hasha is meant to set the ground rules for negotiation between the three ethnic groups, and agree upon a common foundation for further talks meant to hash out the details of an agreement. Future talks are tentatively scheduled to be held in the Akamian regional capital of Celavan, with final talks to be held in the Altanari capital of Ael Khalas.

Representatives of all three ethnic groups have been invited to the talks, and the Akamian and Argali Alliance, the main political group representing the minority groups, has tentatively accepted the invitation. It is also expected that religious, community and business interests will be invited to the talks. However, several groups, including the Altanari National Front and Akamian Independence Force, have already rejected the invitation outright, saying they will not abide by any results obtained from such talks.

Antarctic Altanar to pursue autonomy?
Colony's governor plans to make case at hasha

The Altanari colony of Antarctic Altanar has long been a quiet, and unremarkable, force in the politics of the United Constitutional Monarchy. With increasing talk of possible autonomy for Akamia and Argalia on the heels of the fast-approaching hasha, however, it appears that this is about to change.

In a speech at the colonial capital of Ietali, Colonial Governor Merena Kerilaka announced that Antarctic Altanar would also be seeking greater autonomy from the Altanari government.

"Antarctic Altanar, though associated with Altanar by longstanding ties, is not Altanar," Kerilaka said. "And if Akamia and Argalia are going to be recognized as being separate and unique, there is absolutely no reason why A.A. should continue to be considered just another part of Altanar."

Kerilaka and the Colonial Assembly have long been pushing for the central government in Ael Khalas to make Antarctic Altanar a full province of Altanar, rather than just a colony. Such efforts have received only lukewarm support from the Altanari government, however, and it now appears the Antarctic Altanari may have decided it would be better to go in the opposite direction.

Kerilaka indicated that the colony will be sending representatives to the hasha to press their case for autonomy. The Altanari government had no comment on that, but opinion was clearly divided within the Akamian and Argali communities on the move. Speaking in her capacity as the leader of the Argali clans, Altanar's Queen Melika was critical of the move, saying that Kerilaka's plan was an "opportunistic attempt which would only distract from the legitimate concerns of the Akamian and Argali communities." However, the leader of the Akamian and Argali Alliance, Jamir Kerasa, praised Kerilaka's plans, saying that "everyone who desires greater freedom within this state should be allowed to have their voice heard".