Barmenistan

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Re: Brmék H'áberz (Barmenian Herald)

Postby Oakwood » Sun Mar 11, 2018 3:48 am

High Court deals blow to government; strikes down 'arch religious statutes'.

3rd of December, 4360- In three separate cases that featured three different majorities, the court dealt a series of blows to a government that had spent much of the previous year and a half ironing out its religious and marriage policy.

The first case, filed in the District Court of Kathuristan as Zailkhadé v. Trifluz, dealt with the case of a local law passed since the enactment of Public law 6514, otherwise known as the Defamation of Religion Act; the city council of Arbék, aligned historically with the Hosian Church, had opted to pass laws excluding church goers from any penalties under the municipal version of the law, while heightening such penalties for members of the Ahmadi, Ruhi, and Felinist communities. Zailkhadé, an Abadi shopkeeper from a town within the wider Arbék metro area, filed suit once he became aware that he had been fined over 2,000 BAR under the law. He thus won his case within the District Court, yet failed to persuade the Court of Appeals, who ruled on 4-1 basis that it was not the place of the courts to "meddle with regional and local affairs". Once he took his case to the Supreme Court, the Chief Justice, Lazrjan, as well as the rest of the federalist bloc of the court seemed sympathetic to his plight, according to numerous court watchers. The result was a seven to four vote in favor of Zailkhade, with the two swing justices voting in the affirmative. Writing for the majority, Associate Justice Utrji stated that it was not "within the purview [sic}...of any legislature, nor any executive, to divine the religion of a person within the Republic. Their inspiration is their own."

The Court echoed a similar sentiment in the case of Hanaja v. Nrlshehré, in which a woman identified as Anne Hanaja was reportedly arrested in the early hours of the fourth of August, 4359, after telling an officer that she did not profess a belief in any diety and did not go to Church. On her behalf, her husband, Paul, sued the Federal government for discrimination and claimed that the section four of the law violated the constitution. The case was thus remanded to the District Court, who sided with the defendent in a 5-0 decision, and was on its way through the Judiciary before being briefly halted by the Court of Appeals, who stated that there was, quote "a non literal interpretation of the law". Mr. Hanaja did not wish to acquiesce to the decision of the Court of Appeals, and promptly filed a writ with the Supreme Court. Oral arguments occured throughout December of 4359 and into March of this year. Finally, in a six to five decision, the Court ruled that the government's legislation was unconstitutional. Writing for the majority, the Chief Justice stated that it was not "within the power of the state to force someone into prayer."

In the case of Nesher v. Nrlshehré, the plaintiff, Sena Nesher, filed a brief against the recently passed Recognition of Arranged Marriage Act. Under the law, she was forced by her family to marry her current husband, Stephen Hecr, whom she claims is both physically and emotionally abusive. The Court ruled in a ten to one decision that it was "Against the values of the Republic and the constitution...to force a woman into a type of slavery as described by this law".
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Re: Brmék H'áberz (Barmenian Herald)

Postby Polites » Mon Mar 12, 2018 9:01 am

Supreme Court vs. Shahránkai
Religion debate moves to Supreme Court

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The Supreme Court annulled a number of Enlightenment bills in three recent cases

August 4361 - In a shocking but expected recent development, the Supreme Court of Barmenistan struck down several pieces of legislation passed by the Enlightenment Party, including the Defamation of Religion Act, the Religious Freedom Act, and the Recognition of Arranged Marriages Act, arguing that they all violated the "Mandate of non-sectarian governance and elections" clause of the 4298 Constitution by allowing discrimination based on religion. This development is the first time the so-called "Old Guard" have openly acted against the Shahránkai outside the electoral system, but the Supreme Court's decision came as no surprise, given that a majority of its justices were appointed under the Coalition Party-led bet Abuna and bet Shakír administrations. The Enlightenment Party, wishing to continue its religious and economic reforms, was quick to introduce a number of amendments to the laws that the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional, without however fully removing their main provisions. The Amendment to the Defamation of Religion Act will continue to penalize religious hate-speech, but in order to comply with the Zailkhadé v. Trifluz decision it removed the power of local governments to exempt individuals from the anti-blasphemy legislation. The Amendment to the Religious Freedom Act and the Religious Discrimination Act continues to require all citizens to register as a member of a religious organization, however now no Federal or local authority or religious organization is allowed to refuse any individual's membership on account of their religious beliefs of practices, and secular organizations, including the Secular Humanist Association of Barmenistan, were officially recognized as "religious communities" under the provisions of the amended law. And the Amendment to the Recognition of Arranged Marriages Act introduced a distinction between "arranged marriages", defined as marriages where family and friends select a marital partner and which will remain legally recognized, and "forced marriages", marital contracts entered against the will of one or more of the spouses, and which are now explicitly illegal. With these amendments the Enlightenment Party hopes to continue its religious reforms without the threat of their being overturned by the Federal Republic's highest judiciary, as it can now argue that although its religious legislation grants a central role to religious organizations, it it applied equally to all citizens irrespective of religious belief or lack thereof. Whether the Supreme Court will judge these amendments as conforming to the "Mandate of non-sectarian governance and elections" clause will soon be known.

But what is most surprising about the recent legal battle is not the actions of the Supreme Court, but what did not happen. Article 6(1) of the Federal Constitution that establishes the non-sectarian clause allows for the dreaded Article 3(2) to be applied. The article, continuing provisions established under previous regimes, allows for what critics call a legal military coup, as the Armed Forces are legally allowed to intervene to depose, detain, and dissolve the executive and legislative in case of violations of the Constitution. Military coups under the article, or indeed even the mere threat of triggering article 3(2), have in the past been enough to strike down any move away from the policies and ideology of the so-called "Old Guard", and many Shahránkai feared that their party's religious legislation would be enough to provoke another coup and destroy all their reformist efforts. But instead the "Old Guard" preferred to use a more peaceful if not less confrontational approach. Commentators argue that the reason why the traditionally politically-involved military chose to stay on the sidelines of this conflict is the fact that the Armed Forces no longer speak with a single voice and their loyalties are now divided. The military purges under the Shahrán administration that targeted corruption in the Armed Forces, as well as the numerous demilitarization bills introduced by the Enlightenment Party have removed much of the political weight of the military, and revelations of widespread corruption and unofficial collusion with the Apostolic Army have to a large extent discredited the military as "guardians of the constitution". Moreover, the Shahrán and Nrlshehré administrations committed significant resources to establishing civilian control over the military, including a policy of allowing all military units to select their officers, which led to many Shahránkai supporters being elected to lead the armed forces. A military intervention under Article 3(2) would not only lack popular support, it would even lack support of the Armed Forces as a whole and risk launching a civil war between the Shahránkai and their opponents. So while it is surprising that the military has so far remained neutral, there may be a good reason for this neutrality. If that is indeed the case, the Enlightenment Party can breathe a sigh of relief in the knowledge that, while they may not be able to introduce all the reforms they desire, at the very least all challenges to their policies will be peaceful.

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President Nrlshehré reviewing the Armed Forces
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Re: Brmék H'áberz (Barmenian Herald)

Postby Polites » Sat Mar 24, 2018 8:46 pm

Enlightenment Party Disintegrates
Reformist party collapses in factional dispute

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Former President Temrmai Nrlshehré was left isolated within her own party

August 4367 - The Enlightenment Party, the political heir of the Shahránkai movement established by former President Imran Shahrán and the Federal Republic's ruling party prior to the 4363 elections, has disintegrated this month as a result of a fierce factional dispute between the party's two main ideological camps. The religious conservative faction, led by former President Temrmai Nrlshehré, had been the dominant faction of the party since its establishment in 4351, and was responsible for the strong embrace by the Shahránkai of the demands and interests of the rural religious population, championing such conservative policies as the recognition of arranged marriages, legalizing the wearing of religious clothing by public officials, defunding abortions, banning blasphemy and religious hate-speech, and requiring all citizens to belong to a religion. But the strongly religious turn of the Shahránkai was resented by the secular nationalist faction of the party, who saw the embrace of religious interests as a mere instrumental policy necessary in gaining more votes for the reformist movement, but was otherwise resentful of what they saw as the theocratic turn of the leadership of the Shahránist movement. The secular nationalists had been willing to compromise on religious topics if it meant an opportunity to introduce reformist policies, such as economic liberalization, demilitarization, and the elimination of corruption. But as the 4363 elections have shown the reformist movement's religious turn seems to have alienated large segments of the population, particularly the newly ascendant urban middle class, whose numbers swelled following the economic reforms under the Shahrán and Nrlshehré administrations. The elections in 4363 thus resulted in a very narrow defeat for the Enlightenment Party and a victory for the anti-reformist Coalition Party, who with a majority of only one seat has been able to overturn many of the reformist policies. The Enlightenment Party immediately contested the results of the election, alleging wide-spread fraud and intimidation and arguing that it actually won about 600,000 more votes than the opposition. What followed was a lengthy legal battle that drained the party's resources and left it unable to counter the Coalition Party's anti-reform legislation, which was aided by numerous Enlightenment legislators voting against party lines and supporting secular bills. Although Temrmai Nrlshehré narrowly held on to her position as the party's chair, the secular voices within the party gradually gained the upper hand, breaking away from the Enlightenment Party to form their own secular nationalist and reformist caucus, and ultimately leading to the party's disintegration this month.
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Re: Brmék H'áberz (Barmenian Herald)

Postby Elf » Thu Apr 19, 2018 11:27 am

BEHOLD, A CONQUERING LION!

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His Sublime Majesty Heijinoju, Sovereign of House Hyéon-Mede

VARISHEHR - Seeing the more and more anarchic state of our nation unfold, one man could not stand to witness her collapse. Heijinoju Hyéon-Mede, a very distant descendant of the Mede dynasty through the second daughter of Queen Julianna, decided to enter the country from Pontesi. Aided by liberal and nationalist forces, Seluco-Barmenians, Felinists and Ruhi faithful alike as well as the Crimson Crusade and the Claws and Paws Organization, he quickly managed to restore order in much of Murdhe and the eastern coast. Entering the Madjlis in Varishehr, on horse he declared himself the new Sultan, by right of blood and might. Having his supporters refound the ancient Sháhazi Péashro (Lion's Vanguard), a swift "election" was conducted in a matter of days to formally elect new senators where possible. The new Madjlis then turned to formally acknowledge his position as the new Sultan.

His Sublime Majesty is an Ahmadi of the Nkáe (Felinist) school/madhab. However, the cabinet that His Sublime Majesty formally asked the newly refounded Lion's Vanguard to form is multi-denominational, and clans from all of the traditional religious communities are seemingly represented. Jezwazír (Grand Vizier) Nour Nazifdrsme Kepahisn is a Ruhi, while Foreign minister Ahwa Ozkutdrsme Ruh is a Felinist. The cabinet also boasts several Seluco-Barmenians, Kathuran and Arev Mardik members. Although the Lion's Vanguard formally espouses an ill-defined Centrist ideology, Jelbic civic nationalism and Felinist-Ahmadi unity is thought to be a major theme in the Vanguard, although the enlightened ideas of former president Nrlshehré are also thought to play a part. Some have labelled the resurrected Vanguard a national liberal party. Jezwazír Kepahisn released a short statement on her cabinets main goals:

☀ Creating unity and a sense of Barmenian identity based on our common history and heritage, rejecting sectarianism and ethnic nationalism.
☀ Achieving unity among Barmenian communities through decentralisation.
☀ Actively help the creation of sustainable local and small-scale businesses.
☀ Give all Barmenian citizens equal opportunity to satisfy their individual social, economic and spiritual needs.
☀ Seek active cooperation and integration with the Jelbosphere as well as Selucia and the Majatran Alliance.


Noted Kathuran nationalist activist Akhiban Wali voiced criticism, calling the Jezwazír's programme a "bunch of empty phrases that in an ill-concealed way seeks to whitewash the return of the 'enlightened' despotism of the Mede ideology and their 'liberal' Felinist ideology, supported by the likes the Crimson Crusade and the Claws and Paws and other cranks who still live in the 34'th century".
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Re: Brmék H'áberz (Barmenian Herald)

Postby colonelvesica » Mon Apr 23, 2018 6:35 pm

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Re: Brmék H'áberz (Barmenian Herald)

Postby Elf » Tue Apr 24, 2018 6:19 pm

FOR ALLAH AND HIS KITTEHS
Sultan invites theologians to formalise Felinist school of Ahmadism as State Religion

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His Sublime Majesty and His Consort, Her Stellar Grace Sultana Aravis Ponticina

VARISHEHR - His Sublime Majesty Heijinoju has invited scholars, shayks, imams, priests and philosophers to formalise a school of Ahmadism, the Nkaía Madhab (Felinist School), centred around Prophet Ahmad's Cat, Klunesrl (Jelbic: Moon-soul), as an incarnation of Bastet and his divinely inspired guide in the process of establishing the new religion. The Sultan's proposed solution to Barmenistan's ethno-religious divisions is thought as a more "conservative" solution in contrast to enforcing a regime of strict secularism on the country, and is in line with the nation's developing confederal constitution. His Sublime Majesty is thought to be preparing to take the title of Caliph, and has openly discussed the notion of a "Liberal Caliphate" as an alternative to entrenching sectarian divide by formalising it in the form of having different Sultans, etc. The creed proposed by His Sublime Majesty even has a passing mention of the prophet of the Ruhi faith, Ismail Rabban, and the presence of a Ruhi faithful as his Grand Vizier seems to guarantee that this faith will ave a continued strong presence in the Barmenian state. The creed proposed is as follows:

I. Oh Merciful God! Let Us praise Sayeeda Klunesrl, may she always walk on warm sands, as an incarnation of Bastet, and thereby avatar of God, and guide of Prophet Ahmad. May we honour Klunesrl each day, if not in prayer then by dutiful service to the divine Feline race.
II. Oh Creator of the Earths and the Heavens! May We revere the revelations of Ahmad, Terek, Eli, Lady Ershébef and Ismail Rabban as valid insights into divine truth, with no denial of your other revelations.
III. Oh Inconquerable Lion of both seen and unseen! Let Us recognise Your ultimate existence as one, impersonal, incorporeal, dwelling inside everything, and divided into a creative and destructive aspect - both equally valuable for the advancement of good.
VI. Oh Greatest of all Majesties! May We admit that consciousness begets reality, and that Myth begets consciousness. Thus, recognising Myth as the supreme arbiter of theology.
V. Oh Watchful Giver of Life! Have us affirm that Man is but a part of something greater, and that Man is not a purpose to himself, but a being that should ideally exist within a context that gives him the opportunity to fulfil his maximum potential in harmony with Creation.
VI. Oh Most Exalted! Let us proclaim that that Your commandments are found in Creation. No law of God can contradict reality without being incorrectly understood. Anti-scientific superstition must be discarded, and true faith in God can never be a means for political, ideological, economic, violent or chauvinistic purposes. Such "faith" is of another blather, and must be discarded.


His Sublime Majesty is also determined to end the Agnatic rules of succession and formally recognise every descendent of the Medes as a potential future sovereign. It is believed that he would like to see his successor elected by the court. His Sublime Majesty believes that no matter naming conventions, the Seluco-Barmenians and the Jelbics have always recognised that blue blood is thicker, referring to the emphasis put on Clans and Patrician Familiae in both cultures.

His Sublime Majesty is also rumoured to be following the political developments in neighbouring Pontesi and Vanuku with great interest, and is thought to be viewing them in a generally positive light. The new leaders of Pontesi, in particular, is thought of as sharing many fundamental values with their Brmék siblings.
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Re: Brmék H'áberz (Barmenian Herald)

Postby Oakwood » Sat May 12, 2018 9:26 pm

With the inauguration of the new President, a radical agenda unfolds; will 'disloyal' Felinists face expulsion?

Varishehr- With the inauguration of a new President following the Administrations of Heijinoju Hyéon-Mede and Abdul Alhazred, many are wondering what the new chief executive's aims will be; will he seek to heal or divide the nation further? Will the Republic survive this final test on its long road towards democracy? Aides and the press were given a sneak peak today via a live address to the nation.

In what has been called the "Blue room speech", the President adressed the nation from a room in the Presidential Palace that had been given a blue background for the occasion. Only aged forty, Instmor Qawachi nonetheless seemed to be a commanding figure as he peered out at the citizenry from their television sets. His tone was firm yet gentle as he spoke of the "great task ahead".

"For too long" he said "We have been made fools of by those who would seek to undermine our nation; they have allowed the most unfit of foreigners to gain unlawful entry, and sought to use our plights against us."

He had particularly strong words for what he described as the "swarm" of unlawful migrants that had been "allowed to fester" in the nation.

"We have Jelbics, we have Selucians, we have all sorts of people who were allowed entry on the grounds of an asylum that has long since elapsed." he said "The time has come for these migrants to go home."

Many observers guessed that the Jelbics he mentioned were the now generations old travelers from the Yeudish homeland who had been exiled by their Fascist government. How the government would deport all five million of these individuals was a matter of question. Yet the more prudent question came from the President's closing section.

"There exists another group" he said "Of a foreign and unloyal following. I must make clear that our aim is not to deprive them of their faith, but merely to deprive them of their ability, by way of unlawful citizenship, of committing terrorist acts within this nation."
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Re: Brmék H'áberz (Barmenian Herald)

Postby Wu Han » Sun May 27, 2018 6:18 pm

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Re: Brmék H'áberz (Barmenian Herald)

Postby HenryLee » Fri Jul 13, 2018 6:43 pm

Pvstjogadé Prta pushes for a greater military.

The revolutionary party of the Barmenian Confederal Union has pushed for an increase in volunteer soldiers in the military. The budget of the armed forces has also been doubled, with an additional one time investment of 526,480,359,402 BAR. This increase in the military budget is in response to increased hostility throughout Terra and aims to ensure the protection of the union from hostile powers far into the future. Major focus has been put on the research and development of new tanks, infantry weapons, military airplanes and explosives. There are also plans to build great fortifications in the future in strategic, classified locations being worked on.

In other news, the Pvstjogadé Prta is also pushing for a change to the national flag of the union as well as the renaming of the nation from the Brmék Ishtoprtastaték Krsyjogad (Barmenian Confederal Union) to the Krsyiji Brmék Onsmifrndé Knstat (United Barmenian Socialist State).
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Re: Brmék H'áberz (Barmenian Herald)

Postby HenryLee » Sun Jul 15, 2018 7:23 pm

Rapid Change and Progress in the K.B.O.K!

The Revolutionary Party has decided to move the capital of the Krsyiji Brmék Onsmifrndé Knstat to the island of the Prtastat of Arhe trzy Kafrestán, a place that shall see a massive increase in federal investment in the name of constructing military bases and fortifications.

In other news, the leading tank of the Barmenian is to be replaced by 4428 by the Jgne-1, a new Main Battle Tank that is in it's final phase of development.
(OOC: A variant of this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zulfiqar_(tank))

The Barmenian standard assault rifle is to be replaced by the BDI-4424 throughout the entire military by the year 4426.
(OOC: A variant of this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KH-2002)

Various other pieces of military equipment are undergoing replacement and modernization, with the research and development of new products coming along steadily; however, attempts to modernize and improve the Brmék Tanhriékshlajhiko has hit numerous walls and all research in naval technologies have essentially slowed to a snail's pace, forcing the Brmék Umisiékshlajhiko to settle with the use and production of outdated warships.
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