Part 1, WC82, Part 2, WC82, Part 3, RUWC 27, Part 4, CE 24, Part 5, CE 24, Part 6, WCQs 83, Part 7, WCQs 83
Strong rhetoric on the Mareibatian crisis by Sindelar in Government House today
by Castor Archeron | 18th June 605
Matthias Sindelar talking to press shortly after making his statement in Government House
Today Matthias Sindelar announced to a packed Government House the strongest reaction to the Mareibatian crisis yet by a member of the government. In a fifteen minute speech he launched into a scathing description of the actions of the Mareibat Freedom Militia and the Bellight People's Army, both of whom have claimed some responsibility for the attack last year on Government House itself and the recent attack on the wind farm in the Castle region of Apox. He had similarly disparaging comments to make with regards to the administration overseen by Imperator Jhon Cossack in Halholzer, saying his "cowardice" and "inaction" had led to the situation as it currently stood.
He praised the Mareibat Democratic Party [MDP], particularly it's leader Colwinna Kelly, the former chief operator at Teol Power Plant, the destruction of which was the most recent in a long line of terrorism carried out by the Mareibat Freedom Militia and was the final straw which saw Teol left completely outside the federation of Mareibat and at the mercy of the Freedom Militia. Colwinna Kelly has led a number of peaceful rallies in the capital Halholzer and on the nearby small island, in the town of Harmonica, calling for Jhon Cossack to emerge from hiding in the Imperial Palace and hand power over to the people. Mercifully though, the violence and destruction seen in Bellight and Teol doesn't seem to have spread to the capital yet to the same extent, with the harbour masters managing to maintain some level of control. However, there is definitely confusion over who they answer to at the moment, with many having defected to run under the leadership of Kelly and the MDP, while most of the loyalists have gone to ground with Cossack. There are fears that other could become effectively armed and dangerous rogue operatives, applying justice outside the law.
Matthias Sindelar also took aim at Clarisse Ward, the firebrand Prime Minister of Brenecia, saying that her comments regarding Mareibat were "unneccessary" and "risked spiralling the situation further out of control". While he stressed that this was not yet a formal declaration of war against various fractured groups within Mareibat, he stated that the people of Apox would not be cowed by the terrorism and xenophobia spreading from the region, and that if the situation could not be defused with calmness and rational decision making, then he was not afraid to show that Apoxians were not all talk. The destroyer, A.T Puniface which was performing routine patrols in the waters between Rushmore and Esportiva, was not being re-routed to the Mareibat straits in an effort to help Euran forces in ensuring that the instability in the region did not affect these important shipping routes.
In his response to this statement, Artur Winklebottom was less than impressed with the already fairly unprecedented Apoxian action, stating that "we are led, frankly by a hypocrit. To dismiss the leader of another nation as a coward for standing by, then proceeding to do the same, clearly paints the picture that we too are led by someone undeserving of the role of Leader. Unless Matthias Sindelar changes the tune and guarantees Apoxian safety by sanctioning direct action against these rebel groups, then I will seek to raise a vote of no-confidence in the Green Party and it's current leadership."
Coalition partners, the Apox National Party, have always stood on an anti-war sentiment, and while it is suspected that Daramie Jenkins is keeping his reservations to himself, other members of the ANP who aren't in the cabinet freely expressed their concerns by the increasing tensions. Government Worker for the Thrumbar region, Alastair Gooderich said in response to the Leader's statement that "the Green Party and indeed my own party are succumbing to the pressure exerted on them by the Free Party in a move to shore up the more moderate voter bases. This is incredibly dangerous and directly risks the lives and freedoms of many of our armed forces personnel." The Secretary of Transport, ANP Government Worker for the Wofford region Bonquesha Tilbroke resigned following the statement by Sindelar saying, "if I am to remain in my current position, I am condoning this action and this escalation of instability. I cannot remain true to myself in doing so and therefore I must resign."
The Mareibatian crisis seems to show no sign of abating and it continues to cause a great deal of restlessness in Apox itself, with much of the country divided on the issues, although increasing amounts favour some form of direct action. In a poll of the readership of the International Post, 68% responded that Apox needed to intervene, with 27% saying Apox should keep well out of other country's business. The remaining 5% refused to commit to a plan of action. The political fallout of this will likely become most clear in the upcoming local elections, with many cities across Apox, including the capital Dwile, going to the polls to elect new (and in some cases the first) city governments.
In the interim, Apox are now advocating for the establishment of democracy in Mareibat and are willing to help organise and oversee the first elections in the country. This will require considerable reconciliation with groups on the outlying islands, who so far have warned Apox off interfering, threatening further attacks on the Apoxian population and sympathetic locals. There is understood to be almost a complete breakdown in communications between the Apoxian government and sources linked to Jhon Cossack, so for the moment the Mareibat Democratic Party are being regarded as the temporary government within Mareibat until elections can be held.
Apox 1-1 Paratan Unknown 7', Bridges 66'
APX: Rasmussen -- Fox, Wallis-Iqbal, Jekyll (c), du Plessis -- Menheniot (Mormentor 58'), Townsend (Blinkman 83'), Bridges -- Arrowsmith, Oakstone-Sandoval, Ephraim-Garza (Hannibal 74')
PAR: Not supplied
Apox had their first and hopefully slip up in qualifying in the last match, somehow contriving to draw to 321st ranked Paratan at home, after a wonder goal in the seventh minute handed the visitors a slim lead which took until the sixty-sixth minute and a good Aspen Bridges' header to cancel out. A relatively strong along rotated side lined up to play the match, with Tregatta Spitfire still out after her concussion in the Xanneria match and Osmosis Gandhi suspended. However there was good news in experienced defender and squad vice-captain Imhotep Jekyll returning for this match. Despite a number of good attempts on goal by the experienced Winston Arrowsmith and Miriam Oakstone-Sandoval in the latter stages of the match, Paratan and mainly their goal keeper held firm. Acronius now sit atop the group by two points, admittedly having played an extra game, lending extra importance to their match-up with Apox on Matchday 7.
