Atruria
18-10-2007, 04:04
DURENHALL, ATRURIA – Students and university professors took to the streets all of last week swarming the major venues of the High Kingdom’s capital and major cities, and causing a few minor clashes with the Royal Gendarmerie. The mobs, though unorganized and generally nonviolent, caused severe blockings of urban roads and public transport systems. Protestors chanted slogans “Democracy Now,” and “Down with the Monarchy.” These protests follow allegations of the High King’s corruption, as well as several drastic measures recently taken by the High Monarchy.
This turn of events can be surmised to have begun with the death of High King Thomas II, well-known by his honorific The Lion, several months ago. High King Thomas was widely known as an architect of progressive reforms, credited for deeds including bringing Atruria from the third world into the first, developing a modern military, ensuring a system of checks and balances on the monarchy, and reversing the confusing isolationist-imperialist attitudes of Atruria’s foreign policy.
After his coronation, High King William promised, and was expected, to continue this process of reform and seemed to be doing so up until just several months ago. About half a year into his reign, William issued a royal proclamation stating that because the High King is, according to tradition, chosen by God, laws of the Parliament directed towards the Monarchy are nonbinding and that his command was supreme. Several days later, the High King declared all Atrurian colonies to be possessions of the Monarchy as opposed to the government, effectively ending their representation within Parliament. Though several political leaders denounced these actions, they soon mysteriously ‘disappeared’ and many suspect that they are being held in detention camps operated by the Royal Secret Service, the primary intelligence service of Atruria, which is widely viewed as having been converted into William’s secret police force.
The High King also recently integrated the nation’s main colonial economic resources into his personal properties and nationalized major industries, funneling their capital into his own bank accounts. When Parliament stepped forth to denounce these acts as a whole, William turned the tables on them and dissolved the body under emergency powers, citing allegations of corruption and misgovernment. Many prominent members of parliament have since disappeared entirely or been placed under house arrest.
One influential parliamentarian who evaded his guards and is in hiding, Byron O’Callaghan, is reported to have had a hand in inciting the protests, publishing an underground newsletter throughout the past few months. Others have taken a less hands-on route and traveled abroad to form a parliament-in-exile. Some groups of dissenters have gone to the polar opposite, initiating the bombings of several military and royal installations.
Thus far, the High King has relied on the military and Royal Secret Service to keep the High Kingdom of Atruria and its accompanying empire in order, however splits are occurring even within these institutions, generally regarded as bastions of Imperial power. Elements of the Royal Army and Gendarmerie left the nation, accompanying Parliament, while some servicemen, officers and enlisted alike, have blatantly criticized the new High King’s policies. For the most part though, the men and women of the armed forces are staying quiet, whether in desire to stay alive and keep their jobs or in genuine agreement with the monarch’s philosophies. []
This article was contributed to by Johnny Marks, an award-winning freelance journalist known for escapades into danger zones, and Martha Du Prie, junior editor for the acclaimed Global Affairs magazine.
This turn of events can be surmised to have begun with the death of High King Thomas II, well-known by his honorific The Lion, several months ago. High King Thomas was widely known as an architect of progressive reforms, credited for deeds including bringing Atruria from the third world into the first, developing a modern military, ensuring a system of checks and balances on the monarchy, and reversing the confusing isolationist-imperialist attitudes of Atruria’s foreign policy.
After his coronation, High King William promised, and was expected, to continue this process of reform and seemed to be doing so up until just several months ago. About half a year into his reign, William issued a royal proclamation stating that because the High King is, according to tradition, chosen by God, laws of the Parliament directed towards the Monarchy are nonbinding and that his command was supreme. Several days later, the High King declared all Atrurian colonies to be possessions of the Monarchy as opposed to the government, effectively ending their representation within Parliament. Though several political leaders denounced these actions, they soon mysteriously ‘disappeared’ and many suspect that they are being held in detention camps operated by the Royal Secret Service, the primary intelligence service of Atruria, which is widely viewed as having been converted into William’s secret police force.
The High King also recently integrated the nation’s main colonial economic resources into his personal properties and nationalized major industries, funneling their capital into his own bank accounts. When Parliament stepped forth to denounce these acts as a whole, William turned the tables on them and dissolved the body under emergency powers, citing allegations of corruption and misgovernment. Many prominent members of parliament have since disappeared entirely or been placed under house arrest.
One influential parliamentarian who evaded his guards and is in hiding, Byron O’Callaghan, is reported to have had a hand in inciting the protests, publishing an underground newsletter throughout the past few months. Others have taken a less hands-on route and traveled abroad to form a parliament-in-exile. Some groups of dissenters have gone to the polar opposite, initiating the bombings of several military and royal installations.
Thus far, the High King has relied on the military and Royal Secret Service to keep the High Kingdom of Atruria and its accompanying empire in order, however splits are occurring even within these institutions, generally regarded as bastions of Imperial power. Elements of the Royal Army and Gendarmerie left the nation, accompanying Parliament, while some servicemen, officers and enlisted alike, have blatantly criticized the new High King’s policies. For the most part though, the men and women of the armed forces are staying quiet, whether in desire to stay alive and keep their jobs or in genuine agreement with the monarch’s philosophies. []
This article was contributed to by Johnny Marks, an award-winning freelance journalist known for escapades into danger zones, and Martha Du Prie, junior editor for the acclaimed Global Affairs magazine.