View from Benacia/Issue 80: Crazy Furriners...

This imported article was originally posted at http://viewfrombenacia.blogspot.com/2005/04/issue-80-crazy-furriners.html at 04/19/05.

(Ed. Note: We here at the View apologize once again for our lack of postitude; we were dealing with personal problems. But we're back to deliver oodles of newsworthy goodness once more!)

Shireroth seems to have been hit by a wave of emotional fits and LOAs over the past week, with Erik disappearing into the blue (if you count being freely available on AIM as "into the blue"), Baron Oz of Hallucination taking a break, Eros Darkstar and Gryphon the Pure both having been temporarily unavailable. But these seem to have been the main news items, and a bit too depressing to dwell on.

(Except for newly-returned Eriana Moon being made Minister of Immigration and Naturalization. Woohoo!)

And so we turn to the outside world for our infotainment this issue, looking at the antics of those crazy furriners.

Treaty of Shirekeep Out the Window?

It appears that the historic Treaty of Shirekeep, brokered by Kaiser Raynor XI, may soon be on the rocks.

In early December, the Kaiser's Court played host to negotiations meant to end the long conflict between rival claimants to the micronational identity of Cyberia: the Virtual Commonwealth of Cyberia (VCC), considered by most micronations the rightful claimant, and the rival Restored Commonwealth of Cyberia (RCC), led by the infamous Emperor Jacobus.

The first breach of the Treaty on the part of Jacobus is thought to have come in February of this year, with what appeared to be an attempt to undermine Atteran authority during sensitive negotiations between the Atteran Emperor and Shireroth. The Kaiser put a bill before the Landsraad that, after being passed, banned Jacobus from Shireroth for a period of three months (set to end in mid-May).

After this, little seems to have been heard from Jacobus until recent days. Signs of trouble first began cropping up around April 13th in a seemingly harmless thread on micronational anthems and mottos in the MNN forums, where what seemed to be oblique references to oppressed people in the VCC were displayed in a Jacobian (Jacobite?) anthem. The following questions led to a statement by one Grand Duke Theo that "As for the ToS, certain opportunistic Shirerithians may have seriously damaged it. Alas for the late Kaiser Raynor!"

The comment was not further explained, but we speculate that it was a reference to Jacobus' banishment. There were also indications of plans to cause mischief.

The following day, one Tomaz Painn, believed to be a double login of Jacobus, posted in a thread in the Cyberian forums, causing an uproar among the inhabitants. Comments on the ongoing governmental crisis in that nation prompted calls to declare that the Treaty of Shirekeep had been breached. But this was only the beginning, because two days later, in a set of newly-created Sanctuary Haven forums for micronational dissidents, Jacobus declared in a public statement:

"From the beginning, the VCC has worked behind the scenes to isolate us and those who agree with us from the greater intermicronational community. ...They and their fellow-travellers in other nations have been most sucessful in this endeavour until today.I am serving notice on the I.R. Shireroth as guarantor of the Treaty that we are abrogating it in it's entirety, and that we re-assert all of our natural rights as sovereign."

Despite this, the Treaty (as has been noted by citizens of the VCC) has no provisions for abrogation, and doing so could in itself be considered a form of breach of Treaty. Kaiser Ari i issued a strongly-worded statement in the same thread noting that Jacobus would not be permitted in Shireroth to discuss the matter, and that representatives from the VCC were welcome to discuss Jacobus' "punishment".

It seems extremely likely that Jacobus will be re-banned in both countries, and we here at the View agree with Deputy Alan Grieve when he states that "It is obvious the only real solution is a sector-wide agreement by civilised nations banning Jacobus from our territories permanently."

Micronational War On the Horizon?

(Source: the Micronational Wul-wull-woo... *deep breath* Wulaptonachgat, here and here) A bit further away from home, the lines of what appears to be a brewing conflict have been drawn. Relations between the nations of Avalonia (formed from a group of dissident citizens of Lavalon) and Antica became strained (o the understatement!) due to the poor judgement of Avalonian representative Xon and Antica's subsequent attack on the Avalonian forums. Rounds of citizen-banning and the disputed source of further attacks on Avalonia have only deepened the conflict.

Now, the standoff seems to be drawing in other nations as well. Babkha's Majlis is apparently considering a bill sanctioning Antica (thread not available due to the closing of the Majlis to the public); meanwhile, Attera and Natopia are both considering resolutions in favor of Antica, with Attera's going to far as to consider a hostile act against Antica an act of war and Natopia's promising any assistance necessary.

What this means for Shireroth is not entirely clear. But should Babkha be attacked, the Mango-Camel Pact between Babkha and Shireroth states that Shireroth must come to Babkha's aid, a fact that may bring our nation into the conflict.

Edit: We have since received word that the Babkhan Grand Vizier has clarified that Babkha's threat of sanctions should not be misinterpreted as a willingness to engage in anything more violent:

"His Imperial Majesty's Government can confirm that it harbours no hostile intent towards the Dinarchy of Antica, further the Kingdom of Babkha and its citizens shall undertake no action or interaction towards the Dinarchy of Antica outside of the formal and peaceful diplomatic framework, exceptions and exemptions to which shall only be allowed subject to the consent of both parties."

As a result of this, a motion to declare a state of emergency in the Antican Senate has been withdrawn.