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by Kamchastkia » Tue May 24, 2016 10:49 am
The Sarian wrote:I move that we impose a senator limit of everyone who wants to join the senate minus costa because he's bringing the mood down and being a whiny little biotch.
by Ikania » Tue May 24, 2016 1:49 pm
by Costa Fierro » Tue May 24, 2016 5:23 pm
The Sarian wrote:I move that we impose a senator limit of everyone who wants to join the senate minus costa because he's bringing the mood down and being a whiny little biotch.
by Skappola » Tue May 24, 2016 5:59 pm
by Sichem » Tue May 24, 2016 8:37 pm
by Maklohi Vai » Tue May 24, 2016 8:57 pm
by Costa Fierro » Tue May 24, 2016 9:33 pm
Skappola wrote:I'm skeptical of how well NSG Senate can RP Muslims right now, but we could do an independent Kurdistan. Poor populace, dependent on oil, strong Democratic Confederalist movement, and lots of interesting ethno-religious tensions. Even better, there's no way anyone can get away with RPing as a generic white social democrat.
by Sichem » Tue May 24, 2016 9:45 pm
by New Werpland » Tue May 24, 2016 9:55 pm
Sichem wrote:Has anyone considered a setting in Israel/Palestine?
It's wealthy, it has a stable democracy, and it has many issues to target and combat, such as the incoming water crisis and nearby hostile nations (although they wouldn't be hostile if we play an Arabic state here)
by House of Judah » Tue May 24, 2016 10:04 pm
Sichem wrote:Has anyone considered a setting in Israel/Palestine?
It's wealthy, it has a stable democracy, and it has many issues to target and combat, such as the incoming water crisis and nearby hostile nations (although they wouldn't be hostile if we play an Arabic state here)
by Sichem » Tue May 24, 2016 10:07 pm
House of Judah wrote:Sichem wrote:Has anyone considered a setting in Israel/Palestine?
It's wealthy, it has a stable democracy, and it has many issues to target and combat, such as the incoming water crisis and nearby hostile nations (although they wouldn't be hostile if we play an Arabic state here)
It had been discussed at one time, but there are plenty of people who don't like the idea of taking land from other RL countries (myself included).
by House of Judah » Tue May 24, 2016 10:18 pm
Sichem wrote:House of Judah wrote:It had been discussed at one time, but there are plenty of people who don't like the idea of taking land from other RL countries (myself included).
Could we maybe make an additional island in the East Mediterranean? Like, somewhere between Crete and Cyprus? It could also give interesting dynamics with Turkey, much like Cyprus.
by Costa Fierro » Tue May 24, 2016 10:19 pm
House of Judah wrote:Sichem wrote:Could we maybe make an additional island in the East Mediterranean? Like, somewhere between Crete and Cyprus? It could also give interesting dynamics with Turkey, much like Cyprus.
Hey Ike, someone likes your idea. Ish.
God, but could I bring myself to play a Hellenist Jew?
by Costa Fierro » Tue May 24, 2016 10:35 pm
by Mushet » Tue May 24, 2016 10:51 pm
by Maklohi Vai » Tue May 24, 2016 11:40 pm
Mushet wrote:Dayam, if that's just the general idea how long and detailed would the official proposal be?
by The Nihilistic view » Tue May 24, 2016 11:50 pm
Costa Fierro wrote:I've also got a proposal for a Middle Eastern state encompassing parts of the United Arab Emirates and the northern enclaves of Oman. This isn't an official submission but it's a general idea that could be submitted as a future proposal (and I'm going to toot my own horn here by suggesting this as a standard for the quality of future proposals).Basic idea of proposal: A state in the northeast of the Arabian Peninsular
Location: Musandam Governante, Ras al-Khaimah and Fujairah Emirates
Possible history: Stone tools found in a grotto on the nothern coast of the Republic of Musandam indicate that the region was settled by humans in the Late Pleistocene, supporting the theory that early humans moved into the region from Africa. Stone tools in the southwest also indicate a human presence in the region 125,000 years ago. It was possible that humans may have walked across the modern day Arabian Desert, as the stone tools date from a time close to the end of the last Ice Age, when the Red Sea was shallow enough to be walked across and the Arabian Peninsular supported a rich variety of fauna and flora.
The first inhabitants of the region largely lived in peace. The inhabitants of the country's now capital city, Agrabah, established the first permanent settlement in the region and thrived on trade from the Indus civilization as well as establishing a fishing industry, making use of the rich variety of fish and shellfish species inhabiting the waters of the extreme northwest of the Indian Ocean.
From 2,500 BC until about 542 BC, the area came under the influence of the Makkan culture and by extension, the Sumerians from Mesopotamia, who traded with Agrabah. In 542 BC, the area was conquered by Achaemenid king Cyrus the Great and became part of the Maka satrapy.
By the time the Achaemenid Empire was conquered by Alexander the Great, Agrabah had already gained de facto independence and played no part in the struggle against the Macedonians. It was again proclaimed as a satrapy under the Parthian and Sassanid Empires until the conquest of Persia by the Arabs.
Islam was introduced into the region during the 7th century AD, during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad. It was also during this time that the Agrabah came under the influence of neighboring Oman and was effective part of the Omani state. The Omanis influenced the culture and the inhabitants of Agrabah greatly to the extent that the country now speaks the same dialect of Arabic as well as being the second only majority Ibadi state in the world.
Around the 10th century AD, the port of Agrabah became part of the Kingdom of Ormuz. The Kingdom of Ormuz controlled the sea trade routes from the Persian Gulf to East Africa and India. The zenith of the kingdom's powers came in the 13th and 14th centuries, when they controlled the slave trade in Arabia and East Africa.
The conquest of the Kingdom of Ormuz and the subsequent occupation of the kingdom's territories placed Musandam firmly under the control of the Portuguese Empire. Beginning in 1515, the Portuguese Navy occupied Agrabah until 1622. During this period, Agrabah saw substantial development by the Portuguese, including Fort Lisboa, which guards the entrance to the Port of Agrabah.
With the help of the English, Shah Abbas I conquered the Kingdom of Ormuz in 1622, effectively bringing Musandam back under the control of the Persians. By this time, Musandam had begun engaging in acts of piracy in the region against European ships as a means of making a living.
Musandam did not become independent again until 1729, when a rebellion led by Mohammed bin Said al Qasimi pushed out the Persians and proclaimed himself the King of Ormuz. He established the first capital at Agrabah and moved his court there from the small town of Khasab on the eastern coast. In January 1730, the now self proclaimed King Mohammed I commissioned the construction of the Abyad Qasr or the White Palace, which was to be his personal residence as well as the seat of his court. Mohammed I ruled Musandam as a semi-fedual state, granting titles of land to those who were loyal to him or were rich enough to become extended members of his court. These included anyone from wealthy merchants to pirates, the latter whom he used as a semi-professional mercenary force to obtain wealth and goods from piracy in the Persian Gulf.
Mohammed I ruled until 1737, when the Persian Empire invaded and conquered Musandam. Mohammed I was killed in battle alongside his son, with his younger brother, Abdul Hafiz al Qasimi continuing the fight against the Persians in Oman. He subsequently led a successful rebellion against the Persians in 1745, once again securing indepencence for Musandam.
Abdul Hafiz al Qasimi assumed the royal title held by his older brother and took the name of King Abdul Hafiz. He was coronated on December 15, 1745. Abdul Hafiz continued the policies of his older brother by continuing to hold influence over the most wealthy and well connected individuals within the kingdom, as well as exploiting the rich trade routes for his own benefits. He oversaw the completion of the White Palace in 1747 as well as a complete rebuild of the Grand Mosque of Agrabah, which began in 1751 and ended in 1762. Abdul Hafiz also established the kingdom's first official currency and was the first king to begin to establish formal ties with European powers, especially France and the United Kingdom.
Upon the death of Abdul Hafiz in 1768, his son, Mohammed bin Mohammed al Qasimi assumed the throne under the name Mohammed II. Although the second of sixteen children, Mohammed was the eldest of Abul Hafiz's sons to survive childhood, after his elder brother Amin ud-Din died of tuberculosis. Mohammed II faced threats to his life and his rule from the beginning, largely coming from his younger brother Muzaffar bin Mohammed al Qasimi, whom his father had sent to the Army to begin training to become a general. The conflict between the two brothers grew to the extent that by 1770, open conflict broke out. Led by Muzaffar himself, soldiers from the army stormed the White Palace, killing Mohammed II, all but one of his six wives and 32 children, including the Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Amin al Qasimi.
Having secured absolute power, Muzaffar then took one of Mohammed II's wives, Halima al Khasab, as his own. Both Halima and Muzaffar had been in a hidden relationship since before Mohammed II became king. Unusually, Muzaffar did not take any additional wives during his reign, instead opting for a more monogamous relationship, something which irked the elders within the royal court. Nevertheless, the first heir to the throne was born on September 8, 1771 and given the name Abdullah bin Mohammed al Qasimi.
Muzaffar was considered to be the more ambitious out of the remaining sons of Abdul Hafiz. Having eliminated all competition from the order of sucession, Muzaffar set about beginning a set of conquests. He invaded and conquered Ras al-Khaimah in 1772 followed by Fujairah in 1776 and Madha in 1780. These conquests solidifed Musandam's position as a middle power within northern Arabia. Muzaffar's rule was also marked not only by military expansion, but also civil projects. He built Kumzar Palace on the northern coast as a getaway for the royal family as well as expansion of harbors in his newly conquered territories. He also began using piracy against ships flying the British flag to secure favorable trade with the British colony in India.
However, the British launched a naval campaign in 1809 which quickly ended Muzaffar's piracy. The destruction of his fleet at the Battle of Ras al-Khaimah on November 11, 1809 effectively ended Musandam's control over the Straits of Hormuz. The defeat greatly affected the rule of Muzaffar, who became widely unpopular and was blamed for the military defeat. However, Muzaffar responded by increasing his grip on power, fearing the same fate as he had given his brother.
In January 1820, Britain imposed the General Maritime Treaty which forbid piracy and banned slavery in the region. After Muzaffar signed the treaty, he abdicated and handed over power to his son, Crown Prince Abdullah bin Mohammed al Qasimi.
Abdullah I's reign was vastly different to that of his father's. Unlike his father, Abdullah was the first of three sons and effectively kept their ambitions in check by providing them with land, wealth and advisoriy positions. He was also the first King to spend time overseas, having visited Britain between 1778 and 1803. At 49 years of age, Abdullah I was the oldest Crown Prince to assume the throne. His eldest son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Tafiq al Qasimi became one of the youngest generals at age 32.
Abdullah I was also a reformer. His time in the United Kingdom and his fascination with how Britain became a world power prompted him to adopt some of the aspects of governance present in the United Kingdom. Although the Parliament of the United Kingdom had only been founded in 1801, Abdullah I nevertheless decided to base his future legislature on it. In February 1821, Abdullah I comissioned the construction of the Blue Palace, which would be the location for his future legislature. Called the Majlis, or “Council”, he moddelled it on the House of Lords, appointing the various land owners or rich merhcants as well as family members to the council. Effectively, he moved the court from the White Palace to the Blue Palace, where they still engaged in advisory roles, although Abdullah gave them more control over government policies and finances.
The reign of Abdullah I was largely peaceful. He died in 1832, aged 61, of a heart attack. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Tafiq al Qasimi became King Mohammed III. Mohammed III's rule was largely peaceful until 1850, when the Emirate of Sharjah, one of the wealthiest and most powerful of the Trucial States, invaded Fujairah. Mohammed III raised an army of 25,000 to defend the territory but was subsequently defeated. However, the only victory came at the Battle of Mahda, where an outnumbered force under the command of Mohammed III himself defended Madha Fort from a superior army that outnumbered his forces by a ratio of two to one. The salvation of at least one small territory from its former lands managed to salvage his reputation in Agrabah. Mohammed III returned in December 1850, defeated and bitter.
Not willing to withstand the shame of defeat, Mohammed III abdicated in January 1851. His successor was Crown Prince Ibrahim bin Mohammed al Qasimi, who sought to improve the military as well as to regain the lost territories.
Ibrahim I reformed the armed forces, creating a professional military and naval force in the process. Known as the Royal Musandamese Army, Ibrahim I signed a treaty of military cooperation in 1853 which stipulated that officers from the British Army could train future officers of the Royal Musandamese Army. He established the Royal Military Academy of Agrabah in the same year and signed off a purchase of 12,000 muskets from the United Kingdom.
However, the new army was not put to the test until October 1869 when the Emirate of Sharjah attempted to invade Ras al-Khaimah. The invasion was halted and King Ibrahim emerged victorious. Emboldened by his victory, Ibrahim I invaded Fujairah in November 1870 but was beaten back by a combined force of soldiers from Sharjah and Oman.
Ibrahim I's defeat in Fujairah as well as the death of half of his army during the two months of fighting severely damaged his reputation among the military commanders. In January 1872, General Rashid bin Maktoum al-Khalili, Chief of Staff of the Royal Musandamese Army, seized power in a coup which deposed King Ibrahim I. Unlike the coup against Mohammed II, al-Khalili did not kill the King or the entire immediate royal family. Instead, al-Khalili immediately transferred power to Crown Prince Ibrahim bin Ibrahim al Qasimi.
Ibrahim II quickly attempted to rectify the mistakes made during the disaterous invasion of Fujairah. He quietly signed a protective treaty with the United Kingdom in October 1872 and expanded the army to a full time size of 36,000 soldiers.
The military was improved several times during the remainder of the 19th and early 20th centuries. By 1916, King Mohammed IV was ready to launch yet another invasion. On the 5th of January, 1916, Mohammed IV launched an invasion of Fujairah. This time, he was successful and returned home a hero after barely a month of fighting.
It was also during this time that Musandam experienced strong economic growth through the pearl industry. However, the First World War severely affected the pearl fishery, leading to economic depression in the 1920's and 1930's. The introduction of the Japanese cultured pearl essentially finished off the remainder of the industry. The economic depression continued after the Second World War, when newly independent India imposed high taxes on pearls from the Gulf.
Musandam began to suffer from instability in the early 1950's as many of its citizens, poor and destitute, began demanding reform. The coronation of King Mohammed V in 1951 did little to dissuade calls for reform. Mohammed V began by instituting a series of political and social reforms. In the first six months of his rule, he introduced social programs such as free healthcare and schooling for primary school students as well as government assistance for poor families. He also introduced an elected house within the Majlis. Mohammed V's democratic reforms were visionary for the region, although they were limited to men over the age of 18 who had the ability to write. The literary requirements essentially disencranchised about 40% of the population. The first election, held in November 1952, saw the reformists take a majority. Mohammed V, with the support of the military and many of the social conservatives within the Majlis, resisted every effort to introduce further reforms and eventually an impasse was reached by May 1953. Protests began the same month but were crushed, with one protest on May 15 resulting in the deaths of 150 students.
Popular support for the king dropped, with further protests now taking place outside the White Palace. In June 1953, a massive protest took place which the Army attempted to quash but was unable to do so. By September, it was evident that the Army had to act in order to prevent an uprising taking place.
On September 20, 1953, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, Major General Mohammed bin Haroun al-Khalifa announced via radio broadcast that King Mohammed V had been officially removed from power and was being held captive at the Royal Military Academy of Agrabah. Although no elections were announced, the reformists in the Majlis celebrated the end of the monarchy and the advent of democratic rule in Musandam.
King Mohammed V and his immediate family were forced into exile in Oman, although members of the extended family were permitted to stay, as many of them were senior officers within the military. Although they were not removed from their positions, they were given strict instructions that they were to serve Musandam and not their family. On September 25, General al-Khalifa announced that a new constitution would be created, as well as declaring himself President of the Republic of Musandam. Protests almost began overnight but these were swiftly and brutally dealt with. Between September 25 and October 25, 5,000 people were arrested and thrown in prisons around the country, with many being subject to torture. Reformist organizations, many of them socialist in nature, were forced underground.
Despite this, al-Khalifa pursued a variety of additional reforms. The new constitution gave the President new powers to appoint members of the Majlis, as well as run for any number of terms. Elections were supposed to be free and fair, with protections for freedom of speech and assembly. However, protests that were not organized by the state were quickly suppressed. Censorship was established, with newspapers and radio heavily regulated in a series of laws introduced in January 1953. A newly established National Police Service was also given powers of arbitrary arrest and detention. Powers were also granted to the also recently established National Security Bureau (NSB) which could wiretap or place individuals under surveillance without warrants. In addition, NSB agents were given the powers of detention and interrogations often featured the heavy use of torture.
The authoritarian rule of General al-Khalifa lasted until June 2, 1962 when he was assasinated by members of a newly formed rebel group called the Popular Front for the Liberation of Musandam (PFLM). The PFLM was founded in August 1956 from members of various different underground groups as well as foreign students, many of whom came from places such as Syria and Egypt and were familiar with the concepts of Arab socialism. The PFLM's primary goal was to establish a secular socialist Arab state which put the needs of the people first. Initially, the PFLM was quite popular and gained much support from the lower classes. However, the actual territory it controlled was small, largely limited to the barren hills near the capital city where it planned and carried out attacks.
General al-Khalifa's assassination was the first major attack carried out by the PFLM and involved a gun attack by militants dressed as soldiers during a “Independence Day” parade. Vice President Mustafa bin Saif al-Islam al-Said was injured in the attack. It was three days before he made a statement declaring himself President. He also declared martial law and mobilized the Army to hunt down the PFLM. In addition, the Majlis adopted laws restricting political party membership, outlawing many previously legal socialist or left-wing political parties.
Despite the relatively small number of rebels, the rugged nature of the terrain in northern Musandam meant that finding and fighting the rebels proved difficult, as the Musandamese National Army did not have equipment that was dedicated to counter insurgency operations. The PFLM also found it difficult to secure weapons, as there were few sympathetic countries in the region that would assist them in supplying weapons and ammunition, meaning the PFLM largely had to fight with what it could steal or acquire from the military. This meant most attacks were largely limited in scale and often involved one target or were reduced to ambushes on patrol vehicles and military trucks. Attempts to use civilian vehicles when transferring personnel from the capital to the northern town of Kumzar failed when a gun attack killed 16 naval cadet officers in July 1967. In 1968, an assassination attempt was made on General al-Said when a van full of PFLM members broke through the front gate at the White Palace. The subsequent firefight lasted two hours in which all the rebels and sixteen members of the Presidential Guard died.
Attacks continued into the 1970's but died away after 1976, when the British assisted the government in rooting out the remaining members of the PFLM, before a final capitulation was received in February 1977. General al-Said would rule Musandam for two more years before dying of a heart attack in 1979.
Musandam's longest ruler would succeed al-Said as President. General Mohammed Abdullah Imrani would rule the country between 1979 and 2015.
Although he initially ruled as a military leader, he officially resigned as a general in 1985 and ruled as a civil leader. In 1986, he proclaimed himself President for Life and amended the constitution to allow him to serve an indefinite term. He was less controversial than the previous leaders as he removed some of the bans and restrictions on media and political representation. In October 1981, he ended martial law in Musandam followed by the liberalisation of the press and the media, although state control of television remained. In 1984, he decreed that certain banned left-wing and socialist parties were permitted to run for legislative elections, although few candidates made it through the vetting process and even fewer won seats. He reformed the justice system by instituting a Supreme Court as well as reforming civil and criminal laws, abandoning Sharia law in those areas. In 1987, women were allowed to stand for office as well as vote in all elections. He also began building up Musandam's industrial and commercial industries. Beginning in 1979, Imrani launched the Khor Fakkan Container Terminal which is one of the primary ports in Musandam. He also commissioned the construction of a concrete manufacturing plant in Fujairah in 1981 as well as forming the world's largest ceramics producer. Economic growth was further enhanced in 2000 with the opening of the Free Trade Zone in Ras al-Khaimah. In 2006, a Media City was also opened there. An additional Free Trade Zone was also established in Fujairah.
Imrani also improved education in Musandam, making it free for students and compulsory until age 16. Teritary education was also made free, as was healthcare at the point of use. This not only improved the health of all citizens but also improved literacy rates in addition to seeing an increase in native Musandamese entering into well paying jobs and less of a reliance on foreign workers.
Imrani died on October 5, 2015 aged 79. In the immediate aftermath, Vice President Mohammed Sadiq al-Thani announced that he would take over as interim President. On December 15, al Thani made a televised statement nationwide in which he announced that the government would be writing a new constitution as well as organizing elections. The liberalization of political party membership was also announced.
Economy: Musandam has a $22.5 billion economy, making it one of the smallest in the Middle East. However, it is a high income country with a GDP per capita of $41,107.
Because Musandam is a non-oil exporting country, it has developed its industrial capacity as well as service sector. Economic activity is mainly centered around the Free Trade Zones in Ras al-Kaimah and Fujairah which have greatly expanded industrial output and GDP.
Primary industries in Musandam include the manufacture of building materials, stone crushing as well as mining, with two copper mines operational since the 1920's. Musandam's shipbuilding and repair industry is also a vital sector of the economy, with the country's Indian Ocean ports involved in building ships, ship repairs, bunkering and technical services. High tech manufacturing is also an important industry, with Musandam manufacturing aerospace and construction components, pharmaceuticals and optical storage media devices.
Tourism is a crucial and growing service industry in Musandam, with the services sector accounting for half of the GDP. Tourism has been facilitated through the development of two international airports on the east and west coasts, as well as the development of regional airports elsewhere. A number of theme parks and high end hotels have also been built. Musandam is also connected to Oman via the world's fastest ferry.
Demographics: With a population of 547,340 inhabitants, Musandam is the smallest country in the Middle East by population. Approximately 31% (169,675 residents) of the country are expatriates or foreign workers, the majority of whom are from South Asia. Indians compose the largest ethnic minority in Musandam with 40% of the foreign population (67,870 residents). Indians also account for 12.3% of the total population. Pakistanis account for 30% of the foreign population(50,902 residents) and 9.2% of the total population. 20% (33,935 residents) of the foreign population are Bangladeshi, who account for 6.1% of the population. 5% (8,483 residents) of the foreign population are Caucasian, who account for 1.5% of the population. Filipinos account for 3% (5,090 residents) of the foreign population and 0.92% of the total population. The remaining 2% of the foreign population (3,393 residents) are of different ethnic groups and also account for 0.61% of the population. Native Musandamese Arabs constitute 69.0% (377,665 residents) of the population.
Islam is the majority religion of Musandam, with 84.4% of the total population identifying as Muslim. Of Musandam's Muslisms, 75.3% are Ibadi with Sunni Islam the second largest sect at 22.4%. 2.3% of Musandam's Muslims are Shi'a. Hindus are the largest religious minority in Musandam, accounting for 11.9% of the population. Christanity accounts for 1.2% of Musandam's residents with the remaining 2.5% of Musandamese identifying with no religion.
Arabic is one of two official languages in Musandam. It is spoken by 69% of the residents. English is the second most widely spoken language in Musandam, with 51% of residents speaking it either as a second language or as a first language. 12.3% speak Hindi as a first language, 9.2% Urdu, 6.1% Bengali, 0.92% Filipino and 0.61% speak other languages.
Benefits of the setting: Musandam is interesting because it is a country set in the Middle East that doesn't export oil or have an oil based economy. It means future governments are going to have to invest in domestic industries and spend wisely in order to maintain economic growth.
Musandam is also a multicultural and multiethnic society. However, voting privileges as well as legal and economic privileges remain with the native Arab population, making it difficult for foreign workers and expats to be able to do simple things like own property. There are also other major social issues as well, such as inequality as well as whether or not to abolish the death penalty or open an inquiry into the crimes committed by the Imrani, al-Said and al-Khalifa regimes.
Again, it's not official.
by Costa Fierro » Wed May 25, 2016 1:17 am
The Nihilistic view wrote:Costa Fierro wrote:I've also got a proposal for a Middle Eastern state encompassing parts of the United Arab Emirates and the northern enclaves of Oman. This isn't an official submission but it's a general idea that could be submitted as a future proposal (and I'm going to toot my own horn here by suggesting this as a standard for the quality of future proposals).Basic idea of proposal: A state in the northeast of the Arabian Peninsular
Location: Musandam Governante, Ras al-Khaimah and Fujairah Emirates
Possible history: Stone tools found in a grotto on the nothern coast of the Republic of Musandam indicate that the region was settled by humans in the Late Pleistocene, supporting the theory that early humans moved into the region from Africa. Stone tools in the southwest also indicate a human presence in the region 125,000 years ago. It was possible that humans may have walked across the modern day Arabian Desert, as the stone tools date from a time close to the end of the last Ice Age, when the Red Sea was shallow enough to be walked across and the Arabian Peninsular supported a rich variety of fauna and flora.
The first inhabitants of the region largely lived in peace. The inhabitants of the country's now capital city, Agrabah, established the first permanent settlement in the region and thrived on trade from the Indus civilization as well as establishing a fishing industry, making use of the rich variety of fish and shellfish species inhabiting the waters of the extreme northwest of the Indian Ocean.
From 2,500 BC until about 542 BC, the area came under the influence of the Makkan culture and by extension, the Sumerians from Mesopotamia, who traded with Agrabah. In 542 BC, the area was conquered by Achaemenid king Cyrus the Great and became part of the Maka satrapy.
By the time the Achaemenid Empire was conquered by Alexander the Great, Agrabah had already gained de facto independence and played no part in the struggle against the Macedonians. It was again proclaimed as a satrapy under the Parthian and Sassanid Empires until the conquest of Persia by the Arabs.
Islam was introduced into the region during the 7th century AD, during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad. It was also during this time that the Agrabah came under the influence of neighboring Oman and was effective part of the Omani state. The Omanis influenced the culture and the inhabitants of Agrabah greatly to the extent that the country now speaks the same dialect of Arabic as well as being the second only majority Ibadi state in the world.
Around the 10th century AD, the port of Agrabah became part of the Kingdom of Ormuz. The Kingdom of Ormuz controlled the sea trade routes from the Persian Gulf to East Africa and India. The zenith of the kingdom's powers came in the 13th and 14th centuries, when they controlled the slave trade in Arabia and East Africa.
The conquest of the Kingdom of Ormuz and the subsequent occupation of the kingdom's territories placed Musandam firmly under the control of the Portuguese Empire. Beginning in 1515, the Portuguese Navy occupied Agrabah until 1622. During this period, Agrabah saw substantial development by the Portuguese, including Fort Lisboa, which guards the entrance to the Port of Agrabah.
With the help of the English, Shah Abbas I conquered the Kingdom of Ormuz in 1622, effectively bringing Musandam back under the control of the Persians. By this time, Musandam had begun engaging in acts of piracy in the region against European ships as a means of making a living.
Musandam did not become independent again until 1729, when a rebellion led by Mohammed bin Said al Qasimi pushed out the Persians and proclaimed himself the King of Ormuz. He established the first capital at Agrabah and moved his court there from the small town of Khasab on the eastern coast. In January 1730, the now self proclaimed King Mohammed I commissioned the construction of the Abyad Qasr or the White Palace, which was to be his personal residence as well as the seat of his court. Mohammed I ruled Musandam as a semi-fedual state, granting titles of land to those who were loyal to him or were rich enough to become extended members of his court. These included anyone from wealthy merchants to pirates, the latter whom he used as a semi-professional mercenary force to obtain wealth and goods from piracy in the Persian Gulf.
Mohammed I ruled until 1737, when the Persian Empire invaded and conquered Musandam. Mohammed I was killed in battle alongside his son, with his younger brother, Abdul Hafiz al Qasimi continuing the fight against the Persians in Oman. He subsequently led a successful rebellion against the Persians in 1745, once again securing indepencence for Musandam.
Abdul Hafiz al Qasimi assumed the royal title held by his older brother and took the name of King Abdul Hafiz. He was coronated on December 15, 1745. Abdul Hafiz continued the policies of his older brother by continuing to hold influence over the most wealthy and well connected individuals within the kingdom, as well as exploiting the rich trade routes for his own benefits. He oversaw the completion of the White Palace in 1747 as well as a complete rebuild of the Grand Mosque of Agrabah, which began in 1751 and ended in 1762. Abdul Hafiz also established the kingdom's first official currency and was the first king to begin to establish formal ties with European powers, especially France and the United Kingdom.
Upon the death of Abdul Hafiz in 1768, his son, Mohammed bin Mohammed al Qasimi assumed the throne under the name Mohammed II. Although the second of sixteen children, Mohammed was the eldest of Abul Hafiz's sons to survive childhood, after his elder brother Amin ud-Din died of tuberculosis. Mohammed II faced threats to his life and his rule from the beginning, largely coming from his younger brother Muzaffar bin Mohammed al Qasimi, whom his father had sent to the Army to begin training to become a general. The conflict between the two brothers grew to the extent that by 1770, open conflict broke out. Led by Muzaffar himself, soldiers from the army stormed the White Palace, killing Mohammed II, all but one of his six wives and 32 children, including the Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Amin al Qasimi.
Having secured absolute power, Muzaffar then took one of Mohammed II's wives, Halima al Khasab, as his own. Both Halima and Muzaffar had been in a hidden relationship since before Mohammed II became king. Unusually, Muzaffar did not take any additional wives during his reign, instead opting for a more monogamous relationship, something which irked the elders within the royal court. Nevertheless, the first heir to the throne was born on September 8, 1771 and given the name Abdullah bin Mohammed al Qasimi.
Muzaffar was considered to be the more ambitious out of the remaining sons of Abdul Hafiz. Having eliminated all competition from the order of sucession, Muzaffar set about beginning a set of conquests. He invaded and conquered Ras al-Khaimah in 1772 followed by Fujairah in 1776 and Madha in 1780. These conquests solidifed Musandam's position as a middle power within northern Arabia. Muzaffar's rule was also marked not only by military expansion, but also civil projects. He built Kumzar Palace on the northern coast as a getaway for the royal family as well as expansion of harbors in his newly conquered territories. He also began using piracy against ships flying the British flag to secure favorable trade with the British colony in India.
However, the British launched a naval campaign in 1809 which quickly ended Muzaffar's piracy. The destruction of his fleet at the Battle of Ras al-Khaimah on November 11, 1809 effectively ended Musandam's control over the Straits of Hormuz. The defeat greatly affected the rule of Muzaffar, who became widely unpopular and was blamed for the military defeat. However, Muzaffar responded by increasing his grip on power, fearing the same fate as he had given his brother.
In January 1820, Britain imposed the General Maritime Treaty which forbid piracy and banned slavery in the region. After Muzaffar signed the treaty, he abdicated and handed over power to his son, Crown Prince Abdullah bin Mohammed al Qasimi.
Abdullah I's reign was vastly different to that of his father's. Unlike his father, Abdullah was the first of three sons and effectively kept their ambitions in check by providing them with land, wealth and advisoriy positions. He was also the first King to spend time overseas, having visited Britain between 1778 and 1803. At 49 years of age, Abdullah I was the oldest Crown Prince to assume the throne. His eldest son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Tafiq al Qasimi became one of the youngest generals at age 32.
Abdullah I was also a reformer. His time in the United Kingdom and his fascination with how Britain became a world power prompted him to adopt some of the aspects of governance present in the United Kingdom. Although the Parliament of the United Kingdom had only been founded in 1801, Abdullah I nevertheless decided to base his future legislature on it. In February 1821, Abdullah I comissioned the construction of the Blue Palace, which would be the location for his future legislature. Called the Majlis, or “Council”, he moddelled it on the House of Lords, appointing the various land owners or rich merhcants as well as family members to the council. Effectively, he moved the court from the White Palace to the Blue Palace, where they still engaged in advisory roles, although Abdullah gave them more control over government policies and finances.
The reign of Abdullah I was largely peaceful. He died in 1832, aged 61, of a heart attack. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Tafiq al Qasimi became King Mohammed III. Mohammed III's rule was largely peaceful until 1850, when the Emirate of Sharjah, one of the wealthiest and most powerful of the Trucial States, invaded Fujairah. Mohammed III raised an army of 25,000 to defend the territory but was subsequently defeated. However, the only victory came at the Battle of Mahda, where an outnumbered force under the command of Mohammed III himself defended Madha Fort from a superior army that outnumbered his forces by a ratio of two to one. The salvation of at least one small territory from its former lands managed to salvage his reputation in Agrabah. Mohammed III returned in December 1850, defeated and bitter.
Not willing to withstand the shame of defeat, Mohammed III abdicated in January 1851. His successor was Crown Prince Ibrahim bin Mohammed al Qasimi, who sought to improve the military as well as to regain the lost territories.
Ibrahim I reformed the armed forces, creating a professional military and naval force in the process. Known as the Royal Musandamese Army, Ibrahim I signed a treaty of military cooperation in 1853 which stipulated that officers from the British Army could train future officers of the Royal Musandamese Army. He established the Royal Military Academy of Agrabah in the same year and signed off a purchase of 12,000 muskets from the United Kingdom.
However, the new army was not put to the test until October 1869 when the Emirate of Sharjah attempted to invade Ras al-Khaimah. The invasion was halted and King Ibrahim emerged victorious. Emboldened by his victory, Ibrahim I invaded Fujairah in November 1870 but was beaten back by a combined force of soldiers from Sharjah and Oman.
Ibrahim I's defeat in Fujairah as well as the death of half of his army during the two months of fighting severely damaged his reputation among the military commanders. In January 1872, General Rashid bin Maktoum al-Khalili, Chief of Staff of the Royal Musandamese Army, seized power in a coup which deposed King Ibrahim I. Unlike the coup against Mohammed II, al-Khalili did not kill the King or the entire immediate royal family. Instead, al-Khalili immediately transferred power to Crown Prince Ibrahim bin Ibrahim al Qasimi.
Ibrahim II quickly attempted to rectify the mistakes made during the disaterous invasion of Fujairah. He quietly signed a protective treaty with the United Kingdom in October 1872 and expanded the army to a full time size of 36,000 soldiers.
The military was improved several times during the remainder of the 19th and early 20th centuries. By 1916, King Mohammed IV was ready to launch yet another invasion. On the 5th of January, 1916, Mohammed IV launched an invasion of Fujairah. This time, he was successful and returned home a hero after barely a month of fighting.
It was also during this time that Musandam experienced strong economic growth through the pearl industry. However, the First World War severely affected the pearl fishery, leading to economic depression in the 1920's and 1930's. The introduction of the Japanese cultured pearl essentially finished off the remainder of the industry. The economic depression continued after the Second World War, when newly independent India imposed high taxes on pearls from the Gulf.
Musandam began to suffer from instability in the early 1950's as many of its citizens, poor and destitute, began demanding reform. The coronation of King Mohammed V in 1951 did little to dissuade calls for reform. Mohammed V began by instituting a series of political and social reforms. In the first six months of his rule, he introduced social programs such as free healthcare and schooling for primary school students as well as government assistance for poor families. He also introduced an elected house within the Majlis. Mohammed V's democratic reforms were visionary for the region, although they were limited to men over the age of 18 who had the ability to write. The literary requirements essentially disencranchised about 40% of the population. The first election, held in November 1952, saw the reformists take a majority. Mohammed V, with the support of the military and many of the social conservatives within the Majlis, resisted every effort to introduce further reforms and eventually an impasse was reached by May 1953. Protests began the same month but were crushed, with one protest on May 15 resulting in the deaths of 150 students.
Popular support for the king dropped, with further protests now taking place outside the White Palace. In June 1953, a massive protest took place which the Army attempted to quash but was unable to do so. By September, it was evident that the Army had to act in order to prevent an uprising taking place.
On September 20, 1953, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, Major General Mohammed bin Haroun al-Khalifa announced via radio broadcast that King Mohammed V had been officially removed from power and was being held captive at the Royal Military Academy of Agrabah. Although no elections were announced, the reformists in the Majlis celebrated the end of the monarchy and the advent of democratic rule in Musandam.
King Mohammed V and his immediate family were forced into exile in Oman, although members of the extended family were permitted to stay, as many of them were senior officers within the military. Although they were not removed from their positions, they were given strict instructions that they were to serve Musandam and not their family. On September 25, General al-Khalifa announced that a new constitution would be created, as well as declaring himself President of the Republic of Musandam. Protests almost began overnight but these were swiftly and brutally dealt with. Between September 25 and October 25, 5,000 people were arrested and thrown in prisons around the country, with many being subject to torture. Reformist organizations, many of them socialist in nature, were forced underground.
Despite this, al-Khalifa pursued a variety of additional reforms. The new constitution gave the President new powers to appoint members of the Majlis, as well as run for any number of terms. Elections were supposed to be free and fair, with protections for freedom of speech and assembly. However, protests that were not organized by the state were quickly suppressed. Censorship was established, with newspapers and radio heavily regulated in a series of laws introduced in January 1953. A newly established National Police Service was also given powers of arbitrary arrest and detention. Powers were also granted to the also recently established National Security Bureau (NSB) which could wiretap or place individuals under surveillance without warrants. In addition, NSB agents were given the powers of detention and interrogations often featured the heavy use of torture.
The authoritarian rule of General al-Khalifa lasted until June 2, 1962 when he was assasinated by members of a newly formed rebel group called the Popular Front for the Liberation of Musandam (PFLM). The PFLM was founded in August 1956 from members of various different underground groups as well as foreign students, many of whom came from places such as Syria and Egypt and were familiar with the concepts of Arab socialism. The PFLM's primary goal was to establish a secular socialist Arab state which put the needs of the people first. Initially, the PFLM was quite popular and gained much support from the lower classes. However, the actual territory it controlled was small, largely limited to the barren hills near the capital city where it planned and carried out attacks.
General al-Khalifa's assassination was the first major attack carried out by the PFLM and involved a gun attack by militants dressed as soldiers during a “Independence Day” parade. Vice President Mustafa bin Saif al-Islam al-Said was injured in the attack. It was three days before he made a statement declaring himself President. He also declared martial law and mobilized the Army to hunt down the PFLM. In addition, the Majlis adopted laws restricting political party membership, outlawing many previously legal socialist or left-wing political parties.
Despite the relatively small number of rebels, the rugged nature of the terrain in northern Musandam meant that finding and fighting the rebels proved difficult, as the Musandamese National Army did not have equipment that was dedicated to counter insurgency operations. The PFLM also found it difficult to secure weapons, as there were few sympathetic countries in the region that would assist them in supplying weapons and ammunition, meaning the PFLM largely had to fight with what it could steal or acquire from the military. This meant most attacks were largely limited in scale and often involved one target or were reduced to ambushes on patrol vehicles and military trucks. Attempts to use civilian vehicles when transferring personnel from the capital to the northern town of Kumzar failed when a gun attack killed 16 naval cadet officers in July 1967. In 1968, an assassination attempt was made on General al-Said when a van full of PFLM members broke through the front gate at the White Palace. The subsequent firefight lasted two hours in which all the rebels and sixteen members of the Presidential Guard died.
Attacks continued into the 1970's but died away after 1976, when the British assisted the government in rooting out the remaining members of the PFLM, before a final capitulation was received in February 1977. General al-Said would rule Musandam for two more years before dying of a heart attack in 1979.
Musandam's longest ruler would succeed al-Said as President. General Mohammed Abdullah Imrani would rule the country between 1979 and 2015.
Although he initially ruled as a military leader, he officially resigned as a general in 1985 and ruled as a civil leader. In 1986, he proclaimed himself President for Life and amended the constitution to allow him to serve an indefinite term. He was less controversial than the previous leaders as he removed some of the bans and restrictions on media and political representation. In October 1981, he ended martial law in Musandam followed by the liberalisation of the press and the media, although state control of television remained. In 1984, he decreed that certain banned left-wing and socialist parties were permitted to run for legislative elections, although few candidates made it through the vetting process and even fewer won seats. He reformed the justice system by instituting a Supreme Court as well as reforming civil and criminal laws, abandoning Sharia law in those areas. In 1987, women were allowed to stand for office as well as vote in all elections. He also began building up Musandam's industrial and commercial industries. Beginning in 1979, Imrani launched the Khor Fakkan Container Terminal which is one of the primary ports in Musandam. He also commissioned the construction of a concrete manufacturing plant in Fujairah in 1981 as well as forming the world's largest ceramics producer. Economic growth was further enhanced in 2000 with the opening of the Free Trade Zone in Ras al-Khaimah. In 2006, a Media City was also opened there. An additional Free Trade Zone was also established in Fujairah.
Imrani also improved education in Musandam, making it free for students and compulsory until age 16. Teritary education was also made free, as was healthcare at the point of use. This not only improved the health of all citizens but also improved literacy rates in addition to seeing an increase in native Musandamese entering into well paying jobs and less of a reliance on foreign workers.
Imrani died on October 5, 2015 aged 79. In the immediate aftermath, Vice President Mohammed Sadiq al-Thani announced that he would take over as interim President. On December 15, al Thani made a televised statement nationwide in which he announced that the government would be writing a new constitution as well as organizing elections. The liberalization of political party membership was also announced.
Economy: Musandam has a $22.5 billion economy, making it one of the smallest in the Middle East. However, it is a high income country with a GDP per capita of $41,107.
Because Musandam is a non-oil exporting country, it has developed its industrial capacity as well as service sector. Economic activity is mainly centered around the Free Trade Zones in Ras al-Kaimah and Fujairah which have greatly expanded industrial output and GDP.
Primary industries in Musandam include the manufacture of building materials, stone crushing as well as mining, with two copper mines operational since the 1920's. Musandam's shipbuilding and repair industry is also a vital sector of the economy, with the country's Indian Ocean ports involved in building ships, ship repairs, bunkering and technical services. High tech manufacturing is also an important industry, with Musandam manufacturing aerospace and construction components, pharmaceuticals and optical storage media devices.
Tourism is a crucial and growing service industry in Musandam, with the services sector accounting for half of the GDP. Tourism has been facilitated through the development of two international airports on the east and west coasts, as well as the development of regional airports elsewhere. A number of theme parks and high end hotels have also been built. Musandam is also connected to Oman via the world's fastest ferry.
Demographics: With a population of 547,340 inhabitants, Musandam is the smallest country in the Middle East by population. Approximately 31% (169,675 residents) of the country are expatriates or foreign workers, the majority of whom are from South Asia. Indians compose the largest ethnic minority in Musandam with 40% of the foreign population (67,870 residents). Indians also account for 12.3% of the total population. Pakistanis account for 30% of the foreign population(50,902 residents) and 9.2% of the total population. 20% (33,935 residents) of the foreign population are Bangladeshi, who account for 6.1% of the population. 5% (8,483 residents) of the foreign population are Caucasian, who account for 1.5% of the population. Filipinos account for 3% (5,090 residents) of the foreign population and 0.92% of the total population. The remaining 2% of the foreign population (3,393 residents) are of different ethnic groups and also account for 0.61% of the population. Native Musandamese Arabs constitute 69.0% (377,665 residents) of the population.
Islam is the majority religion of Musandam, with 84.4% of the total population identifying as Muslim. Of Musandam's Muslisms, 75.3% are Ibadi with Sunni Islam the second largest sect at 22.4%. 2.3% of Musandam's Muslims are Shi'a. Hindus are the largest religious minority in Musandam, accounting for 11.9% of the population. Christanity accounts for 1.2% of Musandam's residents with the remaining 2.5% of Musandamese identifying with no religion.
Arabic is one of two official languages in Musandam. It is spoken by 69% of the residents. English is the second most widely spoken language in Musandam, with 51% of residents speaking it either as a second language or as a first language. 12.3% speak Hindi as a first language, 9.2% Urdu, 6.1% Bengali, 0.92% Filipino and 0.61% speak other languages.
Benefits of the setting: Musandam is interesting because it is a country set in the Middle East that doesn't export oil or have an oil based economy. It means future governments are going to have to invest in domestic industries and spend wisely in order to maintain economic growth.
Musandam is also a multicultural and multiethnic society. However, voting privileges as well as legal and economic privileges remain with the native Arab population, making it difficult for foreign workers and expats to be able to do simple things like own property. There are also other major social issues as well, such as inequality as well as whether or not to abolish the death penalty or open an inquiry into the crimes committed by the Imrani, al-Said and al-Khalifa regimes.
Again, it's not official.
Obviously the name will have to be changed to something like Eusandam.
Mushet wrote:Dayam, if that's just the general idea how long and detailed would the official proposal be?
by The Nihilistic view » Wed May 25, 2016 1:37 am
by Costa Fierro » Wed May 25, 2016 1:47 am
by Atlanticatia » Wed May 25, 2016 3:33 am
Sichem wrote:That is a lot of history to read through, Costa Fierro. I think people will just skip it.
by Eol Sha » Wed May 25, 2016 4:10 am
Costa Fierro wrote:I've also got a proposal for a Middle Eastern state encompassing parts of the United Arab Emirates and the northern enclaves of Oman. This isn't an official submission but it's a general idea that could be submitted as a future proposal (and I'm going to toot my own horn here by suggesting this as a standard for the quality of future proposals).Basic idea of proposal: A state in the northeast of the Arabian Peninsular
Location: Musandam Governante, Ras al-Khaimah and Fujairah Emirates
Possible history: Stone tools found in a grotto on the nothern coast of the Republic of Musandam indicate that the region was settled by humans in the Late Pleistocene, supporting the theory that early humans moved into the region from Africa. Stone tools in the southwest also indicate a human presence in the region 125,000 years ago. It was possible that humans may have walked across the modern day Arabian Desert, as the stone tools date from a time close to the end of the last Ice Age, when the Red Sea was shallow enough to be walked across and the Arabian Peninsular supported a rich variety of fauna and flora.
The first inhabitants of the region largely lived in peace. The inhabitants of the country's now capital city, Agrabah, established the first permanent settlement in the region and thrived on trade from the Indus civilization as well as establishing a fishing industry, making use of the rich variety of fish and shellfish species inhabiting the waters of the extreme northwest of the Indian Ocean.
From 2,500 BC until about 542 BC, the area came under the influence of the Makkan culture and by extension, the Sumerians from Mesopotamia, who traded with Agrabah. In 542 BC, the area was conquered by Achaemenid king Cyrus the Great and became part of the Maka satrapy.
By the time the Achaemenid Empire was conquered by Alexander the Great, Agrabah had already gained de facto independence and played no part in the struggle against the Macedonians. It was again proclaimed as a satrapy under the Parthian and Sassanid Empires until the conquest of Persia by the Arabs.
Islam was introduced into the region during the 7th century AD, during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad. It was also during this time that the Agrabah came under the influence of neighboring Oman and was effective part of the Omani state. The Omanis influenced the culture and the inhabitants of Agrabah greatly to the extent that the country now speaks the same dialect of Arabic as well as being the second only majority Ibadi state in the world.
Around the 10th century AD, the port of Agrabah became part of the Kingdom of Ormuz. The Kingdom of Ormuz controlled the sea trade routes from the Persian Gulf to East Africa and India. The zenith of the kingdom's powers came in the 13th and 14th centuries, when they controlled the slave trade in Arabia and East Africa.
The conquest of the Kingdom of Ormuz and the subsequent occupation of the kingdom's territories placed Musandam firmly under the control of the Portuguese Empire. Beginning in 1515, the Portuguese Navy occupied Agrabah until 1622. During this period, Agrabah saw substantial development by the Portuguese, including Fort Lisboa, which guards the entrance to the Port of Agrabah.
With the help of the English, Shah Abbas I conquered the Kingdom of Ormuz in 1622, effectively bringing Musandam back under the control of the Persians. By this time, Musandam had begun engaging in acts of piracy in the region against European ships as a means of making a living.
Musandam did not become independent again until 1729, when a rebellion led by Mohammed bin Said al Qasimi pushed out the Persians and proclaimed himself the King of Ormuz. He established the first capital at Agrabah and moved his court there from the small town of Khasab on the eastern coast. In January 1730, the now self proclaimed King Mohammed I commissioned the construction of the Abyad Qasr or the White Palace, which was to be his personal residence as well as the seat of his court. Mohammed I ruled Musandam as a semi-fedual state, granting titles of land to those who were loyal to him or were rich enough to become extended members of his court. These included anyone from wealthy merchants to pirates, the latter whom he used as a semi-professional mercenary force to obtain wealth and goods from piracy in the Persian Gulf.
Mohammed I ruled until 1737, when the Persian Empire invaded and conquered Musandam. Mohammed I was killed in battle alongside his son, with his younger brother, Abdul Hafiz al Qasimi continuing the fight against the Persians in Oman. He subsequently led a successful rebellion against the Persians in 1745, once again securing indepencence for Musandam.
Abdul Hafiz al Qasimi assumed the royal title held by his older brother and took the name of King Abdul Hafiz. He was coronated on December 15, 1745. Abdul Hafiz continued the policies of his older brother by continuing to hold influence over the most wealthy and well connected individuals within the kingdom, as well as exploiting the rich trade routes for his own benefits. He oversaw the completion of the White Palace in 1747 as well as a complete rebuild of the Grand Mosque of Agrabah, which began in 1751 and ended in 1762. Abdul Hafiz also established the kingdom's first official currency and was the first king to begin to establish formal ties with European powers, especially France and the United Kingdom.
Upon the death of Abdul Hafiz in 1768, his son, Mohammed bin Mohammed al Qasimi assumed the throne under the name Mohammed II. Although the second of sixteen children, Mohammed was the eldest of Abul Hafiz's sons to survive childhood, after his elder brother Amin ud-Din died of tuberculosis. Mohammed II faced threats to his life and his rule from the beginning, largely coming from his younger brother Muzaffar bin Mohammed al Qasimi, whom his father had sent to the Army to begin training to become a general. The conflict between the two brothers grew to the extent that by 1770, open conflict broke out. Led by Muzaffar himself, soldiers from the army stormed the White Palace, killing Mohammed II, all but one of his six wives and 32 children, including the Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Amin al Qasimi.
Having secured absolute power, Muzaffar then took one of Mohammed II's wives, Halima al Khasab, as his own. Both Halima and Muzaffar had been in a hidden relationship since before Mohammed II became king. Unusually, Muzaffar did not take any additional wives during his reign, instead opting for a more monogamous relationship, something which irked the elders within the royal court. Nevertheless, the first heir to the throne was born on September 8, 1771 and given the name Abdullah bin Mohammed al Qasimi.
Muzaffar was considered to be the more ambitious out of the remaining sons of Abdul Hafiz. Having eliminated all competition from the order of sucession, Muzaffar set about beginning a set of conquests. He invaded and conquered Ras al-Khaimah in 1772 followed by Fujairah in 1776 and Madha in 1780. These conquests solidifed Musandam's position as a middle power within northern Arabia. Muzaffar's rule was also marked not only by military expansion, but also civil projects. He built Kumzar Palace on the northern coast as a getaway for the royal family as well as expansion of harbors in his newly conquered territories. He also began using piracy against ships flying the British flag to secure favorable trade with the British colony in India.
However, the British launched a naval campaign in 1809 which quickly ended Muzaffar's piracy. The destruction of his fleet at the Battle of Ras al-Khaimah on November 11, 1809 effectively ended Musandam's control over the Straits of Hormuz. The defeat greatly affected the rule of Muzaffar, who became widely unpopular and was blamed for the military defeat. However, Muzaffar responded by increasing his grip on power, fearing the same fate as he had given his brother.
In January 1820, Britain imposed the General Maritime Treaty which forbid piracy and banned slavery in the region. After Muzaffar signed the treaty, he abdicated and handed over power to his son, Crown Prince Abdullah bin Mohammed al Qasimi.
Abdullah I's reign was vastly different to that of his father's. Unlike his father, Abdullah was the first of three sons and effectively kept their ambitions in check by providing them with land, wealth and advisoriy positions. He was also the first King to spend time overseas, having visited Britain between 1778 and 1803. At 49 years of age, Abdullah I was the oldest Crown Prince to assume the throne. His eldest son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Tafiq al Qasimi became one of the youngest generals at age 32.
Abdullah I was also a reformer. His time in the United Kingdom and his fascination with how Britain became a world power prompted him to adopt some of the aspects of governance present in the United Kingdom. Although the Parliament of the United Kingdom had only been founded in 1801, Abdullah I nevertheless decided to base his future legislature on it. In February 1821, Abdullah I comissioned the construction of the Blue Palace, which would be the location for his future legislature. Called the Majlis, or “Council”, he moddelled it on the House of Lords, appointing the various land owners or rich merhcants as well as family members to the council. Effectively, he moved the court from the White Palace to the Blue Palace, where they still engaged in advisory roles, although Abdullah gave them more control over government policies and finances.
The reign of Abdullah I was largely peaceful. He died in 1832, aged 61, of a heart attack. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Tafiq al Qasimi became King Mohammed III. Mohammed III's rule was largely peaceful until 1850, when the Emirate of Sharjah, one of the wealthiest and most powerful of the Trucial States, invaded Fujairah. Mohammed III raised an army of 25,000 to defend the territory but was subsequently defeated. However, the only victory came at the Battle of Mahda, where an outnumbered force under the command of Mohammed III himself defended Madha Fort from a superior army that outnumbered his forces by a ratio of two to one. The salvation of at least one small territory from its former lands managed to salvage his reputation in Agrabah. Mohammed III returned in December 1850, defeated and bitter.
Not willing to withstand the shame of defeat, Mohammed III abdicated in January 1851. His successor was Crown Prince Ibrahim bin Mohammed al Qasimi, who sought to improve the military as well as to regain the lost territories.
Ibrahim I reformed the armed forces, creating a professional military and naval force in the process. Known as the Royal Musandamese Army, Ibrahim I signed a treaty of military cooperation in 1853 which stipulated that officers from the British Army could train future officers of the Royal Musandamese Army. He established the Royal Military Academy of Agrabah in the same year and signed off a purchase of 12,000 muskets from the United Kingdom.
However, the new army was not put to the test until October 1869 when the Emirate of Sharjah attempted to invade Ras al-Khaimah. The invasion was halted and King Ibrahim emerged victorious. Emboldened by his victory, Ibrahim I invaded Fujairah in November 1870 but was beaten back by a combined force of soldiers from Sharjah and Oman.
Ibrahim I's defeat in Fujairah as well as the death of half of his army during the two months of fighting severely damaged his reputation among the military commanders. In January 1872, General Rashid bin Maktoum al-Khalili, Chief of Staff of the Royal Musandamese Army, seized power in a coup which deposed King Ibrahim I. Unlike the coup against Mohammed II, al-Khalili did not kill the King or the entire immediate royal family. Instead, al-Khalili immediately transferred power to Crown Prince Ibrahim bin Ibrahim al Qasimi.
Ibrahim II quickly attempted to rectify the mistakes made during the disaterous invasion of Fujairah. He quietly signed a protective treaty with the United Kingdom in October 1872 and expanded the army to a full time size of 36,000 soldiers.
The military was improved several times during the remainder of the 19th and early 20th centuries. By 1916, King Mohammed IV was ready to launch yet another invasion. On the 5th of January, 1916, Mohammed IV launched an invasion of Fujairah. This time, he was successful and returned home a hero after barely a month of fighting.
It was also during this time that Musandam experienced strong economic growth through the pearl industry. However, the First World War severely affected the pearl fishery, leading to economic depression in the 1920's and 1930's. The introduction of the Japanese cultured pearl essentially finished off the remainder of the industry. The economic depression continued after the Second World War, when newly independent India imposed high taxes on pearls from the Gulf.
Musandam began to suffer from instability in the early 1950's as many of its citizens, poor and destitute, began demanding reform. The coronation of King Mohammed V in 1951 did little to dissuade calls for reform. Mohammed V began by instituting a series of political and social reforms. In the first six months of his rule, he introduced social programs such as free healthcare and schooling for primary school students as well as government assistance for poor families. He also introduced an elected house within the Majlis. Mohammed V's democratic reforms were visionary for the region, although they were limited to men over the age of 18 who had the ability to write. The literary requirements essentially disencranchised about 40% of the population. The first election, held in November 1952, saw the reformists take a majority. Mohammed V, with the support of the military and many of the social conservatives within the Majlis, resisted every effort to introduce further reforms and eventually an impasse was reached by May 1953. Protests began the same month but were crushed, with one protest on May 15 resulting in the deaths of 150 students.
Popular support for the king dropped, with further protests now taking place outside the White Palace. In June 1953, a massive protest took place which the Army attempted to quash but was unable to do so. By September, it was evident that the Army had to act in order to prevent an uprising taking place.
On September 20, 1953, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, Major General Mohammed bin Haroun al-Khalifa announced via radio broadcast that King Mohammed V had been officially removed from power and was being held captive at the Royal Military Academy of Agrabah. Although no elections were announced, the reformists in the Majlis celebrated the end of the monarchy and the advent of democratic rule in Musandam.
King Mohammed V and his immediate family were forced into exile in Oman, although members of the extended family were permitted to stay, as many of them were senior officers within the military. Although they were not removed from their positions, they were given strict instructions that they were to serve Musandam and not their family. On September 25, General al-Khalifa announced that a new constitution would be created, as well as declaring himself President of the Republic of Musandam. Protests almost began overnight but these were swiftly and brutally dealt with. Between September 25 and October 25, 5,000 people were arrested and thrown in prisons around the country, with many being subject to torture. Reformist organizations, many of them socialist in nature, were forced underground.
Despite this, al-Khalifa pursued a variety of additional reforms. The new constitution gave the President new powers to appoint members of the Majlis, as well as run for any number of terms. Elections were supposed to be free and fair, with protections for freedom of speech and assembly. However, protests that were not organized by the state were quickly suppressed. Censorship was established, with newspapers and radio heavily regulated in a series of laws introduced in January 1953. A newly established National Police Service was also given powers of arbitrary arrest and detention. Powers were also granted to the also recently established National Security Bureau (NSB) which could wiretap or place individuals under surveillance without warrants. In addition, NSB agents were given the powers of detention and interrogations often featured the heavy use of torture.
The authoritarian rule of General al-Khalifa lasted until June 2, 1962 when he was assasinated by members of a newly formed rebel group called the Popular Front for the Liberation of Musandam (PFLM). The PFLM was founded in August 1956 from members of various different underground groups as well as foreign students, many of whom came from places such as Syria and Egypt and were familiar with the concepts of Arab socialism. The PFLM's primary goal was to establish a secular socialist Arab state which put the needs of the people first. Initially, the PFLM was quite popular and gained much support from the lower classes. However, the actual territory it controlled was small, largely limited to the barren hills near the capital city where it planned and carried out attacks.
General al-Khalifa's assassination was the first major attack carried out by the PFLM and involved a gun attack by militants dressed as soldiers during a “Independence Day” parade. Vice President Mustafa bin Saif al-Islam al-Said was injured in the attack. It was three days before he made a statement declaring himself President. He also declared martial law and mobilized the Army to hunt down the PFLM. In addition, the Majlis adopted laws restricting political party membership, outlawing many previously legal socialist or left-wing political parties.
Despite the relatively small number of rebels, the rugged nature of the terrain in northern Musandam meant that finding and fighting the rebels proved difficult, as the Musandamese National Army did not have equipment that was dedicated to counter insurgency operations. The PFLM also found it difficult to secure weapons, as there were few sympathetic countries in the region that would assist them in supplying weapons and ammunition, meaning the PFLM largely had to fight with what it could steal or acquire from the military. This meant most attacks were largely limited in scale and often involved one target or were reduced to ambushes on patrol vehicles and military trucks. Attempts to use civilian vehicles when transferring personnel from the capital to the northern town of Kumzar failed when a gun attack killed 16 naval cadet officers in July 1967. In 1968, an assassination attempt was made on General al-Said when a van full of PFLM members broke through the front gate at the White Palace. The subsequent firefight lasted two hours in which all the rebels and sixteen members of the Presidential Guard died.
Attacks continued into the 1970's but died away after 1976, when the British assisted the government in rooting out the remaining members of the PFLM, before a final capitulation was received in February 1977. General al-Said would rule Musandam for two more years before dying of a heart attack in 1979.
Musandam's longest ruler would succeed al-Said as President. General Mohammed Abdullah Imrani would rule the country between 1979 and 2015.
Although he initially ruled as a military leader, he officially resigned as a general in 1985 and ruled as a civil leader. In 1986, he proclaimed himself President for Life and amended the constitution to allow him to serve an indefinite term. He was less controversial than the previous leaders as he removed some of the bans and restrictions on media and political representation. In October 1981, he ended martial law in Musandam followed by the liberalisation of the press and the media, although state control of television remained. In 1984, he decreed that certain banned left-wing and socialist parties were permitted to run for legislative elections, although few candidates made it through the vetting process and even fewer won seats. He reformed the justice system by instituting a Supreme Court as well as reforming civil and criminal laws, abandoning Sharia law in those areas. In 1987, women were allowed to stand for office as well as vote in all elections. He also began building up Musandam's industrial and commercial industries. Beginning in 1979, Imrani launched the Khor Fakkan Container Terminal which is one of the primary ports in Musandam. He also commissioned the construction of a concrete manufacturing plant in Fujairah in 1981 as well as forming the world's largest ceramics producer. Economic growth was further enhanced in 2000 with the opening of the Free Trade Zone in Ras al-Khaimah. In 2006, a Media City was also opened there. An additional Free Trade Zone was also established in Fujairah.
Imrani also improved education in Musandam, making it free for students and compulsory until age 16. Teritary education was also made free, as was healthcare at the point of use. This not only improved the health of all citizens but also improved literacy rates in addition to seeing an increase in native Musandamese entering into well paying jobs and less of a reliance on foreign workers.
Imrani died on October 5, 2015 aged 79. In the immediate aftermath, Vice President Mohammed Sadiq al-Thani announced that he would take over as interim President. On December 15, al Thani made a televised statement nationwide in which he announced that the government would be writing a new constitution as well as organizing elections. The liberalization of political party membership was also announced.
Economy: Musandam has a $22.5 billion economy, making it one of the smallest in the Middle East. However, it is a high income country with a GDP per capita of $41,107.
Because Musandam is a non-oil exporting country, it has developed its industrial capacity as well as service sector. Economic activity is mainly centered around the Free Trade Zones in Ras al-Kaimah and Fujairah which have greatly expanded industrial output and GDP.
Primary industries in Musandam include the manufacture of building materials, stone crushing as well as mining, with two copper mines operational since the 1920's. Musandam's shipbuilding and repair industry is also a vital sector of the economy, with the country's Indian Ocean ports involved in building ships, ship repairs, bunkering and technical services. High tech manufacturing is also an important industry, with Musandam manufacturing aerospace and construction components, pharmaceuticals and optical storage media devices.
Tourism is a crucial and growing service industry in Musandam, with the services sector accounting for half of the GDP. Tourism has been facilitated through the development of two international airports on the east and west coasts, as well as the development of regional airports elsewhere. A number of theme parks and high end hotels have also been built. Musandam is also connected to Oman via the world's fastest ferry.
Demographics: With a population of 547,340 inhabitants, Musandam is the smallest country in the Middle East by population. Approximately 31% (169,675 residents) of the country are expatriates or foreign workers, the majority of whom are from South Asia. Indians compose the largest ethnic minority in Musandam with 40% of the foreign population (67,870 residents). Indians also account for 12.3% of the total population. Pakistanis account for 30% of the foreign population(50,902 residents) and 9.2% of the total population. 20% (33,935 residents) of the foreign population are Bangladeshi, who account for 6.1% of the population. 5% (8,483 residents) of the foreign population are Caucasian, who account for 1.5% of the population. Filipinos account for 3% (5,090 residents) of the foreign population and 0.92% of the total population. The remaining 2% of the foreign population (3,393 residents) are of different ethnic groups and also account for 0.61% of the population. Native Musandamese Arabs constitute 69.0% (377,665 residents) of the population.
Islam is the majority religion of Musandam, with 84.4% of the total population identifying as Muslim. Of Musandam's Muslisms, 75.3% are Ibadi with Sunni Islam the second largest sect at 22.4%. 2.3% of Musandam's Muslims are Shi'a. Hindus are the largest religious minority in Musandam, accounting for 11.9% of the population. Christanity accounts for 1.2% of Musandam's residents with the remaining 2.5% of Musandamese identifying with no religion.
Arabic is one of two official languages in Musandam. It is spoken by 69% of the residents. English is the second most widely spoken language in Musandam, with 51% of residents speaking it either as a second language or as a first language. 12.3% speak Hindi as a first language, 9.2% Urdu, 6.1% Bengali, 0.92% Filipino and 0.61% speak other languages.
Benefits of the setting: Musandam is interesting because it is a country set in the Middle East that doesn't export oil or have an oil based economy. It means future governments are going to have to invest in domestic industries and spend wisely in order to maintain economic growth.
Musandam is also a multicultural and multiethnic society. However, voting privileges as well as legal and economic privileges remain with the native Arab population, making it difficult for foreign workers and expats to be able to do simple things like own property. There are also other major social issues as well, such as inequality as well as whether or not to abolish the death penalty or open an inquiry into the crimes committed by the Imrani, al-Said and al-Khalifa regimes.
Again, it's not official.
by Costa Fierro » Wed May 25, 2016 4:28 am
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