NationStates Jolt Archive

IC thread: Gold Rush (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=545980)

Attempted Overview

This concerns a vast area and a number of players. Southern Africa is one of AMW's most involved and complicated regions.

Gabon is split between Roycelandian-controlled west and free Republican east, originally supported by the African Commonwealth and Lusaka.

The Former United African Republics of Lusaka are now as such:

Tanzania

Lead by President Livingstone Miyanda, former State Secretary in the UARL, a laid-back character who owes his (popular) Presidency and even his freedom to Soviet and Union India. He would be happy to maintain the status quo and bring peace to Tanzania.
Former UARL Defence Secretary Colin Olongwe, a veteran of the Independence War against Roycelandia and the Bush War against Rhodesia & Nyasaland, and moderate African Socialist, heads the Tanzanian military, and is a more stern and aggressive character than Miyanda. He wishes to intervene in the African Commonwealth, to settle border disputes in Tanzania's favour and then aid the weakened Ndelebe government against rogue Officers and foreign intruders in the Congo region.

Derek Igomo, AKA Papa Africa, former UARL President, spends most of his time in Tanzania, though he also holds Zambian citizenship, and though well liked in the international left is regarded by many as a spent force now used mainly for propaganda and related purposes. He is concerned about regional instability but remains fixated on Pan-Africanism, which he pursues regardless of internal divisions.

Tanzania leases part of Zanzibar Island to the Soviet Commonwealth Guard and hosts a significant number of Hindustani military personnel on its soil. It is also home to major branches of a Quinntonian-sponsored television network that broadcasts across much of the FUARL and parts of neighbouring states such as the DRAC.

The nation's modest economy is dominated by farm collectives based on extended family units, fishing co-operatives mainly on the nation's great lakes, and its share of the FUARL's rail infrastructure and arms industry.

Zambia

Lead by Colonel George Tanko, an enthusiastic heir to the revolution that he was too young to join directly. Tanko played a major part in the over-throw of the junta of Theodore Tendyala, which briefly ruled the UARL during Igomo's post-stroke convalescence in London. Zambia's west is the least developed part of the FUARL, and HIV/AIDS is a major problem for the nation, which enjoys fairly progressive government and extensive local democracy, though there is little prospect of the Colonel stepping down as de facto head of government.
ZIPRA forces are based in Zambia and conduct operations against the government of Robert Mugabe with the tacit approval of the Tanko government based in New Lusaka City in the northeast and Old Lusaka City on the site of... the old city of Lusaka.

Zambia has mostly good relations with the government of Livingstone Miyanda.
The copperbelt region is vital to the national economy, which is as a result vulnerable to global market fluctuations. Tanko speaks often of African Socialism in the Tanzanian model, but in practice has implemented mixed reforms that most closely follow Marshal Lav's Yugoslavian socialist economy, allowing small-scale private enterprise and some worker self-management in industry while maintaining state control of vital infrastructure and part of the inherited defence sector.

Zimbabwe

Under President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party Zimbabwe is the least democratic state in the FUARL, but benefited much from its time in the UARL, when major reforms helped to set its struggling economy back on a once-steady track. Mugabe is sponsoring a resurgent ZANLA militia targeting the Ndebele minority in the Shona-dominated nation and attempting to gain control of mineral resources in the African Commonwealth's eastern provinces. Harare is engaged in extremely tense relations with Zambia, and the two could come to blows at any time as refugees and militias criss-cross the Zambezi river between the two nations.
Mugabe is courting the favour of the Strainists and Armandians and accusing his FUARL neighbours of radical Igovianism and terrorism.

The economy is out of recession, the problem of hyper-inflation greatly reduced, but farming, though better than it had been several years ago, has yet to regain past glories, and while services and light industry tend to be healthier than in Tanzania and even Zambia, Zimbabwe inherited little defence production capacity. Exports of minerals found more abundantly in the African Commonwealth than in Zimbabwe have become an unexpected source of income in recent months.

African Commonwealth

The Democratic Republic is based at Kinshasa, under the rule of its first ever elected President, five-star General Mshone Ndelebe. Ndelebe was an ally of Igomo's UARL in spite of unresolved border demarcation issues, and he lead his nation on a path of economic growth matched on the troubled continent only by South Africa.

The election gave Ndelebe the Presidency at the head of a coalition between the List for Unity and the African Democratic Union, but his former party, the out-going and authoritarian Secular Party, maintains a strong hold on the media through the infamous Manus Nigra secret police organisation despite receiving only 15% of the vote even after using intimidation tactics. The far-left African People's Front finished ahead of the SP, but was also largely shut-out of government since the LFU and ADU were able to unite 57% of the electorate. As a result of this, already difficult Communist rebels become more aggressive. By the same token, right-wingers and conservative Christians were almost totally shut-out at the polls, making a potentially angry minority of them as left-centre politics dominate government and far-left paramilitaries roam the countryside. The government's first act was to ban outsourcing of jobs by Commonwealth firms.

A strong domestic defence industry exists and a booming mining sector in the east is replacing dwindling petroleum production out of the Middle Congo region, but a weakening of the central government, Communist agitation, the meddling of the authoritarian Manus Nigra, and exploding wealth have lead to corruption and opportunism by military commanders posted in the mining regions. Zimbabwean forces and soldiers of fortune are already attempting to capitalise.

(More to come on paramilitary organisations etc.)

Spot on regarding the AC, Lusaka-p! However, I wouldn't say the Secular Party and the Manus Nigra are a decided opposition. The MN's commander, infamous and pure evil SOB Salvador Tóme, is loyal to Ndelebe - and with him, most (though not all) MN officers play it nice... At any rate, they don't kill indiscriminately, which is as much as you can hope for with these guys. The SP remains with some influence, mainly because of their support with more conservative tribesmen and parents who recognize the economic growth and welfare Nwabudike James brought to the nation.The African People's Front have more influence as you describe too, although they have been crippled by intimidation and fear after Tomé (this is strictly OOC knowledge of course) murdered AFP leader Nina Mwani shortly after she voiced her disagreement with the Commonwealth nuclear program.

I am starting up AC again, and it seems a real mess have been made of things. I might be bringing it up as a kind of civil war, however short-lived it may get once Ndelebe gets on the task again ;)

Just some questions before I feel ready to play AC again:

- What exactly is the 'Ndelebe' ethnic group? A faction allied to Ndelebe? Or some kind of socialist tribe of commonwealthers? This would make sense seeing as they are living in other nations such as Zimbabwe, the secular party repressed socialists in the 90s. I also note that they're using M-93s, which is the primary anti-material / heavy anti-personnel rifle of the African Commonwealth armed forces.

- What's the deal with hardline marxists running all other place, and how did this come to pass? If they're starting to represent a sizable amount of commonwealth citizens, Ndelebe will probably join up with them to be leader again unless he wants to be ousted by a rejuvenated AFP. Can you say Ndelebist Soviet Socialist Union? :D

- Is Tanko aiding the Commonwealth, or just factions in it? And is Lusaka still friendly to the (former?) AC government? Olongwe seems to be, and the threat of the Vultures and a few thousand Lusakan irregulars can go along way towards bringing Burundi and Rwanda back into the fold.

- What is the situation according to you, Lusaka-p? Is Angola crumbling, and what manner of factions do you think are inside DRAC as of now? I'd like your input before starting.

Answer as quick as you can, and I'll start shooting people . It'll be just like the old days! :p

The Ndelebe, to my knowledge, are one of Zimbabwe's two main ethnic groups along with the Shona. Not necessarily associated with the African Commonwealth's head of state, I think. Um, yes.

*Tries to sound knowledgeable*

Well, anyway, this thread is a very good thing. Certainly it helps to clarify a very complicated situation.

And it is furthermore excellent that we have our SSA players back! Good to have you once again Tias and Lusaka, and let's hope that Strathdonia can be roped back into AMW as well.

Yes, sorry, the Ndebele are a real ethnic (or linguistic, I suppose) group who represent a minority of roughly 14% in Zimbabwe. There are southern Ndebele in South Africa and Botswana, I think, too, but they're not likely to play a part at this stage! They're known for those clicking sounds in their language.

The Ndebele dominated one of two Communist-influenced black rebel groups in Rhodesia, namely the Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA), the militant wing of the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU), which operated largely out of bases near Lusaka, in Zambia. The Shona majority tended to gather around the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) and its armed forces known as the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA).

In reality ZANU and ZAPU united as ZANU-PF, under ZANU leader Robert Mugabe. In AMW it appears that Ndebele people are resurrecting ZAPU and ZIPRA since the collapse of the UARL and finding friends in Tanko's Zambia, regrouping once again around (Old) Lusaka.

So that's that, anyway.

Ah, Mwani's dead, eh? Good job I didn't try to use her for anything, then!

Oh, yeah, things got a bit confusing, what with all these similar names, nicknames, and acronyms. I meant to indicate that the DRAC military was using the M-93, just trying to show that Belgrade is selling weapons to everyone.

The Marxists I took from notes I'd made on old posts by you as the African Commonwealth suggesting that there had been quite a few Marxist rebels running about. I remember that some far left party was banned, so the APF rose up almost as the legitimate face of the radical movement, and while the leader of the ADU, I think, was actually surprisingly left-wing for a member of his party as well, the genuine Communists still felt marginalised by the outlawing of their original party of choice so I assumed that their trouble-making was only continuing. The arrival of Soviet troops in the AC, I thought, would boost their confidence somewhat, and Soviet propaganda and shows of force against the imperialists in West Africa possibly helped the Marxists' case, even as it perhaps influenced them to adopt a more Igovian tint (after all, there's no orthodox Marxist power left in the world to support or inspire them).

Lusaka is of course broken up into Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. New Lusaka City (AKA City) and Old Lusaka (RL Lusaka) are both in Zambia, ruled by Tanko. Tanko is a funny one. He's the least well known of the FUARL leaders. He's opposed to Mugabe/Zimbabwe's meddling in the African Commonwealth, but whether he supports Ndelebe or the Communist rebels or someone else is not entirely clear. For now his government maintains relations with Kinshasa, anyway.

Tanzania (capital at Dodoma, President Miyanda, military commander Olongwe, chief diplomat Igomo) is mostly friendly to Ndelebe, but Olongwe is pushing for Tanzanian forces to enter the border areas, mostly to stabilise them and stop ethnic violence kicking off big time. He is also concerned about Mugabe stealing resources from the increasingly chaotic east of the Congo, and wonders if Tanzania shouldn't maybe be getting its share, too. Miyanda on the other hand just wants peace and quiet.

Zimbabwe under Mugabe is totally opportunist and self-interested. It's trying to stir-up unrest in the African Commonwealth, incite racial violence, cause disloyalty in army officers, and all sorts, just so its forces can smuggle-out gold, copper, and other minerals for export to buy Mugabe's next term in office.

Angola/Over-all

I think that Angola is probably not in a great state. Kinshasa's involvement was ostensibly helpful, but probably didn't leave it with a strong local government. Communist rebels from the Congo region are likely to be crossing the border both ways, and Namibia is now essentially a Soviet client state, so the Igovians have ambitions in Angola too. Zimbabwe is prepared to use it as a back door into the African Commonwealth, and Zambia is helping anti-Mugabe rebels cross borders on a regular basis.

The African Commonwealth I think still exists in name but Kinshasa must be struggling to maintain control in the east, where rebels, foreign militias and army forces, and corrupt military units are trying to control mineral resources as they see Ndelebe unable to keep vast the country united behind him, with all its radically different politics. Race is presumably being used more and more as a weapon by which to divide and rule.

The FUARL states are all courting different socialist and communist helpers from Asia and elsewhere, so combatants are largely a mix of self-interested thugs and conflicting leftist idealists.

I really can't imagine that AC is anywhere near as bad as the RL DR Congo, just yet, but Ndelebe will really have to prove his leadership credentials if he is to hold it together and avert massive bloodshed.

If that's okay with you!

I'm in such a rush, damn it!

Lusaka-p>> Well, it is kind of correct and kind of wrong. For one thing, the 'socialists running amok' RP was pre-AMW, and while I have included it in the AMW history everything that happened there can hardly be considered canon. It was before I got a feel for playing realism, so as I recall I had three nuclear powered 1 trillion-a-piece carrier craft, lots of nuclear weapons and about 10 nations were involved on my soil, including nazi stormtroopers, weird hacker kids and some kind of futuristic communist group. :confused:

Also, as you may recall, the conflict ended (both in and outside of AMW) with all the marxist rebels either dead, in prison or driven out of the country. What left-of-centre democratic sentiments, marxist hardliners and other socialist groups remains joined in the African People's Front as reformists, and I doubt there are many organized militant socialists on the barricades these days. Regardless, I shall try to include it in the story - perhaps AFP leadership, radicalized by the government murder of their leader, each started a warband, drawing lots of less-than-believers into their fold in their quest to get back at Kinshasa and institute communist rule - Then, Mshone can get some on his side and kill the rest, if all goes to plan. Sound acceptable to you?

The Ndelebe is an actual ethnic group living outside of Congo? Well, I feel kind of silly now, seeing as I just made the name up :rolleyes: That's what I get for not making enough research, I guess. Oh well, it's a minor snag, let's get on with it.

Also, This: http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13397767&postcount=12

New post, CAF is going to town on the CPLF rebels and reaching out to the world: http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13405609&postcount=16

Please, I have read almost all of this now, and am still lost, I want to get involved, as I am planning on having a massive Quinntonian presence in Africa (North West) very soon.

WWJD
Amen.

The various factions of this conflict are a little... fuzzy, which is how I expect things really are in African political-tribal-historical wars. Still, as I understand it you have the somewhat corrupt central authority fighting the communist rebels? The government seems to have a history of brutality, but then the communists aren't a whole lot better. Hmph.

Corruption is actually only a problem in the army as of now, Ndelebe's government contains the party ADU that are very tough on corruption - However, the AC government has a history of severe human rights violations, particularly during the days of the one-party rulership under Nwabudike James. The current government maintains the secret police/army/shadowy bastard group known as the Manus Nigra who keep up their horrible ways, mainly because they need them to keep the peace and (mostly) because they're too scared of them to try and abolish their presence.

Whether the communists are 'better' are possibly a POV issue - The leaders of the communist warbands are pretty sympathetic democratic socialists, but in their bid for power they have joined up with all sorts of tribal groups, some are decent people fed up with whatever, others are horribly racist or nationalist of some stripe or other. Certainly the old 'Commonwealth' government currently fighting to restore order is committed to growth, unity and democratic rule, even if it does have it's failings. The alternative, at least for now, seems to be total chaos and bloodshed, and putting Congo back in the third world would not be in anyone's best interest.

But what is the role if the Ignovian Soviet influence in Namibia, with his conquest and re-education camps, etc.?
WWJD
Amen.

I wouldn't know. I hope he checks back soon so we can play, as the commonwealth government probably isn't too pleased with the soviet presence after an outbreak of civil war against socialists.

OK, that would probably figure quite highly into both my and your ppolicy in the region, I assume, so we should maybe wait for him to clear this up.

WWJD
Amen.

The Soviet position is equally confused.

Raipur had a pretty good relationship with Ndelebe, though the Popular Soviets have always contained plenty of criticism for Kinshasa. It's rare for any legislation to be passed that would actually chastise Ndelebe in any way, largely because he got on well enough with the Lusakans and lately because he was actively helping the Soviets to fight the Holy League.

Now that things are kicking off, many want to support the Communist rebels, but Raipur ultimately isn't going to dare. If they lose, or even if they take a long time to win, our use of AfCom facilities to operate into West Africa would probably come to an end. So the Popular Soviets do ridiculously little.

In steps the Supreme War Soviet in Calcutta. Ndelebe's a good bloke, says Calcutta, and the AfCom is just at an earlier stage in its revolutionary development. It needs time under Ndelebe's ilk before it'll be ready for Communism. Not a view supported by Graeme Igo in conscience, but at least in begrudging practice. The SWS is leading Raipur in public attempts to negotiate some sort of peace deal that might give a few Communistic concessions to the rebels and then more or less bring things back to the status quo.

Behind the scenes, Calcutta is being really quite... bad. Mugabe's secretly getting financial and possibly more direct support not because the Soviet people like him or his agenda, but because his meddling in the AfCom coincidentally serves a SWS agenda.

Namibia's getting along nicely since the Igovian intervention. Economic growth is through the roof and the income gap is being reduced. Of course the SWS is now using it -along with facilities in Tanzania, that the Tanzanians really can't get rid of even if they might want to- to smuggle arms to the Communist rebels and insert agents into Angola.

Openly the Soviets support Ndelebe while trying to appease the Communists to some degree, actually they're doing everything they can to destabilise the AfCom in hopes of one day taking Angola while ruining capitalist interests in the resource rich Congo.

Most complicated war in AMW history?

So, are we going to get on with this? Please post IC guys.