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Re: Times Of Vanakalam

Postby FPC » Tue Jan 16, 2018 11:03 am

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Re: Times Of Vanakalam

Postby FPC » Thu Jan 18, 2018 1:15 pm

OOC: WORK IN PROGRESS THIS IS NOT THE FULL ARTICLE


New government ushers in new age for Vanakalam


Seemingly out of nowhere the former Democratic MP and his newly founded All Vanaklam Party swept to an astounding victory in the parliamentary elections this month. Mr Reda was sworn in as Prime Minister by President Durjaya and promised to reform the failing institutions that have let down the Vanakalamese people again and again. This unprecendented political uprising follows the implosion of the Socialist Party due to disagreements over reforming the political system, aswell as the parliaments decision to elect an independent MP as the President of the parliamentary republic that demonstrated to the public, that change was possible.


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Amrish Reba celebrates the victory of his new அனைத்து வனகாலம் கட்சி (All Vanakalm Party [AVP]) in this months elections
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Re: Times Of Vanakalam

Postby Pragma » Fri Jun 08, 2018 9:36 pm

Vanakalam Sees Giant Political Change As Communists Win Power

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Above: President Amishana Suhanthra

It appears that a major political earthquake has occurred in the nation of Vankalam The Communist Party of Vanakalam (வணக்கம் கம்யூனிஸ்ட் கட்சி) has won 142 of the 200 seats in the Vanakalamese Parliament, a gain of 109 seats since the last election six years ago, and placing them well ahead of the right-wing Freedom Alliance (சுதந்திர கூட்டணி), which won only 40 seats with a decrease of 82 seats. The other groups in the chamber are: the centre-left Social Democratic Party (சமூக ஜனநாயகக் கட்சி) with 11 seats, down 10; the centrist Union for Liberty (லிபர்டி யூனியன்) with 6 seats, down 2; the left-wing Socialist Initiative (சோசலிச முன்முயற்சி) down 10 to just 1 seat. The centre-left Green Party (பசுமைக் கட்சி) lost all five of their seats.

The prime reason for the Communist Party's steep increase in seats comes from the massive collapse in public government trust after the governing Freedom Alliance's leader and Prime Minister Ilammurugu Abiraj was found guilty of rape of a 17-year-old intern at his office, leading to massive outrage. Abiraj was imprisoned and is now awaiting execution under the Vanakalam legal code - where rape is punished by death. While his party quickly abandoned him, it was not enough to save the party from political destruction, alongside the obliteration of centrist and centre-left parties.

Presidential elections led to the election of Amishana Suhanthra, leader of the Communist Party who won 71% of the vote in the first round, trouncing incumbent President Koman Harshavarthan who was a close friend of Abiraj, though tried to save face by personally ordering his former friend's execution by hanging. Suhanthra has previously shown some level of indecision in carrying out the sentence, but has announced she will uphold the law and allow the execution of Abiraj.

It is expected that Suhanthra and her Communist Party will take over private property in the country and form a communist state, though they will 'leave open democracy for several more years to provide a stable transition to communism', according to new Health Minister Carishna Janavi.
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Re: Times Of Vanakalam

Postby Pragma » Sat Jun 16, 2018 2:28 pm

Upheaval in Vanakalam As Private Property Appropriated

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Above: President Amishana Suhanthra

The Communist government of Vanakalam has appropriated several private property, seizing all second homes and most private businesses, and are turning them into state-run institutions. The government, while cautious in its transition to communism, has made its first major stride towards a fully state-owned economy. For four years, the government has focused on subtle changes that have given them the power to begin a major transition. The government has had to unpick a highly corrupt and complex set of laws that are constitutionally bounded, that prevent 'government infringement of a set of given rights'. Previous social democratic and conservative governments had interpreted this law, and made the Supreme Court of Vanakalam interpret, so that seizure of property and mass-nationalisation were extremely difficult.

Using their massive majority in the Parliament of Vanakalam, the Communist Party has changed the constitution massively. With no communists on the 7-member supreme court, it took years for the government to get enough support in the judicial branch to be able to shape Vanakalam. It now, however, seems like the Vanakalamese government has the ability to institute its reforms, and is using that power to the uttermost. Though the military is openly hostile to the government they serve, the police force has became increasingly willing to support President Amishana Suhanthra's reforms, after all of the nation's chief police commissioners resigned in protest and were replaced by hard-line communists who narrowly avoided parliament seats in their respective districts.

The move has caused major upheaval among the nation's middle and upper classes, who see it as an authoritarian repression of their rights. While the government promises to run businesses 'for the benefit of all', with previous owners 'to be given the opportunity to play an important role in their former businesses', the moderate and careful steps of the government have been for nought in the minds of 39% of the population - according to polling. While the government has 56% approval - mainly due to overwhelming support in the majority poor country - one shop-keeper in a village who had his shop seized told the Times of Vanakalam: "I am not going to vote for [the Communists] should there be another election ever held here, as I have ran my businesses in a way that has helped my community - but apparently Suhanthra isn't satisfied".
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Re: Times Of Vanakalam

Postby Pragma » Sun Jun 17, 2018 1:06 pm

Tambethra Family Flees To Medina
February 4410

The wealthiest family in Vanakalam, the Tambethra family, has fled to the nation of Medina to avoid the consequences of the actions of the government. As the government continues to forcibly seize property to put under state control, the Tambethras have already lost a large amount of money in the uncompensated government takeover of several of the companies they owned and had invested in. Multi-millionaire patriarch Surevan has attempted several times, according to the state Ministry of Finance, to dodge the newly increased levels of taxation and has refused to hand over legal rights to his property to the government. This has caused a massive rise in tensions between the wealthy family, the many people who live on their land communally and the government and wider public.

T. Surevan was formerly a major donor to President Suhanthra's rivals the Green Party, who lost all five of their seats including one held by Surevan's daughter Dyshini. T. Surevan has been a committed environmental activist, having invested in the creation of several carbon-negative "eco-villages" on his giant estate in the south of the country. However, President A. Suhanthra has made clear that, while she 'appreciates an attempt to create a sustainable community', is not confident in the ability of a businessman to create 'the kind of environment everyone in Vanakalam needs, a just and fair one. They would simply hoard resources and be detached from the wider national revolution'. Surevan has objected to the communist reforms of the new Communist government, who he believes are 'unfairly descending on the freedom of people to create efficient, socialist communities independently'.

A. Suhanthra has been clear in wanting the entire country to be united and all resources taken in and divided out across the nation without sub-national barriers or non-governmental arbiters. This has put her at odds with Surevan and fellow 'communal socialists', who Suhanthra doesn't trust to lead a 'true communist revolution'. These decisions have caused Surevan, wife Kavilaya, daughter Dyshini and sons Yohan and Kumar to flee to the troubled nation of Medina - a clear sign of issues brewing in Vanakalam.

Amidst this chaos, it is still unknown whether Suhanthra will allow the elections scheduled for summer to go on. Despite her party leading in the polls, the fact a lot of wealth and skills have fled the country and the chance of being overrun by non-communist and loosing her two-third majority make the election and uncertain thing. A. Suhanthra would easily defeat any challenger, according to polls, but her party could lose 20 seats. This would rid them of their filibuster-proof super-majority, which they also need to act on constitutional reforms. Thus, we must wait and see what happens.
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Re: Times Of Vanakalam

Postby Pragma » Tue Jun 19, 2018 10:03 pm

A. Suhanthra Still Refuses To Call Elections
April 4411

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Above: Independent Electoral Council Chairwoman, T. Sagana, who has called the stalemate 'disgraceful'.

It's months after the due date of the communist government's first test of the polls, and it still seems like the poll is slipping by. Polling, which suggests another win for the communists, has been ignored and the communist government is not setting into place any measures to hold a vote. Under Vanakalamese law, the Independent Electoral Council should set into place a series of mechanisms defined by the constitution, certifying a date and getting into place organisations for polling stations and counts. However, the government is responsible for choosing the date of the election, and despite repeated attempts by IEC chairwoman T. Sagana to get the President to set a date, there has been no comment from the government as of yet on the issue. Therefore, the nation is left in a period of gridlock which could spell at least a periodic end to democracy in the country.

T. Sagana, appointed by A. Suhanthra's now-executed predecessor - killed on charges of rape of a minor - has called the refusal to set an election date 'disgraceful and absurd'. T. Sagana has also suggested attempting to lobby for an election to be held anyway, or even in defiance of the government. This leads to a complex situation, as the communist-packed law courts, supreme court, parliament, local councils and police commissioners are all very unlikely to go against Suhanthra. This makes the possibility of her being vetoed by parliament almost impossible, and the court is almost certain to side with the President as well. The only option T. Sagana would then have is to invoke article XVII of the constitution, the process for resolving a state of corruption or dictatorship in the nation. This would require military support to hold a ballot, and then force than ballot via military force. Suhanthra's name, under this article, would not legally be able to appear on the ballot papers.

The communists are despised by the military, especially considering that their leaders have refused to step down, regardless of age or illness, so as to prevent new appointees from Suhanthra making the armed forces more partisan in her own interests. However, Suhanthra has police support, and the last thing anyone wants to see is clashes between forces within Vanakalam in a region of the world already rife with bloodshed. Expat and heiress T. Dyshini has been proposed as an alternative President, but she would have to return to the country in which her political enemies have a vested interest in harming her to protect the national leadership.

T. Sagana herself has refused to enter a race, while former Internal Minister and centrist politician H. Hritik has said he could run. Regardless, the path back to democracy, or perhaps away from it entirely, seems misty at the present time. If T. Sagana launches a military-backed election against the popular incumbent, Suhanthra will undoubtedly respond. How the government, currently preoccupied with rebuilding the country's crumbling infrastructure, will act now is a thing impossible to predict fully.
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Re: Times Of Vanakalam

Postby Pragma » Thu Jun 21, 2018 12:53 pm

T. Sagana In Talks With Military Leaders; Agricultural Policy At Risk
February 4412

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Above: Independent Electoral Council Chairwoman, T. Sagana

IEC Chairwoman and now-avowed anti-communist T. Sagana has started talks between the IEC and the Armed Forces of Vanakalam. The objective of these talks is to set out a plan to force the hand of communist President A. Suhanthra into calling a new election. While it originally seemed like A. Suhanthra would win another term and her party another super-majority with no problem, polling has now consistently shown the party losing its super-majority and A. Suhanthra in a serious race with several possible presidential opponents, providing her opposition unites. First-Rank General of Vanakalam R. Karthiyan, the highest-ranking military official in the nation, said that 'we hope that these talks will shed light onto a very dark time in the history of our nation, because we really are in a position where democracy is not only threatened, but dormant, and we want the President to answer for that'.

While both parties deny intentions to start a "coup d'état" against the government, both are anti-communist and would like to see democracy restored in-full to the nation. R. Karthiyan is one of the few top-level officials not appointed by Suhanthra, and he inspires total loyalty among the military. T. Sagana, who was recently revealed as a former Freedom Alliance supporter, says that she and her allies 'want the government to be held to account, and want elections immediately'. The insurrection within the military against the President is causing concern in the capital, as the President has now had to change the responsibility for handling the distribution and collection of food to her loyalist police force. This has been seen by some as a power grab, and by others as a way of restoring order.

A. Suhanthra has tried to be 'compassionate' in her agricultural policy, allowing farmers to stay on their former property and work as labourers, though many have had to give up parts of their homes to strangers as part of the government's policy of 'equal housing rights'. The government has gained popularity among some in urban areas for prioritising cities and towns for resources, and scored a PR victory when the President decreed that workers who could prove their families were starving were allowed to take a small amount of crop missed out after collection back to their families. This 'compassionate touch', as Suhanthra called it, has drawn applause from city socialists, who have benefited from the policy of opening formerly private schools to children from all backgrounds. 'Education tends to be a town-life luxury in Vanakalam,' Suhanthra says, 'we need to change that'. Former Internal Minister and centrist politician H. Hritik called the President's policies 'damaging and dangerous', saying focus needs to be on building more schools and houses rather than appropriating existing ones.
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Re: Times Of Vanakalam

Postby Pragma » Fri Jun 22, 2018 10:17 pm

T. Sagana Offers President Ultimatum
November 4412

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Above: President Amishana Suhanthra

After a sharp rise in tensions between Independent Electoral Council chairwoman T. Sagana and Vanakalamese President A. Suhanthra, the President has received an official ultimatum on behalf of the nation's military and the IEC. The result of a series of successful negotiations between the two have produces a set of demand - namely, a new election and greater rights for rural farmers on their former properties. If these demands are refused, Sagana has made clear that an election will be held via the military anyway, and A. Suhanthra will not appear on the ballot. The election will be held via a military "near-coup" which would institute martial law and force open polling stations. Communist officials have already stated they will boycott the election if the President doesn't agree to the terms.

It is unknown as of yet how the President will respond to the ultimatum, but she seems to already have a lot on her plate to deal with. The military is threatening to forcefully take over grain and other crop supplies and prevent them from leaving the countryside if a new set of elections is not held, and it has been reported that wealthy expat T. Dyshini has started her own defacto exploratory committee for a presidential run, with the Socialist Initiative, Green Party and Social Democratic Party pledging support to her if she wins - potentially splitting the left and allowing a three-way race alongside a right-wing candidate. T. Sagana has been floated as a Freedom Alliance candidate, but has said that she doesn't believe that such an office 'would be the right fit at this time'.

With her vital food supplies in jeopardy, but her popularity in the cities unflinching, Suhanthra is now a divisive figure with 50-50 support figures for her and her party against her opposition. Military leader R. Karthiyan has said that while he 'really would never want to get to a situation where violence is having to be considered', but also said that he was loyal to T. Sagana's campaign to get elections held. While Suhanthra is quite clearly not very willing to go to the polls again, perceiving her mandate as 'strong enough' - according to an inside source - Sagana's rise to the top of national politics has her presidency at risk, with recent policy initiatives taking a less controversial tone. The communist government has started constructing permanent homes for the homeless, and fit all unemployed people into state jobs - though most are menial labour. Only time will tell if Suhanthra changes her mind.
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Re: Times Of Vanakalam

Postby Pragma » Sat Jun 23, 2018 12:55 pm

Suhanthra Refuses Ultimatum, Siege On Military HQ Begins
February 4413

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Above: President Amishana Suhanthra

President Suhanthra has refused the ultimatum offered by the military and IEC and has begun controversially arresting members of the IEC and military due to 'dissension against the peoples's revolution' and 'counterrevolutionary activities'. The President has came out finally to say that elections 'will no longer be held, due to the potential of bourgeoisie influence on them. Thus, the revolution will continue indefinitely without hindrance, as is the will of the vast majority of Vanakalamese citizens'. An arrest warrant on the grounds of counterrevolutionary, treasonous and conspiratorial behaviours has been issued for both IEC chairwoman T. Sagana and R. Karthiyan - the head of the nation's military - who have both begun a stand-off with police in the country's north. Threats to arrest have been made against other political opponents of the regime.

On the note of the standoff, the military and IEC's key figures, alongside some Freedom Alliance members, have held themselves up in the Srishayini compound in the north, far from the southern cities and capital. The giant compound, HQ of the nation's military, is under siege by police, though no violent incidents have occurred. T. Sagana, who was using the base as a sanctuary from potential assassination by the regime, told reporters via the internet that Suhanthra had 'so fervently crossed the line that the only option she has left will be violence'. The military has retreated to its compounds across the country, but remains present in some rural town strongholds. Cities across the nation are now under strict police surveillance, as the government continues to redistribute wealth and resources among a public that in the cities loves them.

The military and IEC have issued an official joint statement that no figures will leave quietly, and that it will take force for them to be brought before the 'corrupt courts' of Vanakalam. The police and military have given each other several-month periods in which to 'stand down or there will be violence'. Suhanthra has stayed strong in her demands to have her revolution continued 'without hindrance', but the stand-off that threatens to turn into war has created a highly escalated situation that Suhanthra must now be careful with. With the institutions of the state packed for the communists, it seems that should the police be defeated the situation could escalate into violent strife.
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Re: Times Of Vanakalam

Postby Pragma » Sun Jun 24, 2018 9:41 pm

Siege Ends, Army Forces Communist Retreat
October 4413

After a prolonged siege at Srishayini, 10km west of the temple of the same name by the northern Veyranfaru mountains, the communist-backed and communist-backing police force has been forced to retreat. Having ran out of some essential supplies like bread and rice, the police were unable to continue the siege and were finally scared off by rounds of tear gas the military shot into the police lines. The police were warned about this by the military, who have been importing food, water and other resources in via a series of tunnels the communist are yet to find, so under international law these actions are not considered an act of war. However, the communist government has made clear that further actions against the 'People's Authorities' will warrant violent reaction.

The victory for the pro-democracy campaigners has been considered a baptism for the pro-democracy movement in the nation, and has prompted celebrations across the north, from rice farmers on the Midu river to Lakshmikati - the seemingly sole major urban area that the communists are unpopular in. The Vanakalamese Pro-Democracy Forum has officially been formed by T. Sagana, leader of the pro-democracy movement and Electoral Commission chairwoman, now democratic icon for anti-communists. Consisting of all parties bar the Communists, the military and the Electoral Commission itself, it seems like an unlikely alliance has formed against President Suhanthra, who had tried to use the siege as a way to stamp out opposition and assert authority. The plan has backfired spectacularly, and she now has a major threat on her hands.

Both sides must now consider their next moves. A coup has all but been declared, after all. The VPDF are focusing on forcing a police retreat from the north and an election to be held in as much of the country as possible. This made include undercover operations in the south to get votes there, where ballots will be secretly collected from willing participants and carried to the north in a clandestine fashion. For the communist government and the President, the next step is holding their ground. This is theirs to lose, as they have a massive de facto paramilitary in the form of the People's Authorities and still over-50% support among the public. They will refuse to budge every inch of the way, it seems, but that may only lead to war.
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