Vanuku

[Sisyphus]

Government Agrees First Steps Towards A Fuller Democracy
Nobles and landowners given more voting rights and citizenship extended to all nationals


Businessman and landowner Rstak Jhrkez will soon qualify to receive the vote in general and local elections.

August 4488 - Partial democracy has been restored in Vanuku after the Prefect declared he was satisifed a number of internal security matters had been dealt with.

Under the current one-party state system, only members of the ruling SKS (New Royal Front) are allowed to sit in the Grand Council, debate and vote on legislation and have a say in electing a party leader.

Now, the Prefect is set to amend the constitution so that other members of the nobility may register their own political parties - distinct from factions within the SKS. However, all prospective parties must be vetted by the Prefect first and a ban on dangerous and anti-monarchist ideologies, such as communism and republicanism remains in place.

The Restoration of Democratic Processes for Landowners and Citizenship Act - 4488 also sees a return of limited suffrage. All landowners of large estates (worth in excess of 2 million VAN) are now being allowed to vote in general and local elections, which are to be held every six years.

As part of the reforms, which sweep away The One Party State Decree of 4485, citizenship has now been extended to all nationals.

The Prefect said the transition back towards full democratic elections would be carried out in steps, this being the first of them. He also revealed that the reforms had the fully backing of the new king, Wrntukai VI.

[cm9777]

Manosindus Invites Vanukean Delegation for Summit

[Sisyphus]

Vanukean Delegation Jets Off For Talks With Deltarians
Summit Arranged To Address Disputes Regarding Jelbania and Barmenistan


The Foreign Minister who has departed for crunch talks in Baofluz.

January 4489 - Foreign Minister Jebr Ksparsrmko Zhtál has flown out to southern Jelbania to meet his Deltarian counterpart in a bid to thrash out an agreement over two ongoing geopolitical issues.

Baron Zhtál, son of Prefect Duke Kspar Zhtál, arrived in Baofluz earlier today accompanied by a large security contingent. He will soon sit down with Deltarian Foreign Minister Metod Dobrovodský to try to come to an agreement over the two nations' well-documented disputes regarding Jelbania and Barmenistan.

The climate for talks has been made somewhat less frosty after Deltarian Dictator Manosindus Von Thaller announced he would not be deploying weapons of mass destruction on the territory of Consortium Alliance ally Barmenistan - for the time being. Vanuku has branded its northern neighbour as being run by a "rogue regime" and said any attempt by Deltaria to position its most deadly weaponry there would stop negotiations in their tracks.

Speaking before flying out to attend the Baofluz Summit, Foreign Minister Zhtál said: "The stability of Majatra is once again at stake and these two issues are integral to the whole situation. We, therefore, go into these talks with an open mind and will be looking for solutions. We hope the Deltarian delegation will adopt the same approach."

[Axxell]

Istalia sends logistics assistance to Vanuku to help managing thousands of refugees from Barmenistan The Armed Forces will deploy men, tents, medicines and other equipment to assist the Government of Wiel in tackling the massive influx of refugees from Barmenistan

[Aquinas]

April 4489

Ahmadi Alliance applies for registration

Following the Prefect's introduction of "partial democracy", the newly-formed Ahmadi Alliance group has applied for registration as a political party, with a view to contesting the General Election currently scheduled for July 4491.

For many outside observers, the decision over whether or not to accept the registration will be a key test of whether Duke Kspar Nohsrmko Zhtál is serious in his claims that Vanuku is no longer a one-party state. Allowing the Ahmadi Alliance to register will mean the establishment party, the New Royal Front Party, will face electoral competition for the first time in years.

The Ahmadi Alliance is led by Husn Vrkz-Krlmék, a scion of House Vrkz-Krlmék, one of the most prominent Ahmadi noble families in Vanuku. All of its leading figures are members of the landed aristocracy, although this is to be expected, given that even under Vanuku's reformed political laws, only nobles can stand for office, and only large landowners can exercise the vote.

Husn Vrkz-Krlmék's movement is strongly loyal to the Banmek-Sntazed monarchy, and shows little sign of wanting to fundamentally revolutionise the economic, social and political systems. However, there is a clear desire to introduce incremental liberalising measures, and also to promote and entrench the position of Ahmadism (OOC: Islam) in Vanuku. This latter part of the agenda has unsettled some members of the establishment, who are used to the dominance of Hosianism, and have become perturbed by the increasing assertiveness of Ahmadis, not to mention the recent trickle of high-profile conversions from Hosianism to Ahmadism.

[Sisyphus]

New Ahmadi Alliance Given Green Light to Register As Political Party
First Democratic Elections Set to Be Held Since Formation Of One-Party State in 4473


The Prefect, Duke Kspar Zhtál, who has set the stage for the return of democratic elections.

July 4489 - The Prefect has approved the Ám'ádíakai Spjogad's (Ahmdai Alliance's) application to become an official political party - the first registration of its kind since partial democracy was restored in Vanuku.

Following the announcement, Duke Kspar Nohsrmko Zhtál called for the re-establishment of democratic debate in the Grand Council and at the local state and council level. He also announced that national and local elections would take place every six years - as per the constitutional amendments he had implemented - the first taking place in two years time.

Speaking of the newly-registered party the Duke said: "After carrying out proper due diligence for several months, we now welcome the formation of the party by the noble house of Vrkz-Krlmék. We recognise their strong loyalty to the Banmek-Sntazed monarchy and their support of the fundamental political, social and economic foundations in this country. We will therefore allow their party to register under the conditions set out under the reforms I introduced.

"Subsequently we have cancelled the internal SKS leadership election, which was due to be held in the summer of July 4491 and ordered a general election to take place on that date instead at which all those applicable are able to cast their vote.

"Subsequent elections will take place every six year, as per the constitutional reforms I introduced. We wish the Ahmadi Alliance and its noble leader Husn Vrkz-Krlmék good fortune and hope they will repay the faith the government has placed in them by serving the electorate well."

The Suadja Konzsrlji Shlajofitojafmorzi (New Royal Front) seized control of Vanuku in 4473 and turned it into a one-party state. After gaining power of the party in the early 4484, Duke Zhtál stated to introduce a series of reforms enabling the return of partial democracy.

Currently only pro-monarchist parties established by Vanukean nobility can register and only wealthy landowners are allowed to vote in elections. Duke Zhtál has promised further reforms if the current system is judged not to destabilise the country.

[Aquinas]

October 4489

Security concerns mount over next year's hajj



For Ahmadis (OOC: Muslims), it is a mandatory religious duty to endeavour to go on a pilgrimage, known as a hajj, to the Holy City, Helem (OOC: Mecca) in Kafuristan, at least once in their lifetimes.

The most popular time to go on hajj is during the Holy Month of July. At that time, hundreds of thousands - sometimes millions - of Ahmadis descend upon Helem.

In recent years, these events have become more tense. To the dismay of much of the worldwide Ahmadi community, Kafuristan has fallen to communism and is under the control of the Revolutionary Workers' Party.

Of all the national Ahmadi communities outside of Kafuristan, Vanuku's is possibly the one which despises the Kafuri regime the most. This is no surprise, considering how pervasive and fierce the anti-communist propaganda campaigns in Vanuku have been. These campaigns have been orchestrated as energetically by the imams as by the government. Social media has been full of Ahmadis inveighing against the iniquities of the Kafuri leaders and expressing their outrage that Ahmadism's most holy site has fallen under the control of the godless infidel.

Rumour is now rife that next year's hajj will be a rougher experience than usual. It is being said that large numbers of Ahmadis - from Vanuku especially - are intent on visiting Helem not just to do pilgrimage, but to challenge and stir up trouble for the Kafuri authorities. There is talk of organised violence, and weapons and explosives being smuggled into the country. There is talk of religious opposition groups within Kafuristan becoming heavily involved as well.

Amidst the swirling rumours and growing fears, divisions have broken out amongst Vanukuean Ahmadis over how to respond. Husn Vrkz-Krlmék, the leader of the newly-formed Ahmadi Alliance, has lost ground with his more hawkish supporters by calling for "calm" and "strict non-violence". He caused much more resentment by going so far as to suggest Ahmadis "consider putting off hajj for this year" - a statement which has led many people to denounce him as cowardly and irreligious.

Husn Vrkz-Krlmék, though, insists "peaceful dialogue is the only way we can satisfactorily resolve this". He has written to the Prefect, Duke Kspar Nohsrmko Zhtál, pleading with him to "intercede with the Kafuri government, to impress upon them the importance of managing next year's hajj in as peaceful and effective a way as possible".

However, according to high-level sources at the Foreign Ministry, Vanuku's top diplomats are worried that if the Prefect begins this conversation with the Kafuris, the Kafuris are likely to request in return that Vanuku prevents potentially troublesome Ahmadis from travelling to Kafuristan, or even that Vanuku should start providing intelligence information about certain Ahmadi Vanukean citizens.

That, most political observers agree, could provoke the fury of Ahmadis in Vanuku - and probably elsewhere too, for that matter.

The Prefect as much as the Ahmadi Alliance leader, it seems, finds himself in an unenviable political position.

[Yolo04]

Vanukuean and Keymon Ministries of Infrastructure Announce Joint Nuclear Power Plant Construction in Keymon

[Aquinas]

April 4490

Grand Council discusses official status for Majatran language

Following the lead from similar efforts being made in Istalia, the Grand Council is meeting to consider proposals to make Majatran (OOC: Arabic) Vanuku's second official language. Husn Vrkz-Krlmék, the leader of the Ahmadi Council, told his listeners:

Our great friends in Istalia are considering granting the Majatran (OOC: Arabic) language official recognition and protection.

We believe now is the time to make a similar move in Vanuku. We hereby propose that Majatran should be recognised as Vanuku's second official language, that all public bodies should be required to make information available in Majatran and that public funding should be provided to support the learning of the Majatran language.

For Ahmadis like myself, Majatran is the language of our holy book, the Book of Bliss. Even if we are not fluent in the language, many of us make the effort to improve our Majatran in order to read the text in its original form, and better appreciate its literary majesty and spiritual insight.

However, Majatran is not only useful for religious purposes. Majatran is one of the key languages of this continent, and is a much-spoken language across Terra. If Vanuku is to retain its leading economic position in the world, then going forwards, it is going to be vital that our workforce achieves a greater mastery of this important language.

[Aquinas]

April 4490

Vanukeymon tops international gaming app charts



A joint Vanukean-Keymon private venture called the Vanukeymon Company has just published a sensational new gaming app called Vanukeymon, where players have to catch Vanukeymons, then train them and send them into battle.

The game has been a stunning success, topping the charts in multiple countries. Parents and teachers all over Terra are complaining that children are becoming obsessed with and distracted by the game, to the extent of neglecting their studies and losing interest in socialising with other children.

Adults are also becoming addicted. In the capital city, Wiel, police have warned drivers not to play the game whilst driving, warning there have been a "number of cases" where this has resulted in or contributed to road accidents.

Some religious leaders are becoming tetchy as well. Last week, Omr Shahrán, the imam of Prinsenaard Grand Mosque, castigated members of his conversation for playing Vanukeymon in his mosque, warning the game "is distracting us from our focus, distracting us from our prayers, distracting us from our families, distracting us from Akim" and even speculating that "these Vanukeymon creatures look to me like little demons made to look cute, and I think that's something that's dangerous - there are serious spiritual potential implications to this thing".

Husn Vrkz-Krlmék, the Ahmadi Alliance leader, has called for a "broader debate about gaming culture and its role in Vanukean society", and called on the government to "consider tighter regulation, particularly when it comes to children and addictive gaming patterns".