Six years of independence celebrated

The sixth anniversary of the Austenasian Declaration of Independence has been celebrated across the Empire, while local elections have been called for next month. His Imperial Majesty the Emperor and his parents celebrated Independence Day with a meal out this evening at a local restaurant. Crown Princess Caroline was unable to accompany them due to schoolwork. The occasion was also marked across the Empire – a parade took place in New Richmond, a ceremony was held in Oregonia, and a museum has been opened in Lichtenstein. Furthermore, the customary Independence Day honours list was released by Emperor Jonathan I. Amongst those granted honours was Lord Dux Joseph Kennedy, who has been appointed Caesar. Now known as HIH Joseph Nobilissimus Caesar, the founder of New Richmond has been appointed the Emperor’s deputy over the two Crown Dependencies in North America, Shineshore and Oregonia. Furthermore, the Governing Commissioner of the latter of these two, King Adam I of Überstadt, has been granted subjectship of the Empire, raising Austenasia’s population to fifty people. In an Imperial Edict given yesterday, the Emperor also announced that local elections will take place on 11 October. The last local elections took place in November last year, but since then several new Towns have joined the Empire, meaning that a large proportion of those in the House of Representatives are serving as Acting Representatives, without a democratic mandate. Subjects have one week  in which to announce their intention to stand for Representative.

Annexations continue amidst warnings of over-expansion

Parliament yesterday evening passed an Act annexing a new Crown Dependency in North America and authorising the annexation of another in the Canary Islands in two weeks. Oregonia, an area of wooded parkland measuring roughly 650 square feet which borders the Kingdom of Überstadt, has joined the Empire as a new Crown Dependency, with King Adam I of Überstadt appointed its Governing Commissioner. The growth of various plants in the area, some of which can be used for dyeing textiles, has opened up an opportunity for Austenasian-Überstadti trade. The Act of Parliament also authorised Lord Hengest Crannis to annex a holiday home owned by his family in the Canary Islands when he visits there later in the month. This will make Africa the fifth continent to have an Austenasian presence, and the new Crown Dependency there – which will be known as Heischierland – will be somewhat of a tourism hub, with friends and family of Lord Hengest frequently staying there. However, concerns were raised in Parliament as to the rate at which the Empire is expanding. Lord John Gordon voiced his opinion that the Empire needs “to slow down”. Emperor Jonathan I replied agreeing that “some consolidation is indeed necessary”, and that Austenasia does not “need a new piece of land every month”. It is therefore thought that the Empire’s rate of expansion will significantly slow down, if not stop, for the next several months.

New South Scotland invaded as Zealandia condemned for aggression

Despite being roundly condemned by numerous national leaders for her aggression towards New South Scotland, Queen Astrid of Zealandia this morning sent Zealandian troops into the Austenasian crown dependency. Announcing that she had renamed the land “Nyaskane”, Queen Astrid – also known as Anna Lindstrom – claimed to have annexed it into Zealandia, a claim unrecognised by the international community. Claims that this has been done in accordance with the principle of self-determination have been ridiculed, with nobody living on the land and there being no citizens of New South Scotland registered with the Austenasian government. Much confusion has resulted from claims by Queen Astrid she had been “pressured unfairly into dismissing half our government”, asserting that Emperor Jonathan I had been pressuring her to sack her Prime Minister and two high-ranking military officers. The Emperor has clarified that upon her complaining to him that one of said military officers was actively trying to depose her, he suggested she consider dismissing him, but challenged her to produce any evidence that he had ever done anything more, and said that the Zealandian Prime Minister had “never even [been] mentioned”. After Queen Astrid suspended the treaty allowing ZDF personnel to be present in New South Scotland, the Emperor gave 24 hours for them to leave the area before he would consider their presence a violation of sovereignty. Astrid has been ridiculed by some for comparing this action to the British colonisation of Australia (that is, not her troops occupying the land, but them being given time to leave). The actions of Zealandia have been condemned by the international community of small nations: Emperor Jonathan I has given the following statement: It is with great sadness that Our Imperial Majesty has seen the betrayal of our former friend play out before us. Astrid has lied to us, to the Zealandian government, and to those who have tried to help the situation through mediation. Her lies about us cannot be tolerated – nowhere did we pressure her to dismiss the members of her government that she claimed, and we challenge her to prove otherwise. While we advised she dismiss an officer attempting to depose her, this was advice given in a spirit of friendship after she informed us and our Privy Council that she was at risk of losing her throne. We cannot now help but think that this was a ruse to cause us to say something of the sort which she could present to her government as proof of “imperialism” – even she does not seem unstable enough to promote an officer if he had genuinely attempted to overthrow her mere days ago. It is clear that, far from having been forced by her government to invade New South Scotland, she has manipulated them into doing so by feeding them lies about Austenasia. The occupation of New South Scotland is illegal under international law. It is sovereign Austenasian land, and never has been Zealandian. The principle of self-determination has no relevance, there being no New South Scotlander population; Astrid’s claims to herself be a citizen of New South Scotland started only yesterday, after the crisis had begun, having never before claimed this status (which, if she held, would anyway make her guilty of treason for encouraging foreign invasion). Her claims of Austenasia being imperialist and aggressive are so laughable and hypocritical that we would debase ourselves to dignify them with a response. Furthermore, we dishonourably revoke Astrid’s honour in the Austenasian Order, and relinquish our own knighthood from her deceptive nation. In conclusion, the occupation of New South Scotland is an affront to the majesty of the Empire and the customs of civilised nations. However, it is not that which pains us, but the lies, deceit, and betrayal from somebody who for so long has claimed to be our friend. If that friendship was a ruse, a mere trick to be able to occupy some land, then we must condemn Queen Astrid and her actions as truly despicable. ICJA Wrythe, 3 June 2014

GUM in turmoil as member states expelled

The State of Sandus and Kingdom of Juclandia were yesterday expelled from the GUM after a motion to do so was made by Haakon of Zealandia. Sandus and Juclandia have for several weeks now made known their active opposition to King Quentin and Prime Minister Bradley of the Kingdom of Wyvern frequently bringing up controversial topics in Skype chatrooms such as the GUM Lounge and Micropolitan Lounge. Said topics frequently involve race, with the two Wyvernian leaders having been accused of xenophobia and – in some cases – racism. Wyvern’s leadership has gained a reputation for talking about little other than race or religion, with Joseph Puglisi of Tiana saying that they “relate every single conversation to Islam”. It was due to statements such as these that Sandus, Juclandia and some other states opposed the nomination of Bradley of Dullahan to the position of Vice-Chair of the GUM by newly elected Chair Yaroslav Mar. After the nomination passed two weeks ago, Sandus and Juclandia changed their full membership to observership in protest. During yesterday’s Quorum the Secretary of the Securty Council, Haakon of Zealandia – who was suspended from the GUM in February for unprofessional behaviour and is known for a long-standing feud with Sandus – shocked the Quorum by proposing the expulsion of Sandus and Juclandia for “agressive [sic] and unaccatable [sic] behaviour”. Expulsion from the GUM is an extremely grave sanction, with the only other time it having been utilised this year being in May with the expulsion of the UDR from the community for confessed criminal actions by its founder. Despite protests that Haakon was assuming a role incompatible with the Security Council’s function of promoting peace in the community, “not exarcabat[ing]” conflicts, a motion to expel Sandus passed by a single vote, with the Chair passing the motion before all online delegates had a chance to cast their vote. Haakon then initially asked the Chair to move on, but after accusations of hypocrisy and of acting in the interests of Zealandia rather than the GUM, was pressured into also proposing the expulsion of Juclandia, again passed by a single vote. Later in the Quorum, Austenasia made a formal complaint in regards to the actions by Haakon, reminding him that the purpose of the Security Council is “not to arbitrarily decide who is in the wrong, and it is certainly not to propose expulsions of those who take part in diplomatic conflicts”, and criticising him for not “first trying to solve the issue at hand through negotiation or mediation, as [the Security Council] is obliged to do.” Renasia and Amager both expressed their support and backing for the complaint, and the Nemkhav Federation resigned from the Security Council in protest. In an interview with the A1 News Service, Chairman Mar stated that the “official reason” for the expulsion of Sandus and Juclandia “was for making racist comments and offending the leadership of the GUM”, despite this not having been mentioned at the time of the expulsion. This statement has come under heavy criticism – the only “racist comment” referred to by the Chair is a joke taken out of context by King Ciprian of Juclandia during a discussion about the Moon, with no comments at all claimed to have been made by Sandus. King Adam of Uberstadt stated that “Sandus is the last micronation I would suspect of being racist”. The second justification, “Offending the leadership of the GUM”, has also come under criticism, with Sebastian Linden of Francisville referring to the new Chair as “authoritarian” and an A1NS interviewer noting that it has “implications for freedom of speech”. Haakon has been directed to author a statement fully justifying why he considered it appropriate to motion for the expulsion of two member states instead of taking up the constitutional function of the Security Council to attempt to mediate the dispute.