Factbook of The Interbrigades

[The Interbrigades]

(still to be updated more)

People's Republic of The Interbrigades World Factbook

"The Land Where Tomorrow Is Already Yesterday"

Contents
1. Geography
2. Government and Political Structure
3. People and Population
4. Economy
5. History
6. Culture and Communication
7. Other

Bonuses:
Media Archive

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Geography

Location: temperate climate, small peninsula of a larger continent
Terrain: many forests, several rivers, however not very long ones, a couple of small lakes
Capital City: Iridesco
Major Cities: Capo Nero, Corazón, Managuara, Mantelona, Michego, San Bonhoeffer, Silvana, Sulaco
Highest peak: Monte Illapa (6003) in Hanan mountains, north of the peninsula

The Huayran peninsula is a long blade-shaped piece of land running from north-north-east to south-south-west where it ends by the cape of Capo Aquila. The peninsula is dominated by Hanan mountains in the north, separating it from the mainland. The eastern coast has more tropical forests, while the central and northwestern area has more cultivated land.
The seaports of Capo Nero and Sulaco dominate the eastern coast, while the western coast lacks important harbours except for Mantelona near Capo Aquila.

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Government and Political Structure
Official name: The People's Republic of The Interbrigades (The Interbrigades, Interbrigades, PRI)
Government type: People's Republic
Prime Minister - Chairwoman of People's Government: Cristina Cárdenas
Capital City: Iridesco
Date of Independance: 17 March 1931
Legislative: 150 member parliament
International Organisation Participation: World Assembly (member since founding)
Political parties (in order of last election gain): People's Front (34%), Revolutionary Christian Party (21%), Green Party (11%), National Socialist Party (9%), Republican Party (8%), Liberal Front (5%), Marxist-Leninist Party (4%)

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People and Population

Total Population: 22,145,000 (2011)
Nationality: mixed descent of original native Huayran inhabitants, colonists from 16th-19th century, immigrants from the 1930s („the Interbrigaders“)
Major Ethnic Groups: mestizo (c. 42%), caucasian (c. 18%), african (c. 18%), native Huayran (c. 16%)
Languages: Esperanto, Spanish (local dialect), Native Huayran
Literacy: 94% (99% among generation younger than 60)
Religion: Christian (Catholic): 42%, Christian (Other): 37%, Hindu: 4,9%, Ancient Huayran: 3,0%, Muslim: 2,2%, Other: 2%, Atheist: 4%, Agnostic: 4,5% (figures according to 2011 census)

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Economy
Sectors: Agriculture: 15%, Industry: 34%, Services: 51%
Unemployment: 0%
Currency: Silver Seal ( ʃ )
Agriculture: bananas, cacao, corn, cotton, palm oil, potatoes, tropical fruits
Animal production and husbandry: fish, goats, sheep
Mineral resources: lead, silver, tin, zinc
Important Exports: bananas, cacao, fish, palm oil, various products (used to be also timber, but that has dropped after adopting „green laws“ limiting rainforest cutting to in-country purposes in the 70s)

[The Interbrigades]

History

1. Brief History
2. Brief History Timeline
3. Elaborated History

A. A Backwater Colony (keywords: 1500s-1910s, colonialism, city states, liberation, transition to democracy)
B. Formation of the Second Republic (keywords: 1920s, Second Republic/the Fasces/the Union, Timoteo Faron, the Division War)
C. Formation of Independant State (keywords: 1930-1931, Timoteo Faron, the Division War, the Independant Republic of Silvana, Lucía Chalfont)
D. End of the Division War (keywords: 1931-1935, the Division War, the Independant Republic of Silvana, Lucía Chalfont, The People's Republic of The Interbrigades)
E. First Years of The Interbrigades (keywords: 1935-40, The People's Republic of The Interbrigades, David Quilla, Lucía Chalfont, the Popular Front, the Sulaco Incident)

Brief History
The People's Republic of The Interbrigades as it stands was formed as a result of a several decades long struggle, running from the 1920s and involving two large-scale armed conflicts known as the Division War and the Reconciliation War. Before the Division War, there used to be a large country, known as The Union, which became ruled by fascist forces. In 1926, the repressions against some groups of people caused country-wide protests and led even to armed insurrections in face of military response from the state. The Division War broke out, effectively a civil war running for years. When the international community started to pay more attention to the conflict, many volunteers came to support the freedom fighters, many of them also stayed after the end of the Divison War that came in 1935. That marked the foundation of The Interbrigades as a free and internationally recognised state. However, the peace was soon broken after a military incident in 1940, and another conflict with the Union, the Reconciliation War, broke out. The war culminated in 1943 by annexation of the former Union territories and the final formation of what is now The Interbrigades.

Brief History Timeline
c. 200 BCE – small state-like formation that could be classified as "republic" exists on Huayran peninsula. It is not quite clear how long had it lasted.
early 16th century – colonization of Huayran peninsula starts, founding of the future major cities
early 1920s – slow dissolution of the colonialist system and independance from the colonial power
mid-1920s – formation of The Second Republic (The Fasces) ruled by the fascist government
1926 – insurrection against the fascist government, start of the Division War
1930 – foreign volunteers and countries start to support the freedom fighters
1931 – a liberated region forms The Independant Republic of Silvana
1934 – the Treaty of Iridesco, end of the Division War
1935 – first general elections and change of the country's name to The People's Republic of The Interbrigades
1940 – after a military incident, the Reconciliation War with The Fasces breaks out
1943 – end of the Reconciliation War


History

The People's Republic of The Interbrigades as it stands was formed as a result of a several decades long struggle, running from the 1920s and involving two large-scale armed conflicts known as the Division War and the Reconciliation War. For understanding the country's history on a deeper level, we have to return back to colonial times. For those who are not interested in "preliminary phases", however, it is equally reasonable to start with the formation of the Second Republic.

A Backwater Colony
(keywords: 1500s-1910s, colonialism, city states, liberation, transition to democracy)

The Huayran peninsula where the Interbrigades now lies was discovered by colonists in the early 16th century as a beautiful, natural resource-rich place. Since ancient times, only a few natives have been living here, the only notable state-like formation existing here being what could be called a small republic around 2nd century BCE, which by the time the colonists arrived, had been long time gone and forgotten. The oldest modern settlements, many of which are nowadays major cities in The Interbrigades, were founded in the period of colonisation. Huayran peninsula, however, had never been very densely settled. The wars of independance, which had swept through many nearby countries in the subsequent centuries, merely scratched the isolated peninsula. Cut away from the mainland by several kilometers high mountain range, Huayran cities remained effectively as city-states under the control of the governors still loyal to the father country deep into the 19th century. There could be no talk of any national identity. The population ratio slowly became about 50:50 with original native inhabitants as numerous as the incomers, of whom many were brought as labour force or even slaves.

With large monarchies crumbling all over the world and capitalism on the rise, also in these parts, the first movements towards democracy among the people within the city-states began to form. However, between the labour in the silver mines and the crop plantations and the power in the hands of the few richest, the lower classes did not really have the chance to form any strong movements here. Mostly uneducated and illiterate, the only form of personal development accessible to them was through schools built by missionaries. The slowly emerging middle class, however – mostly small businessmen, seafarers and traders in the cities; often people who were newly arriving to the place – had benefited from the newly established democratic system in the father country. By the start of the 20th century, the situation in terms of involvement of the local population in political affairs became much better. First time, the voices speaking of injustice and demanding attention were heard in the city councils.

This was, however, still just a colonised piece of land, and the issues of the locals, both native and incomers, were not important for the government of a much bigger power. World War broke out and the colonies were necessary to supply the father country for its efforts. The war years were difficult, but its end brought hope. The father country was in ruins and had no means to enforce its rules on its provinces anymore. People were ready for freedom. Perhaps now there will be time for inner growth of the poor colony. The plans of some, however, were different.

Formation of the Second Republic
(keywords: 1920s, Second Republic/the Fasces/the Union, Timoteo Faron, the Division War)

It is generally agreed by historians throughout the world that the beginning of The Interbrigades lies with the formation of the fascist Second Republic, or, as it is called by other names: the Fasces (nowadays in common talk), the Union (in official Second Republic's press), and others. Just for the record, the "First Republic" is a term used for the ancient state existing somewhere in the area of the future Union around 2nd century BCE. The Second Republic was in reality a fascist dictatorship where the ruling groups of the cities beyond the mountains and the local cities of Managuara, Sulaco, Capo Nero, Iridesco and Silvana and the local trade unions had formed a new governing force of the region. The complete control of the flow of money in generally less developed region by the trade unions made it easy for the fascists to seize power. The only power capable of contesting the fast development towards fascist dictatorship was represented by the independant churches who had a strong missionary network in the area since the times of early colonialism, yet they were independant of the ruling powers (which proved to be crucial in this situation, as we shall see further). The missionaries and priests who were taking care of the churches, schools and hospitals built in local villages and settlements and they were the ones who represented almost the only really educated people among the lower classes (i.e. besides the people associated with the fascists, generally speaking). It was a local priest, Timoteo E. Faron, who called the local priests of all denominations to a conference in the town of Costa Blanca. Foreseeing trouble, he called the reason to calling as "need to address the ecumenical activity in the region". On 23rd April 1926, he gave his famous speech, hereafter titled after its closing words, "To keep their freedom". The matter was a warning against the growing power of the fascists, warning against the threats to peoples' freedoms which Timoteo Faron had anticipated (and later it became clear he had been right), and the appeal on the educated missionaries to cooperate in forming a democratic opposition capable of protecting the interests of ordinary people.

Not all of those present had been convinced or moved to act, however, a small group of priests had followed Faron and it spread the word among the local workers, farmers and others. The other prominent religious figure of this era were the Lutheran priest Doctor Jorge Candas, who was the main representative of those saying that the churches should not interfere with politics. However, Timoteo Faron's response was that "it would be betrayal to the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ not to act in defence of those who are not yet strong enough to help themselves". Quoting the Benedictions, Timoteo Faron gave a speech in the town of Sulaco during a sermon on the day of Ascension, saying that this is the time for everyone to act, appealing on the citizens, and especially the intelligentsia, to form an opposition against the fascists.

It did not take long that the fascist regime began to see Timoteo Faron and others as threat to their freedom. Soon, he and two others were accused of plotting an anti-state insurrection, which was effectively right, since by that time small groups of political resistance began to form. The control of production, labour etc. by the state and the limitation of citizen freedoms led to the formation of several underground movements. The role of the newly established ecumenical movement was to provide gathering places and communication between the different cities.

The resistance was a country-wide issue. Huayran peninsula took only a minor part in the struggle. What is generally seen as the start of the Division War had happened in the capital city, where an unknown (possibly lone) attacker shot an important country official on the 11th of December 1926. The fascist regime marked the responsible a "terrorist group" identified with the local socialist movement. Martial law was declared on the capitol during the following couple of days and on the night of 13th December, the local socialist leaders and some other supporters of the movement were arrested and some of them executed immediately, without trial. This led to country-wide unrest, varying from place to place: from protests to armed insurrection.

The network of Timoteo Faron and his associates had already outgrown the original borders of parishes and now became a way for the resistance movement to organise themselves. When the fascists called upon the army to suppress the protesters, the resistance movement was ready to respond equally. A civil war broke out, some cities falling into the hands of the freedom fighters, some remaining in the tight grip of the fascist militia. Generally, the (unsuccesful) attack on Capo Nero barracks in the morning of the 14th December is seen as the first strike of the Division War. Soon, the cities and whole regions throughout the Union became divided between the fascists and the freedom fighters, with ongoing changes. From 1926 till 1930, there had been no cease to the conflict. The government refused to step away and the other side decided to give up until it does.

Formation of Independant State
(keywords: 1930-1931, Timoteo Faron, the Division War, the Independant Republic of Silvana, Lucía Chalfont)

In 1930, with the war already causing terrible losses among both military and civilian personnel and still showing no signs of nearing to an end, the international community finally started to pay more attention to what was happening in the Union. Some countries issued stronger demands of a ceasefire, while others started pondering sending in their own forces to further their own goals. The Communist International had voiced its support to the resistance and perhaps this caused the first impulse for the freedom fighters to request aid from the outside. The appeals of Timoteo Faron sent via the churches were hushed in some countries and the Pope by that time refused to send the message further to the Roman Catholic church out of fear for the Communist parties being involved, many churches, however, refused because they did not want to support any growth of the armed conflict. Timoteo Faron, however, wrote in one of his letters: "I am not asking you, brothers, to come and fight for us, I am asking you to pray for all the people caught in the conflict and to speak against the injustice that is happening in our country to your neighbors, so that the voices of the oppressed are heard. Thousands are dying, yet if the people give up, there will be much suffering and all the sacrifices for naught."

Despite Faron's statement about not asking others to join the fight, many actually did come to join the armed forces of the resistance. People of different nations, volunteers, often not soldiers, came and joined the and the guerilla groups. The breaking point came with spring 1931: following several successful battles and seizing control of one entire region, a cluster of cities in what is nowadays the north of The Interbrigades declared independance. It was upon the call of local guerilla leaders, among them later important Lucía Chalfont, that the state governed by a military junta was formed with the temporary capitol in Silvana. The official declaration of founding the Independant Republic of Silvana from March 17, 1931 has not however been internationally approved, except by a few countries, and certainly was not recognized by the Union. The region of Silvana, though, was never conquered again by the Fasces, and became the heart of what in the future would become The Interbrigades.

End of the Division War
(keywords: 1931-1935, the Division War, the Independant Republic of Silvana, Lucía Chalfont, The People's Republic of The Interbrigades)

With the Independant Republic of Silvana on the stage, the war only became more violent and more focused. The program of the new republic was to eventually liberate the whole country, and it had been repeatedly declared that Silvana was only a region temporarily held until the old Second Republic became completely eliminated. (Sometimes, the press of that time referred to the independant as well as the future state as "the Third Republic".) With the international support growing, the newly formed country gained access to heavy military weapons as well as to more troops coming from the outside. In August 1934, the fascists lost the city of Iridesco and that put most of the Huayran peninsula under the direct control of the resistance. In September, the Union's government officially asked the leading military junta for a ceasefire and expressed the will to start peace talks.

The Fasces proposed peace and recognition of the Republic of Silvana on the following terms: that the Republic ceases their support of the anti-government movements in the rest of the Union and that the citizens of Union who wish to leave the newly acknowledged Republic would be allowed so along with all their property. Especially the strong Communist left objected to the latter, whereas most of the junta leaders objected to the former. However, it was deemed necessary to make a stop to the war, and on public pressure, final terms were negotiated. On September 30th, 1934, the Treaty of Iridesco was signed, officially recognizing the Independant Republic of Silvana and marking an end to the Division War. The rebels in the Union, however, continued their fight, and to them was addressed the unofficial letter by Lucía Chalfont, sent the day after signing the treaty: "Comrades, sisters and brothers, we still know of your pain and we assure you that our act is not an act of betrayal. I do not see this day as day of victory, but a day of shame. However, I need to think also of those families and individuals whom this act had saved from destruction and death. Today, the Fascist forces have handed over to us numerous villages, towns and the city of Capo Nero, which we otherwise would have spent months conquering with numerous casualties. But it is a victory dearly bought. I, for one, will not stop fighting. We will come to you, sisters, brothers, comrades. That's a promise."

From the Huayran peninsula, only the cities of Sulaco and Managuara remained in the hands of the fascists. The newly recognised state, however, had to redefine itself. After some debate, the first free election was held on January 3rd, 1935. Only two weeks later, the first government was formed and one of the first acts was the change of the country's name. "We can no longer call ourselves just 'the Republic of Silvana', now that the banner of freedom spreads over many cities and many peoples, including those who came to fight side by side with us and many of whom have decided to stay," was part of the proclamation issued by the People's Assembly. "Therefore, in the honour of those who came, and in the memory of that our nation is always welcoming any who wish to take part in our society, henceforth, this republic shall be called The People's Republic of the Interbrigades."

First Years of The Interbrigades
(keywords: 1935-40, The People's Republic of The Interbrigades, David Quilla, Lucía Chalfont, the Popular Front, the Sulaco Incident)

The first government of The Interbrigades was formed by a coalition of left-wing parties, however the most extreme parties did not have that strong support. The people were divided: many of them had been happy for the peace, however many others had their friends in the Union territories and still wished to support them. The first election term, 1935-38, was marked by the motto of "rebuilding the country". The rebuilding went rather slowly, however, since many of the people these days still went abroad to fight and support other fights for freedom. The first elected president of The Interbrigades was former general David Quilla, who gained the post after Timoteo Faron refused to run for the election. He had stayed in office for only one term and was replaced by Lucía Chalfont. It should be noted that because the participation in the Division War was by no means gender-determined, women had from the beginning equal rights with men in the Interbrigades and even the People's Assembly had more than 30% women during the first term.

The second election, held in September 1938, turned in favor of the newly formed Popular Front, basically copying the previous government parties, but now leaning to more extreme policies. The feelings among the people showed signs that the fragile peace with the Union might not last very long anymore. The end of 1930s also marked an influx of immigrants from outside countries where dictatorial regimes prevailed or posed threat at that point. For many of those, the battleground with the Union became sort of a "proxy battleground" for fighting totalitarian regimes in their own countries.

This all led inevitably to the start of another war. The only thing everyone had been waiting for was when some incident occurs that will trigger it. And it truly came, on 26th July 1940, when a military ship of The Interbrigades, patroling waters near the port of Sulaco, was fired upon by an Unionist ship while still being in their own waters. Years later, the Union claimed that it indeed was the captain's fault, but at the point, it had demented any accusations. It was of no consequence anyway: the Interbrigades declared the war on the Union almost immediately.

[The Interbrigades]

Culture and Communication

National Holidays: New Year (January 1st), Independance Day (March 17th), Easter Friday, Easter Monday, International Wokers' Day (May 1st), Pentecost, Christmas Day (December 25th)
Major TV Networks: ITV (National television)
Major Newspapers: Voco del Interbrigado (originally official newspaper of the revolutionary government after the declaration of independence)


Media Archive

Voco del Interbrigado Issues:

2012
2012/05/07: Hare Krishna temples to be funded by state (poll) - Vasco Patexi receives international music award - Tourists prefer national parks - José Recosa on trial - Native Huayran teachers lacking in Capo Nero
2012/05/31: Students prefer more than one school (poll) - Zeriabo elections full of anxiety - Jorge Vanta announces 2013 tour - Jena Kite joins Tenebra FC - No more guns in Silvana?