NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC: Not looking for a war, more of a diplomatic thing here as my nation considers expanding the Temple Guard to include various other religious groups. It should be explained below. Theocratic or not, governments welecome to put input, as are independent religious groups outside of Sumer.

Headline: Civil Senate considering the addition of three new Temple Guard Regiments

The Civil Senate released today that it was considering the posability of adding three new Regiments to the ranks of the Temple Guard units. The move would spark a new view of full accecptance within both the government and the Temple Institution in regards to foreign religious beliefs. The Temple Guard, known to many within the nation, are a group of independent military units who recieve special treatment and extrordinary self control in accordance with their status as defenders of the Gods. The incorporation of Guard Regiments dedicated to Dapida, Gechusha, and Aruadingir, representing the small Jewish, Christian, and Muslim minorities within Sumer, would be a major stepping stone towards possible incorporation of Taino elements of the Temple Guard, which itself might result into full integration of the Taino nationals into the Republic.
Groups within Sumer, both of native and foreign religious groups, have voiced concern over the idea. Such a move would ensure religious freedom within the nation regardless of action, but the potential problems with the three monotheistic groups and incorporation into a structure of polytheistic religious units are considerable issues within the populace. The Civil Senate has released no official statement regarding these issues, but has stated that it is working closely with the national Jewish, Christian and Muslim groups, as well as representatives of the current Temple Guard Units.

- Sumerian National Press

Official Announcement from the Free Havenic Republic of Kahanistan
Ministry of Foreign Affairs

http://www.nationstates.net/images/flags/uploads/kahanistan.jpg

The Government of Kahanistan realized a long time ago that synagogue and state, or mosque and state, or church and state, or temple and state, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera, do not mix well.

While we have had no previous contact with your nation and know little of your culture, we support any move that will, as you say, "ensure religious freedom within the nation regardless of action."

Signed,
Rachel C. Levitt,
Minister of Foreign Affairs

Lushar Reina Inarunikia sat paitiently at the head of the large table. Despite her status of power, she was sitting here as an observer. The Office of the Dictator's official stance was to support the decsion of the Civil Senate, as long as it kept the peace. She looked around, several representatives of existing Temple Guard units sat around her, along with a representative of both Senates and of several other religious groups. An older looking man with a beard, Sahib Ali of the Sumerian Muslim Centre, leaned forward, taking a sip of water from a glass he had nearby before he spoke. "While by no means needed, I truely believe we should expand the existing Guard system. We Muslims, Christians and Jews have long fought for this nation within the armed forces, many of us have died for this nation. The creation of new Guard units would bring us into a setting of ligitimacy within the nation." The old man took another sip of his water before sitting back to allow others to speak.

Another younger man, in his mid thirties, with a clean shaven face and dark hair, nodding to the old main continued. "As Sahib Ali has stated, ligitimacy is something we believe this would bring." The man, Reverand Kornuka, looked around the table a moment before continuing, "We have lived within this country for centuries, the public issue of accecpting the existance of your gods will not be an issue with us. As long as our right to believe in God is held to an equal standard."

"We have other issues with this gentlemen." Reina finally piped in. "We have issues with corruption of your elements from external sources. While we do not doubt the majority of the followers of your beliefs are loyal to the nation, we have to recognise the possability of theocratic governments attempting to, or actually putting, influence on such units. This problem is especially highlighted if we were to go to war with such a nation. If we go to war with a Christian theocracy, will we be able to count on the entire Christian guard regiment? Will they be loyal even within such a postsion of power in society?"

"We haven't had issues with that in the past." The Reverand replied, "We've been loyal to the nation despite such things happening."

"But never before have any of us been given Guard status," Finally Rabbi Dapida, who was in representing the Jewish community spoke in. "I understand the issue the government has with this, but I believe the only way for us to prove that such fears are unfounded would be to be given the place."

Reina sat back in her chair. There was much more to discuss, and she knew the issues would never fully be settled. The man representing the Civil Senate had thus far been quiet, but she knew he was pondering the situation. They were right so far, and she had to admit it.

Viceroy Kalma sat in his office in the capital Khath Bekha, of the Bekhaeran empire, he was an elderly man whose hobbies included otehr nations and their interests, cultures & laws & as fate should have it he came across a recently hotly debated topic from another nation

"Hmm perhaps we should message them to congratulate them on their decision or message them to open negotiations on whatever we can offer them I suppose, I remember the 1659 Act Of Unification, ahh yes, a similar act, most contreversial, allowing the Bechtae to become part of The Bekhaeran military and political landscape... but the Holy Guard was established paving the way for I suppose the empire ho ho ho..." Kalma chuckled as he pondered away puffing on his pipe

"To The Government & peoples of Dostanuot Loj, we the Bekhaearan empire offer any assistance or guidanc in the matters you are currently looking at, our experience in such matters we feel could be vital to any ongoing negotiations.

We humbly request a chance to meet and dicuss any terms of advice or overseeing any negotitations with your various religious factions

Signed Viceroy Kalma Shakhe Kostadi V"

Sealed letter to Signed Viceroy Kalma Shakhe Kostadi V of the Bekhaearan Empire

We appreciate your interest in the matter of the expansion of the Temple Guard. We are however unsure if you understand the nature of the expansion from the context of your response. We appologise if we have come to the incorrect conclusion of your intentions beforehand however.
The Temple Guard are seperate but elite military formations formed around the priesthood of cult worship centres for the insurance of that cult's survival regardless of external pressures or invasion. While they often opperate closely with regular Sumerian forces, they are not fully a part of the Sumerian Armed Forces themselves. Regiments and Divisions of the Temple Guard concentrate entirely on their cult centre, and do not intermix or transfer amongst eachother. One joining Utu's Guard for instance is only in Utu's guard, and not in Enlil's Guard. The formation of these three new Guard units for the three minority religious factions within the nation would be brought about to ensure the equality of those religious factions regardless of external or internal pressure or invasion, and would opperate simmilarly to other Guard units. Christian, Jews and Muslims howver will continue to be allowed equal participation in the actual Sumerian Armed Forces as they have enjoyed for centuries.
Negotiations currently underway centre primarily on economic concerns with the formation of entirely new Guard units, their equipment avalibility and personell, religious and cultural issues are few and we believe them to be easily settled.
We again, welecome your voiced support and interest in the project.

- Commanding Officer of External Relations,
Admiral Panchito Guanikeyu

Headline: Demonstrations erupt in Uruk

Small demonstrations errupted in Uruk today around issues concerning women's rights in new Temple Guard regiments. The behind closed doors discussion on the subject has yeilded more then a little anxiety from the general population, especially those who may end up eligible for service in these new units.
Among the groups demonstraging were a number of muslim women from several branches of the regular armed forces and the Republican Guard, who came to demand that any muslim Temple Guard regiment be set up in such a way that would allow them to serve. Lugal Sabah al Eridi, a prominent high ranking officer of the Republican Guard, and one of the muslim woman demonstrators at the event told reporters at the scene. "It's not an issue with us wether or not the units are formed, we believe they should be formed in fact. What we want is to make sure they are formed in such a way that sexisim does not become an issue. We want to ensure sexisim does not become a problem in this country and within these important formations. We want to keep our rights to express ourselves and our beliefs and to protect those beliefs regardless of our gender."
Lugal al Eridi, who has fifteen years of combat service experiance with the Republican Guard, is widely rumored to be top choice to command a possible Igimunu Aruadingirak regiment. When asked wether she had been approached regarding these rumors, or whether she put any stock into them she responded, "I don't put much faith in rumors, and have no intention of starting now. When the time comes to pick a leader the Civil Senate and others involved in the process will choose who is to form the units. We can only wait to see if they will form the units first, then we can begin debating who should lead them."
The demonstrations today remained peaceful, however officials were worried about potential viloence as small hardline groups had voiced their disapproval of the concept, and have outwardly declared their intentions to demonstrate against it. At least for now those groups on opposite sides of the debate have made the effort to not interact with eachother, only with the Civil Senate.

- Sumerian National Press