Southern Seperatist Movement
This article refers to the Seperatist Movement of Southern Niploma
Contents
Southern Niploma
Southern Niploma is a term used to describe the area previously known as Bhumerick. Prior to the creation of Niploma Bhumerick was part of the Feudal Republic of Niploma and Bhumerick.
The area that seperatists claim to be theirs is roughly 20% of Niploma and is located deep within the southern half of Niploma, this is the area best known as Bhumerick. Roughly 10% of Niploma lives in SN and estimates argue 10,000,000 people live in SN.
There is one key city in Southern Niploma, Khurun, a industrialised area that is in serious need of attention. Another large area is Cáplva, a town now effectively run by the paramilitary organisations. Failegn, Niploma's capital, is located geographically centrally but is still reasnobly close to the south. Failegn itself has been attacked on numerous occasions. Seperatists regard Failegn as the centre of unionism and as a key enemy.
Seperatists call themselves Southerners and call for a Southern Niploma. Some may call themselves Bhumerician and call for the free state of Bhumerick. Unionists call themselves Niplomians and are pleased with Niploma. Although all of the above may be seen as correct the politically correct term is southern-Niplomian.
History
The Niplomian Communist Army sparked off the famous civil war in the late 1920's and looked certain to overthrow the Oligarchy until the Socialist Resitance outsmarted the NCA and won the civil war. The SR then installed a government.
Meanwhile the NCA, now very small, fled to Bhumerick and began to stir up trouble. However by 1967 - when the army dissolved and signed peace with Niploma - the NCA had completely dissapeared. A political party was created instead, the Official Communist Workers Party. The party was supposedly a representative for all Niploma's workers and only 30% of the party was, and still is, considered seperatist. A breakaway group called the Revolutionary Workers Union was created as a Communist seperatist party. It achived limited sucess and is now defunct. Many seperatists do not vote in elections and sympathists simply vote for the sympathetic parties.
For almost thirty years the seperatist movement was considered social-democratic and peaceful. Many pushed for their right to send southern-Niplomian parties to the Democratic House (Parliament) and also to reserve the right to be termed as Bhumerician. However, Niploma could fight the small groupings of violent seperatists with police for most of the thirty years. there were no incidents of major attacks happening in southern-Niploma. Yet, seperatism ignited once again in 1993 when a huge bomb exploded in Failegn. This was condemned by most southern-Niplomians but reignited the debate over autonomy of the region.
NCA action opened the wounds of Bhumerick. It opened up the seperatist debate, a debate that has been closed for years. Now, however, the seperatist movement is not communist but cultural and social-democratic.
Southern-Niploma is considered marginally seperatist as a whole. 30% is sympathetic to the seperatist cause, 20% is loyal to the government, 30% is neutral and 20% is actively engaged in the seperatist movement (either democratically or militarily).
Politics
Upon the Failegn attack of 1993 all southern councils were dissolved by the government in a harsh counter-attack. Southern Niplomians hold the least authoritave power in Niploma although many are suportive of a legislature (like Failegn City Council) to govern the south.
Politically, the south is split into three. The largest group is most likely the neutrals. This is a mixed group who has little interest in seperatism or unionism. It is usually made up of more affluent southerners. Those who are sympathetic support a broad range of political platforms. Those who are more neutral, or perhaps slightly unionist will support the Libertarian Reform Party. It should be noted that neutrals who do sway to either side do so for personal gain rather than the gain of the whole region.
Second largest are seperatists. All seperatists are in favour of some self-governance and many seperatists are in full support of their own state. Seperatists are usually made up of lower classes and critics call it a social movement, using groups such as the NCA for backup. However, to many seperatists this is not true. The key aim is to be free. The term 'Freedom at any Cost' is the slogan of the seperatist movement. Unfortunately this motto is taken rather too literally and a significant minority of seperatists are enagaged in paramilitary organisations.
The smallest group are unionists. Members of this group generally support unionism due to the financial and social gain of being in a large country or are passionate of the region they live in being Niplomians. Unionists will always refer to themselves as Niplomians, not Southerners, regardless of their geographical presence. Uninists are typically a mix of merchants and business men although the 'working-class' make up some of the unionist ranks. Unionists have politically support the Grand Conservative Party at national level in the past although their votes now sway to the Libertarian Reform Party of the extreme Niploma First. Unionist levels tend to grow when violence from seperatists increases. Younger southern-Niplomians can see unionists as defending Niploma where as seperatists are destroying it.
The Democratic House passed a Bill in 1982 declaring all southern-based parties as 'illegal if they stand for national elections'. Ergo, there are no southern based parties in the Democratic House or Niplomian Senate. The DH banned parties from the south from entering as it was seen as then encouraging seperatism.
Political Parties
National
Unionist
- Libertarian Reform Party - a centre-right party which favours unionism.
- Niploma First - no sympathy to any seperatists or to civilians as a whole in the south.
Centre/ Sympathetic
- Social-Democratic Party of Niploma - sympathetic.
- Niplomian Labour Party - loyalist/central.
- Democratic Party of Niploma - favours civil rights in what it terms as Bhumerick.
- Green Party of Niploma - favours democracy.
Seperatist
- Official Communist Workers Party - seperatist
Regional
These parties were given new powers with the creation of the Southern Niploma Assembly. Also they now hold representation in hundreds of councils. It should be noted that none of the following have ever stood for national election.
Unionist
- Southern Unionist Party (SUP) - the unionist party
- Unionist Voice - fiercly unionist
- United Workers Party - socialist
Peaceful Centrists
- Peace - a 'cross community' party
- Democratic Freedom (DF) - supports a southern legislature but still government protection.
Seperatist
- Southern Niplomian Fighters (SNV) - a front to the SNFF, fiercly pro seperatism.
- Southern Seperatist Communist Party - a front to the RNCA.
- Bhumerick People's Party - largest party in Bhumerick
Paramilitary Organisations
Unionist
- Southern Fox - A small but smart paramilitary organisation. Has no interest in peace.
- Southern Unionist Defence Organisation - Large Unionist movement.
Seperatist
- Real Niplomian Communist Army - Claims to be the NCA. Small and communist. No interest in legislature/ peace, fights for a Communist Republic of South Niploma.
- Southern Niploma Freedom Fighters - A large organisation that will fight until peace is ensured. Close ties to SNV.
- Southern Front - An organisation that is interested in 'freeing the south'. Although small it is renowed for its smart actions, such as attacking key unionists and key governmental figures.
Legislature & Autonomy
Since 1993 all councils have been shut and there has been no Southern legislature. With new PM Torin sympathetic to seperatists the likelyhood of an autonomous region increased. PM Torin signed the 'Path to Democracy' with key leaders of Unionist, Seperatist and Cross-Community groupings. Torin offered McKibben, leader of the opposition LRP party, to sign but McKibben denied. The Path to Democracy was a progressive piece of legislation that would re-opened all Councils in Southern Niploma and installed an Assembly that could discuss but could not vote.
Path to Democracy was presented to the Democratic House. As a Bill it re-opened all 'councils in the area pre-defined as Southern Niploma', but, 'the Cabinet Deputy for Southern Niploma can shut down any of these councils if given due reason.' In addition to this a discussion body called the Southern Niploma Assembly would be opened and an elections held immediately. SNA would merely be a forum for discussion and would be heavily observed by the Government. In under a years time a vote held in Southern Niploma and the Democratic House regarding the Assembly. If voters choose to keep the Assembly powers can be handed over at the Governments discretion. In addition to this the Assembly can be shut down by the Government at any time.
In the first DH vote the Bill stuggled to pass, it recieved 395 votes with 355 against. Both the opposition and People's Coalition back benchers voted against. In the following Senate vote the Bill failed losing 102-97. The Government chose not to ratify the Bill at all and presented it to the DH once again. Under furious debate and the resounding quotation, 'Now, and only now, can Peace be sought in the South' from PM Torin could the Bill pass. The Demcratic House reversed opinion with 417 voting for and 332 against.
The Southern Niploma Assembly was opened and an election was schelued for July 3rd '06. All councils re-opened but some were immediately shut in dangerous areas such as Cáplva.
Terrorism
Terrorism is now a common word used in Niplomian media. Prior to 1993 the last Terrorist attack had occured in the late 1950's by members of the NCA. However, a 250lb car-bomb exploded on March 18th 1993 (Niploma Day) killing 198 people and injuring 329 more. A subsequent massacre takes place where 12 are killed and 29 injured. This sparked of the current Southern Seperatist Movement.
Main Events
The first year of terrorism. In early 1993 a routine police arrest in Khurun found Revolutionary Workers Union manifesto's and propaganda alongside a cache of small arms and small explosives, such as grenades.
This was overlooked at the time and hidden by the then Government. It was the the reality of this find hit. Throughout Februrary and March 1993 seperatists concived the attack upon Failegn. It was then on Niploma Day, 18th March, their attack went ahead.
Simon Wilson, a previous student at Failegn University, drove to Failegn along with David Clarke, a member of the Southern Niploma Freedom Fighters paramilitary group. It is believed Clarke constructed the bombs although it is unknown who devised the plan to bomb Failegn. Wilson was believed to be a radicalised individual who was taken simply as canon fodder and to detonate the bomb.
The two drove northwards on the 1st Road (a large motorway) and were caught on several CCTV cameras. At approximately 5.30am the two arrived in Failegn. The two were caught again driving past Central Square, where Failegn City Council is situated, before parking in James's Street three miles northwards in the northern half of Failegn. The car is caught on CCTV camera on numerous occasions up until 6.25pm when Clarke and Wilson return to the car but in different clothes. Wilson is caught opening the boot and placing a package into the car. This is believed to be the bomb. Some say the two aquired the bomb in Failegn and this explains their absence for several hours.
The two drive on into the 'old town', a famously busy area in evening hours. It is at 8.48pm the two are last caught on camera driving down 66th Street (interestingly the letter 'f' as in freedom is the 6th letter of the alphabet.). Until 9.40pm no-one is sure what happened to the two. At this time a voice believed to be Clarke's is found on a call to Failegn Police. He exclaims, '66. Freedom at 66. Immediate attention.'. At 9.58pm Wilson parks the car outside 'The Blue Sound', a huge club on 66th Street. Dozens are on the street celebrating Niploma Day and the evening, likewise several hundred more are inside the buildings on 66th Street. At 10pm Wilson is seen getting out of his car and into the back seat. It is here he supposedly wires the bomb. At just after 10pm a huge explosion rocks Failegn as 250lbs of explosive is detonated. Immediately 160 people die on 66th Street followd by 329 injured. Ambulances arrive on scene by 10.10pm and people are taken to various hospitals. At the time of the explosion Clarke is in on 12th Street, just under a mile away. It is possible he was heading towards Central Square, where the Council is found, although this is not known. It is beleived that in a panic he gets out a hidden 9mm pistol and begins firing. It is here, the '12th Street Massacre' occurs. A dozen are killed and 29 are injured. Severel citizens restle Clarke to the ground before he is shot on the spot by another citizen. Many are rushed to hospital over the night from both locations but due to poor preparation a further 38 people die in hospital over the coming days.
This is seen as the turning point in the Seperatism movement. It encouraged other attacks during the year such as the Khurun nail-bombings on a famous loyalist bar. The RNCA attempted a bank-robbery in May 1993 but were stopped by the police due to a tip-off. Although Failegn was in full alert another attack occured on the Metro killing 3 people and injuring 17. Several more mass-murders have occured in Failegn and Khurun specifically since. The most famous person to be killed was Deputy Steven Smith, a Grand Conservative Party member.
Now terrorist attacks seem to be mainly located in the South. The public is on full aware and as an average around 100 people are killed a year in attacks. However, with the creation of the Niplomian Armed Forces and the huge increase in law & Order spending terrorist attacks are experiancing a sudden fall. Some politicians and citizens have cited events as a, 'civil war' but Government sources describe it as a 'guerilla war in its late stages'. Most attacks that take place now are feuds between loyalists and seperatists. However, one should note that attacks on civilians still occur. Official Govt. papers from the Defence Department cites seperatists as, Small, smart attacks; usually involving nail bombs or sharp-shooters specifically taking out known targets where as loyalists are, appear to have a blind-shoot tactic where it is simply an act of agression upon a seperatist neighbourhood. However, many cells are coming more adapt at threat-methods on national politicians. The last attack that killed more than 25 people at any given time was in Khurun and was peformed by a splinter loyalist group in May 2002. One should note that as of recent prior to the 'path to democracy' violence quickly rosein retaliation to suspended talks.
Agreements
In ernest to aid the situation several agreements have been signed by leaders of the South and Niploma itself. Some, of course, have been refected. Here are several:
1967 Peace Agreement - An agreement signed by the head of the NCA and the Niplomian Govt. Declared an end to NCA activities in return for the members to be let be. Colluqially known as the 'Live and let Live' Bill.
March Agreement 2006 - The first agreement after troubles re-emerged in 1993. Was to have a huge affect upon Niploma but PM Torin walked out on signing. Torin exclaimed, 'Yes. I am a sympathist but I simply will not sign a deal allowing a Assembely to be created when bomb threats still threaten Niplomian citizens. Its the ballot box, not the armalite for these terrorists. Once seperatists from the main groups can come foward and say, 'We've disarmed', I will allow a fully democratic Assembely for the South. Until then they can only learn.' This was a turning point in politics for it was the largest anti-Seperatist quote from a sympathist. It has also spread a new message of peace not war.
Path To Democracy - Signed between seperatists, unionists and the Government. Allowed a full vote and Assembely to go ahead and councils in all SN to be re-housed and given back powers. The Assembely will remain powerless until all groups disarm and/or the Government can be prepared to hand over power. The Democratic House voted on the Assembly and the vote passed. The Assembely vote was planned throughout May and the election will be on May 31st. It should be noted that the Bill this was abosrbed into also stated that both the Assembly and councils can be disbanded and destroyed at any time. The Bill is seen as a stepping stone and will allow rewards for non-violence.
