Embassy of Lazarus + News

[The Gilded Star]

While I do not speak for Myrth, I would like to think his comments are mostly in jest, at least insofar as it can be reasonable to assume that the opposition is speaking in jest when targeting our internal governing processes.

Ehhh. I think the "ED isn't WA yet/I'm not banejected yet" are in the same vein of jest. Cormac's criticism of the NPO certainly isn't in jest. But he's also targeting the organization as a whole. Myrth's comment felt more personal. It didn't sit right with me, but I'm just one opinion amongst many, so we can agree to disagree.

Of course, I could be mistaken. He may just be observing that some people seek to emphasis points that aren’t materially relevant in order to deflect attention from their failings elsewhere. Who knows?

This comment made me smile. Still though, I feel like Cormac emphasized his criticism of the NPO enough that his quotations felt fairly inconsequential in comparison, thus making them an odd choice to single out given all the other options.

[New Rogernomics]

The Official Newspaper of Lazarus
Issue 5 • March 2019 • 2 Pages

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LAZARUS SIGNS TREATY WITH OSIRIS
By New Rogernomics

Lazarus has signed a treaty with Osiris, which seeks to increase cultural, political, and military co-operation between the two sinker regions, as well as support each other in regards to the regional security of both regions. It is hoped that this treaty will not be the last, and will be part of diplomatic initiative of Lazarus to come back onto the diplomatic scene. The treaty ratification process was not without it's concerns however, with some parts of the treaty holding up ratification, until both regions agreed to an amendment at a later date.

With the signing of the treaty, many beneficial provisions come into effect, with both regions formally recognizing each other, and pledging mutual defense and military co-operation, with an emphasis against infiltration or mutual threats. It also provides a basis for cultural co-operation, with both regions pledging to hold cultural events together on annual basis.

Article 4, Section 3, held up this treaty with concerns over enforcement given the wording. The major concern was that it could be used to compel one region or the other to violate their own constitution or legal procedures. The part in contention was the requirement to "punish any of their citizens convicted by the other", which was considered too loose a framework to the liking of many Lazarene citizens.

The treaty passed overwhelmingly by a margin of 100%, with 27 votes to approve the treaty and 3 abstentions, such a margin bodes well for the future of Osiris-Lazarus relations.

NEW REGIONAL APPOINTMENTS
By New Rogernomics

With another month comes new regional appointments within Lazarus, with Imkiville, the Delegate of Lazarus discussing her new plans for restructuring government departments, as well as appointing Arlo as the new Court Justice. With this restructuring comes the dissolution of Recruitment and Outreach, as well as the change of the Department of Media and Events into Internal Management or as it is known outside of theme context, the Interior Ministry.

Within her address Imkiville stated in reference to her new Court Justice appointment, "I have been thinking long and hard about a third and final member for our Court after Citizen rejection of my last proposal and I have decided to present Arlo for the position of Court Justice.I believe Arlo will be a great choice to complete our court as a loyal Lazarene citizen who has shown themselves to be bright, rational and fair in my experience. While not having in game court experience he is knowledgeable on the subject offline and I believe will be a great addition to the already awesome team."

This appointment takes place after the last Court Justice re-appointment of Roavin, failed to pass a vote of the Assembly, though it is quite likely the latest appointment will pass, given that current feeling within the Assembly is that it is the right choice, with no forward opposition to the motion to vote.

Following this, in her general remarks about the restructuring she described how TempestShadow would be moved on to the Foreign Relations Department, to serve under Your Imaginary Friend, with special mention made to TempestShadow's efforts in regards to the World Assembly, and the difficulties in the vague organization of the now defunct Ministry of Recruitment and Outreach.

Imkiville explained in full terms, "Firstly I will be dissolving the Ministry of Recruitment and Outreach and intend to incorporate it into our already existing Ministries instead. I think the Ministry in its current incarnation was too vague and far reaching for one person to run alone, but TempestShadow has been doing a wonderful job informing the region on World Assembly Resolutions so I would like him to now focus on just World Assembly Affairs as a Deputy Minister under Minister Your Imaginary Friend and the Foreign Relations umbrella."

Close to finishing her remarks she explained her new plans for the Ministry of Media and Events, and it's modification into the Internal Management Department, among a general desire for new efforts to encourage and assist newcomers to the region.

"For now I ask Vice-Delegate Treadwellia, Minister New Rogernomics and the Media and Events Ministry to encourage and assist newcomers to the region and citizenship. I will also be trying to do more there personally but I strongly believe that recruitment is something every single member of this region plays a part in whether they mean to or not. We are all representing Lazarus with our words and actions and sometimes something as simple as a friendly greeting can be enough to make a new nation more curious about our lovely home. I’d like to ask you all to just keep that in mind and be kind and helpful to your fellow region mates when you can.

As the Ministry of Media and Events is really far more than just Festivals and our Newspaper I have decided to rename it Internal Affairs, or in our LazCorp theme, Internal Management. As this covers such a vast array of areas I strongly encourage Minister New Rogernomics to spread the load by appointing more Vice-Ministers to help spearhead the various sub-departments."

She ended by expressing thanks for the time and effort of those in Lazarus, stating, "Thank you Lazarus, for your continued time and work in the region. It really is a pleasure to work with you all.

Finally, as writing this story, it appears highly likely given current voting that Arlo's Court Justice nomination has passed, with no votes against.

REGIONAL ELECTIONS BEING PREPARED
By New Rogernomics

Lazarus is beginning the process of moving towards the democratic election of Deputy Directors (or Deputy Ministers), with both the Department of Public Relations, and Department of Internal Management, holding elections. This will be a major test of the attempts of the new administration, given the difficulties in holding votes during the failed Constitutional Convention, and the expectation that such mistakes won't be repeated in these elections.

Also of concern is whether Lazarus has the political climate and maturity to hold such elections, as a result of past factional differences built during the civil war period. Though, given that these are deputy positions, and not as strong as say the Delegacy or full Ministerial roles directly dictating regional policy, it seems unlikely to be of issue.

RP GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS BEGIN
By New Rogernomics

Generally the issue of theme has been a complex one in Lazarus, with the Celestial Union and Humane Republic both having their detractors, and the LazCorp theme is no different in this regard. The Department of Internal Management, with the blessing of many in the region, has established and alternative policy, which is to allow RP Groups and Organizations.

This policy is hoped will allow nations to create and role play their groups, as if they were regional governments or factions, with the first such factions being LazCorp by default, as well as the Lazarene Empire. Both are un-official, in that they don't act as the official governments of Lazarus, but instead as a means to role play an alternative organization or regime.

Fully registered groups with two or more members will receive a sub-forum and their own discord channel, whereas general regional groups will be listed in a game side dispatch.

LOOKING FORWARD TO DEMOCRACY
By New Rogernomics

Lazarus is at a crossroads, with some un-certainty over how democratic institutions and elections can be handled, and there is a sound argument for us to take our time and be careful, as well as an argument that we are going too slowly and should attempt to speed up the process. Both positions have their dangers, the former could mean stagnation, the later major security risks so soon after a civil war.

As a former elected Delegate, and a citizen, I've seen quite a few attempts at Lazarene democracy, and was distraught when the Celestial Union collapsed, and the democratic institutions built up for years with it. It is very hard to get that back, when nations have moved on, and all the expertise they had with them. It could be too easy to say, 'let's hold a constitutional convention and just restart what the Humane Republic had', or to call for some redrawn alternative that was put forward in the failed constitutional convention that led to the current government.

Though with renewed attempts at democracy, comes with threats towards regional sovereignty. Lazarenes could find pretty solid ground to worry about infiltration by outside actors, in any future Lazarene election that places nations without a history in Lazarus into positions of power or influence. Worse still is the concern that nations that already traumatized the region might return under a new persona, and wreak havoc once again upon the region. Lazarus in starting open elections, would hold the possibility of allowing such risks to become a reality, if such elections are not handled well. So while Lazarus attempts to move forward, there are dangers in attempting a more democratic and open Lazarus.

The Humane Republic of Lazarus was not always an ideal democracy, and had flaws, but it still had a functional democracy and thriving culture, despite infiltration that may have taken place at the time. It was also not as interesting to a lot of people, and it lacked the ability to make people enthusiastic about the government and the theme. This led to the Celestial Union, which despite being passed by a substantial majority, failed to hold a region together that was falling into civil war, with it's institutions losing support among critical members of the civil society. Everyone had different ideas for the region, and for who they wanted to run it. Members of the New Pacific Order, and members from other regions, took advantage of this chaos, but all Lazarus really needed was some wood on a fire that had been burning for some time.

Generally, I'd affirm that a functional democratic society requires institutions to be respected, and for citizens within that society to support the constitution and government in principle, even if they don't agree with all the decisions and all the actions of that society. Perhaps this is best explained in a four pillars analogy, with each representing an aspect required to have a democratic society function effectively.

The first pillar, is respect for legislature and it's ability to pass fair and reasonable legislation, to support freedom of speech and expression, and not persecute those who disagree. This pillar collapsed in Lazarus, when two major factions formed hostile to each other, and were unable to compromise. The faction I am describing consisted of Funkadelia and Lamb, and those who supported them on one side, and what would form 'La Resistance' on the other. When the Celestial Union finally fell into civil war, the legislature rightly or wrongly was then used against citizens.

The second pillar, is respect for the chief executive, in the case of UCRs this varies, but in a GCR, the Delegate has to have some respect for the region to prosper, and in turn the Delegate must respect those citizens that disagree with their actions. During the Celestial Union, this respect also collapsed, with Funkadelia losing the ability to rely on his own regional officers or guardians, and him coming into hostile confrontation with the judiciary.

The third pillar, is respect for the judicial procedures of the region, and the members of the judicial branch, in their ability to deliver a fair verdict, as well as a fair interpretation of regional law. Judges are allowed to make mistakes, but those mistakes should not compound to totally undermine the respect of the justice system. Unfortunately, in the Celestial Union, numerous decisions appeared to one major faction of the region to be a threat to the Executive, and not simply an opposing opinion - but an attempt to remove the leader of their faction, in this case the Delegate of Lazarus.

The last pillar, is the one that just as important as any of the last ones, if not more important, which is civil society. This is the ability of non-government individuals to be able to respect and support their region, and hold it together, in form of some cultural identity that can weather a crisis - constitutional or otherwise. For a long time, Lazarus had this, however by the Celestial Union this had broken down. There were still figures respected in Lazarus by both factions, but they couldn't stop the conflict, nor hold both factions back from further escalation.

Once all these pillars had collapsed, the Celestial Union and Lazarene democracy with it, was doomed to fall apart, despite the best efforts of many involved, including myself, to stop it. When we talk about democracy, it is my opinion that we need to take our time, and not just create democracy to be popular at home or abroad, but to create one that lasts, which can mean taking more time and risking some stagnation.

At the same time, that position naturally holds the risk of long-term stagnation, of active members staying away from Lazarus, as there is no ability for them to advance politically in the region, or to hold a position to support their opinion or vision for the future of Lazarus. So Lazarus can't hold back free elections on major positions forever, and will at one point have to take a risk. Naturally though, the Delegacy is too far for the vast majority, given if we lose the Delegacy at this moment, we lose the freedom of our region to decide our own fate, but that doesn't mean that Ministers and below can't be gradually made into roles elected through free elections. The general concern though would be to guard the region from bad actors, who might undermine the region through their position.

As a citizen, I don't know the future of Lazarus or entirely which direction it should take, but eventually it should be a return to democracy. Lazarus may choose to elect our Delegate or make it a long-term Executive that requires a challenge system to remove, either position I would support in principle. But that should be our choice - not one handed down by infiltration, threat, or power lust. What I do know is that we need to make the right choices in our future, and not the ones that led us to bitter factionalism and civil war.

Disclaimer: This article was opinion, and as such is the view of a private citizen, and not the official position of Lazarus nor the Lazarene government.

Divine Cervine

Divine Cervine was nominated by The Copper States for their inspiring nation and you can't help but admire their dedicated collection of Factbooks that chronicle the changes and awards in the nation for over three whole years!
A long time resident and known sight around the region with a fascinating nation, I believe Divine Cervine deserves more recognition and so I give them the Employee of the Month award for February! Please enjoy your place on our wall of fame!

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[Flame of Dio]

Quite well written. I like it.

[Drop Your Pants]

Democracy has never worked for Laz. We liked to lie to ourselves about it but our best delegates were the raiders we made into citizens and who had the drive to succeed. Our home grown ones (minus Harmie but including me) were bloody useless. Massive slumps of inactivity, continuous forum and theme changes to 'spur activity'.

[New Rogernomics]

Democracy has never worked for Laz. We liked to lie to ourselves about it but our best delegates were the raiders we made into citizens and who had the drive to succeed. Our home grown ones (minus Harmie but including me) were bloody useless. Massive slumps of inactivity, continuous forum and theme changes to 'spur activity'.

I'd disagree with you on that, but each to their own. I did fine, as did Loftegen and Harmoneia. If it wasn't for the civil war and factionalism we could have fixed a lot of the issues with Lazarene democracy. Though I'd say there is no link between tyranny and activity, as that requires the Delegate to be effective - but if they are unable to change and trash the region, then good luck removing them under a tyranny.

[Lazarus IR Office]

FYI gameplay, the firey lady of Imki has stepped down as delegate of Lazarus and now LazCorp has a new CEO: a santa-like Treadwellia dude some call "Tubbius". Please congratulate him next time you see him around. :D

Thank you a ton to all those helping to ensure a smooth and safe transition for our region! We figured it would take a while to raise Tubbius's endorsements over those of Imki, but the prompt responses of our friends in Balder, The East Pacific, The North Pacific and The South Pacific (Osi and TWP would have helped too but they were busy with those scary Pharaoh people's own transition), as well as the efforts of those in The Kingdom of Great Britain and The Sasquatch Republic, and also leeks, made a switch possible in just one day. I'm kinda blown away. Lazarus's current government is still fairly new and our region has not historically been the most stable, so we appreciate when regions who have no great stake in our affairs reach out to help anyway.<3

I took a picture of yall last night at update! Here is...

Thanks again! We look forward to being the one to help out y'all next time.

~Imaginary
Director of Public Relations, Lazarus

[Armaros]

It's of course saddening to see Imki step down, but I am confident that Tubbius will do great!

Also, awesome drawing!

[KhanterWinters]

As Jo said, is sad to see Imki step down, I just hope she does not become a stranger

However, Long live Tubbius!

[The Pharcyde]

Congratulations Tubbius.

[The Holy Principality of Saint Mark]

It's nice to see a stable transition of power in a flourishing Lazarus.
Best wishes to Imki!
Congratulations to Treadwellia!
Huzzah to the people of Lazarus!

[Treadwellia]

Thanks for the well wishes, folks! Let's see what happens next!

Mmph mmph MMPH.

[Evil Cub]

hi i think its good that you have made the big santa man your raid point now because he is one of the nicest people i met when trying to find dad and i met a lot of people mostly meaniebutts and too many birds and quite a few that were food and quite a few more that should have given me food but Treadwellia is none of those hes very nice gives me food lets me sleep at his warm place even though i once peed on his bra because i forgot that humans dont like their houses being marked and the bra smelled interesting and i wanted to mark that i smelled it first

[Jar Wattinree]

hi i think its good that you have made the big santa man your raid point now because he is one of the nicest people i met when trying to find dad and i met a lot of people mostly meaniebutts and too many birds and quite a few that were food and quite a few more that should have given me food but Treadwellia is none of those hes very nice gives me food lets me sleep at his warm place even though i once peed on his bra because i forgot that humans dont like their houses being marked and the bra smelled interesting and i wanted to mark that i smelled it first

Treadwellia's a genial fellow indeed.

[Escade]

Aww, Imki in power was awesome and I love the art and new theme! Good luck to Lazarus!

[Treadwellia]

Aww, Imki in power was awesome and I love the art and new theme! Good luck to Lazarus!

I look forward to seeing a pleasant, fun future for the region, myself!

[New Rogernomics]

The Official Newspaper of Lazarus
Issue 6 • May 2019 • 2 Pages

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IMKIVILLE RESIGNS AS DELEGATE
By New Rogernomics

Dear Lazarus, it's been a hell of a ride over these last eleven months, ey?

When I overthrew Killer Kitty’s delegacy, I could not have foreseen the events that followed. I never wanted to be more than a caretaker, and I didn't intend to be delegate longer than it took for the Constitutional Convention to be completed.
Whilst things may not have gone to plan, I couldn't be happier with the outcome. Being your delegate has been the most rewarding experience of my NationStates career. Watching you work together to rebuild despite all the trials we've been through makes me prouder than I can adequately express. I'm credited with saving Lazarus but it is those of you that stuck around and put in the time and effort that are the true saviours of Lazarus. You've given me, a very skeptical player, hope again.

Unfortunately, I have been unable to devote the time and attention the community deserve from me and this has held you back from further progress. A number of things are going on in my life at the moment that are out of my control and it is unfair of me to hold the region hostage, hoping things will change when that clearly does not seem to be the case. I am sorry I have let the region down so much these last couple of months. You deserved better from me but I can't offer it anymore. It is time for me to stand down and let someone who can be the leader you all need take over. I can't apologise enough for the abrupt nature of this situation, really I should have done this sooner and I should have prepared things better, but I have complete faith we can still make this transition go smoothly.

It's not all doom and gloom though, I have no intention of completely abandoning my home here in Lazarus, I'll be staying in as a citizen, and I have high hopes in my successor, Treadwellia.

Treadwellia was my first appointment upon declaring Mandate 12, but it was not a decision I rushed into. I watched his actions during the Undead, Dominion, Wolfist and Anarchy periods and saw nothing but an honest and eager person who wanted to help the community. Through thick and thin he helped keep your spirits up and keep this region together, doing so out of pride and love for the place rather than personal ambition or lust for power. I think he is the ideal person to oversee Lazarus on the next leg of our journey and I can't wait to see the region continue to flourish under his leadership.

Thank you for making my time as your delegate such a wonderful experience Lazarus. I'm glad to be part of such a wonderful community.

With that all said, I formally resign my position as Delegate.

Please be sure to join the WA and endorse Treadwellia.

Signed,
Imkiville
Outgoing Delegate of Lazarus

NEW REGIONAL APPOINTMENTS
By New Rogernomics

Ryccia (or Lazarene Ryccia) has been nominated by the Delegate for the post of Director of Public Relations (or Minister of Foreign Affairs), whereas Imaginary (or Your Imaginary Friend) has joined the Internal Management (or Internal Affairs Ministry) after a successful time as the former Director of Public Relations. Best of luck to them both in their future roles in Lazarus.

THE WEST PACIFIC TREATY PROPOSED
By New Rogernomics

With a drive to develop and improve upon foreign relations with other regions, The West Pacific and Lazarus have written up a proposal for a Treaty of Fùhuó. This treaty shall cover issues of mutual interest such as recognition of the sovereign status of both regions, as well as military, diplomatic, and cultural co-operation between both regions. Thus far the treaty has had full support in Lazarus, with it now currently in a proposal stage to eventually move to vote.

DANCING TO THE GAME-SIDE | LAZ OS
By Your Imaginary Friend

When I was Director of Public Relations for Lazarus I felt like it was my job to be everywhere important and talking to everyone important and their brother. At this point in NS, that means my job was basically hanging out on Discord. Which, don't get me wrong, is nice sometimes. But I felt like I wasn't playing this game. I was dancing somewhere else.

I kept seeing people talking in other regions like Osiris about how they were building their communities, and that made me want to do that too. I wanted to do things on a more basic level and meet people who hadn't been echoing around the same halls of NSGP forever.

So I tried to think of what would be cool to do actually on-site in Lazarus. My first thought was more cultural activities. That seemed obvious because everywhere else that's try hard does it. I set up a map for the region and I was thinking about doing some other things like having daily topics and monthly art contests.

I was also sort of thinking in the back of my head that the really cool part of this was actually organizing everything and setting things in motion. Like, how could someone not be turned on by that? I didn't want to deal with finding stuff for people to do and asking them to do it all the time like when I was in Public Relations. I wanted to do the things I thought up to do, but at the same time I wanted other people to be able and encouraged to do the same thing - to think of their own idea and run with it - because I was finding it so amazingly fun. (Give me break and please don't laugh if you feel like I'm making too big of a deal out of this, I haven't done culture/gameside stuff for years and I'm super excited!! Actually, do laugh, it's good for you...)

With this in mind, I created Laz OS. This gives the Internal Management Department space to:

• organize culture and security-minded projects in order to develop Lazarus's game-side community,
  
• encourage less experienced players to mess around with ideas they may have (which inspires old, lame and boring folks like me with possibly mind-blowing new ideas),
  
• keep the resident backbone of our region more informed and engaged since Laz OS is totally on-site and thus easily accessible!

That's pretty much all I wanted to go over in this article. Laz OS just started so I can't give a whole lot of information on how it's effecting the region. So far only one project has been started by a non-Internal Management person. As expected, not everything they're doing is how I and probably most long-time gameplayers would do it, but that's okay. It's still really cool that they're doing stuff for the region at all and I can't wait to see how they grow from the experiences they have working on their own project. One thing that especially makes me happy is how others in the region who aren't even involved in the government have been so encouraging and supportive of both his and my projects.

I'd also like to note that Lazarus's RMB activity has doubled since Laz OS was launched 8 days ago. Thanks for reading.

ACTIVITY IN LAZARUS SLOWS
By New Rogernomics

Lazarus has been going through a slow few months, with changes in the Delegate, and role changes in the government in general. This could be expected to continue, as long as forum attendance remains low, even though discord activity remains fairly reasonable.

So far, several proposals have been put to the assembly, surrounding structural government changes, and proposals for government positions to have more or less responsibility. But these proposals have had mild support, perhaps suggesting that the issue Lazarus has is not so much structural, as motivational.

For Lazarus to prosper in the future it seems, it will have to keep pushing to build up a community if it hopes to promote nations contributing to Lazarus as a region, on the forum, discord, and elsewhere. The danger being that Lazarus might become too quiet and decline in activity, rather than expand upon an active membership.

Disclaimer: This article was opinion, and as such is the view of a private citizen, and not the official position of Lazarus nor the Lazarene government.

New Rogernomics
New Rogernomics is our amazing regional forum wizard, Minister of Internal Affairs and member of the Council of Lazarene Security. Single handed he has set up and run our wonderful forums, without him we wouldn't have somewhere for our more in depth discussions and legal records. His amazing efforts have made our forum so much more than that though, constantly bringing exciting and fun new things to the site whilst also keeping it running smoothly with all the boring behind the scenes stuff. Leader of Internal Affairs is no small job either, running our media outlet, the Lazarene Gazette, hosting festivals and games and generally keeping y'all up to date with what's going on and how to get involved, it's a lot of work and he does a great job of it but still manages to find time to keep an eye on the region and help keep us safe.

For going above and beyond, we believe New Rogernomics deserves an honour for everything he does for us all and so we give them the Employee of the Month award for March!

Please enjoy your place(s) on our wall of fame!

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[Glen-Rhodes]

I think most of our regions are experiencing an early summer lull right now.

[Cormactopia Prime]

I think most of our regions are experiencing an early summer lull right now.

For like all of 2019 so far, lol. Year-round lull.

[Lazarus IR Office]

Government

Delegate: Treadwellia
Vice Delegate: None

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Court Justices: Amerion, SheepShape, Arlo

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Ministers

Media and Events: New Rogernomics
Assistant Minister of M&E: Canton Empire
Interregional Relations (Acting): Lazarene Ryccia
Assistant Minister of IR: TempestShadow
Lazarene Regional Guard: Kingdom of Napels

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Speaker: McChimp
Deputy Speaker: TempestShadow

Lazarus Now

Lazarus has been doing well during these past months, albeit there have been some hiccups. The region has developed close and potentially close ties with Osiris and the West Pacific respectively, the war with the New Pacific Order continues, and the Twelfth Mandate has finally gained legitimacy among all the major regions of NationStates. The Assembly continues to propose legislation and appointments to various positions have been proposed and/or approved. Despite its limitations, the Guard has distinguished itself these past few months.

However, there has been a degree of inactivity, and the first delegate and founder of the Twelfth Mandate, Imkihca, resigned, also due to inactivity out of her control.

The region continues to be stable, safe and peaceful despite it all, shedding the past, chaotic anarchy that characterized it back in those turbulent days of 2017 and 2018. With enough effort, Lazarus shall continue to prosper, and its security will be assured.

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Assembly

The Assembly in the past months gave consent to legislation on topics such as our military offensive against the NPO and the criminal code. More importantly, Lazarus has passed the Treaty of the Sun.

In order to enhance our fighting capabilities, our Assembly permitted the Lazarene Regional Guard to take action in order to begin operations in the regions of St. Abbaddon, Communist States of America, and Azhukail. Whilst the great victory at St. Abbaddon was directly diplomatic, the military pressure exerted by our collaborators in the Anti-Pacific Coalition led to the emancipation of said region, the restoration of true and sovereign native rule, and the undoing of an injustice committed against its now Monarch of St. Abbaddon, Topid. The Guard participated in the transition of this region’s Delegacy.

The Criminal Code has been reformed. This is also related to our security, as it now clarifies and details the crime of treason regarding waging war against Lazarus, or aiding an enemy to do so. There was no opposition to this amendment, as it was passed unanimously by all who voted on it.

There is a constitutional amendment under consideration by the Assembly. Initially its own act at the time of its posting, it proposes that the Delegate is to be forced to deliver a monthly report. This report must summarize regional activity in the past month and must describes, in reasonable detail, the executive's vision for activity in the upcoming month. Failure to deliver shall result on an automatic assembly discussion on recalling the Delegate, as the proposal states.

The highlight of these past few months, however, has been the successful ratification of the Treaty of the Sun, a treaty forging an alliance between Lazarus and Osiris. There were certain and serious concerns raised about some of the treaty’s provisions, most notably Article 4.3. As mentioned before, however, the treaty was passed with the full support from the Lazarene citizenry, albeit belatedly. In order to address the issues raised, the Assembly is now discussing how to solve them.

As mentioned previously, there is a proposed treaty between Lazarus and the West Pacific being considered by the Assembly. The Treaty of Fùhuó (復活, apparently meaning "resurrection" in Mandarin) is a rewrite of the previous Chol Covenant, a treaty that allied Lazarus and the West Pacific in the past before the Twelfth Mandate. No significant opposition to the treaty has been seen in the Assembly. On the contrary, voices of support have made themselves publicly known. It can be assumed that this document has a high likelihood of being passed by this body.

Judiciary

After careful consideration by our Delegate, Imkihca, Arlo, a citizen of Lazarus, was nominated to serve as a Justice of our legal system following Roavin’s resignation.

The vote to confirm the Delegate’s choice to replace Roavin as a Justice was unopposed by all those who voted in the Assembly. As a result, Arlo gained the Assembly’s trust and was officially given his judicial post.

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Delegacy

Imkihca, the first Delegate of the Twelfth Mandate of Lazarus, has resigned.

Her tenure, which stabilized, strengthened and created the Lazarus of the present, came to an end due to events out of her control in her life. Personal time constraints forced her to resign from her position as Delegate. As a result, her Vice Delegate, Treadwellia (better known as our lovable Tubbius) ascended the Delegacy.

However, Imkihca’s service to our region has not finished. Recognizing her ability, the Delegate, Treadwellia, nominated her to be part of the Council on Lazarene Security. The Assembly discussed and voted on her candidacy, with no opposition from any of its members. As a result, Imki is now a member of the aforementioned security body.

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Media and Events

The Internal Management Department has provided fun and entertainment for the region over the last few months, notably establishing a role-play group system and creating informational dispatches for newcomers, as well as continuing to publish the Gazette on a monthly basis. More recently Director New Rogernomics has been focusing on transferring Lazarus's forum host as well as directing the creation of Laz OS, a new game-side development program designed to engage residents of the region.

Interregional Relations

The Public Relations Department has undergone some significant changes this year. Recruitment and Citizenry, a department formerly directed by TempestShadow, was merged into PR in order to focus more on resolution discussion and voting. The Treaty of the Sun was successfully passed, allying Lazarus and Osiris. A treaty between Lazarus and the West Pacific is also on the floor for the Assembly’s consideration. Diplomatic victories have been achieved, with The South Pacific and the Rejected Realms recognizing the Twelfth Mandate as the legitimate government of Lazarus. A few weeks ago Imaginary, former Director of PR, decided to step down from the position leaving her Vice Director Ryccia as acting minister until a new one can be appointed.

Lazarene Regional Guard

The Lazarene Regional Guard was formed early this year as an unaligned military force. Under Kingdom of Napel's command the Guard participated in Antifa's takeover of The Red States and has been skirmishing extensively in the warzones. Their latest operation is an on-going collaboration with the North Pacific Army to restore Warzone Airspace to the Warzone Federation as well as close its embassy with The Pacific.

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New Forum Embassies

Pacifica
The North Pacific
The Rejected Realms
The South Pacific

Closed Forum Embassies

None

[New Rogernomics]

The Official Newspaper of Lazarus
Issue 7 • June 2019 • 1 Page

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SO LONG, AND THANKS FOR ALL THE FISH
By New Rogernomics

When Imkiville took the reigns, it was back to me writing the Lazarene Gazette. This gave me the opportunity to rile a few feathers in the New Pacific Order, on one issue at least, and try and put some pieces back together of the Lazarene community - which was a really hard task no doubt, and still remains unfinished. While I might still contribute to the Gazette, running the show now falls to someone else - as I have been nominated to become the Vice Delegate of Lazarus.

It now falls to the region to nominate someone else to lead the cultural or internal affairs of Lazarus, in the Department of Internal Management.

I wish them all the best, in both running the Gazette, and in what direction they take the role and the newspaper.

Signed,
New Rogernomics
Outgoing Gazette Editor of Lazarus

NEW VICE DELEGATE NOMINATED
By New Rogernomics

Recently this month, Treadwellia, the Delegate of Lazarus, nominated New Rogernomics to become the new Vice Delegate of Lazarus, and take up the role of leading the Council of Lazarene Security. This could be informally described as the Guardians or Security Council of Lazarus, which are tasked with maintaining the security of the region.

Treadwellia on the 8th of June stated, "I hereby nominate NewRogernomics for Vice Delegate of Lazarus. NR has worked tirelessly on the back end of Lazarus for some time, now, showing to me his dedication to the region and his ability to think clearly and cleanly about major issues. I believe he would be a great fit for Vice Delegate.

He has requested a little time to finish up some Media and Events concerns early next week, but, otherwise, I am opening this up to discussing and eventual voting as before."

As of press time, there is clear support for the nomination eventually proceeding to vote.

TREATY PROPOSALS CONTINUE TO GAIN TRACTION
By New Rogernomics

As discussed in the last issue of the Gazette, the Treaty of Fùhuó between The West Pacific and Lazarus has been proposed. Though the region seems more divided on the Treaty of Fùhuó than the treaty with Osiris, as it goes to vote, with several Lazarenes voting against the proposed treaty. In other diplomatic news, the Anti-Pacific Coalition Treaty was recently proposed in Lazarus, despite the withdrawal of Pacifica from the war with New Pacific Order. It will be up to the region to decide whether it seeks to continue participation in the reformed Anti-Pacific Coalition, with concerns being over whether it continues to be an active force.

DEMOCRACY: A DANGER AND A OPPORTUNITY
By New Rogernomics

There are varying opinions on democracy in the game with many regions resisting full democracy and engaging with hybrid systems. Though there are plenty of regions that take the challenge and establish direct or representative democracy, as Lazarus did in the past. With my experience in the Delegate seat though, I've found there is no 'perfect system', as all models have their dangers, and present an opportunity for community growth or decline and stagnation.

When the Celestial Union was created, it wasn't meant to be a mess, and if anything it was an expression of popular will, and took a lot of political capital to pass, but it did so with a super-majority. Before then, the Magical Realms, a RP reform effort, passed with a super-majority, and it too looked like an effort to improve upon the region at the time. Democracy for Lazarus was our way of life as a region, and regardless of what happened, and mistakes we made, they weren't mistakes made in a vacuum or by an authoritarian regime, but by democratic methods.

Ignorance, you might say is bliss. When the region realized Lazarene democracy was on the verge of collapse, it was too late to save it. The courts were broken, the legislature was shattered, and so much of the civil society of the region was muddied or exiled that it seemed like we could never get democracy back - and many still think that to do so today is a fool's errand.

When the region was reformed into the present constitution with a much more authoritarian structure, the honest thought in my mind, was that it wasn't the right thing based upon my own political rise in Lazarus. Though, first and foremost, I am Lazarene, which means I don't coup my own region, and I don't stand against it - even if I have something to politically gain from doing so.

Lazarus at first in my case, was a non-political place, where I would hang out with people from Gatesville, and have casual chats with the long-term natives of Lazarus, while I explored various UCRs. This changed with the rise of PRL, and the eviction of various long-term natives, and the march to what would become virtually a 'defender exclusive' region, with minimal democracy - even in comparison to the past challenge system.

During the People's Republic of Lazarus, the region may have been active, but it was also hollow, in the sense that there was no real political freedom, and it was only really a placeholder for a planned puppet state of another region. So when the Humane Republic of Lazarus was created, I decided to rejoin Lazarus as a player active politically, this time in a gameplay sense - as I had since given up on UCR gameplay and wanted to try something different.

So my first step was to rise to a Culture Minister role, then eventually to the Delegacy, and during that time I experienced telegrams from angry players, as well as players thankful for my efforts. It wasn't easy, but I learned a lot from being Delegate, and when I retired from that role I became a legislator in the assembly and a forum administrator.

The advice I would offer for what constitutional or legislative changes come forth, is expect that some day it will be challenged, and beware the deceptive lure of 'popular will'. Just because a bill is politically popular, or even passed with overwhelming support, doesn't mean it is a good bill - it just means people were persuaded by those who proposed it.

As far as politics are concerned, I am still a democrat at heart, but any democracy has dangers, and not just opportunities for regional participation. So whatever decision Lazarus makes, it should learn from history and not repeat it. In every democratic structure, no matter how sincere or well-rounded, there are assassins and political opportunists waiting to strike the region down from the shadows. Or, as one Starfleet Captain said, "villains who twirl their moustaches are easy to spot. Those who clothe themselves in good deeds are well-camouflaged".

Disclaimer: This article was opinion, and as such is the view of a private citizen, and not the official position of Lazarus nor the Lazarene government.

And as it is pride month...

[Marilyn Manson Freaks]

Nice issue, and congrats on the nomination, NR!

[Your Imaginary Friend]

Thanks for all the work you've put into making the Gazette a living newspaper again NR! <3 Sad to see you go, but excited to see what you do as Vice-Delegate!

[Lazarus IR Office]

Statement regarding the Treaty of Fùhuó

Lazarus is pleased to announce the ratification of the Treaty of Fùhuó, a document allying our region with the West Pacific.

This treaty deepens our bilateral relations by declaring an alliance between us. As the Mandarin title of this document alludes to, it is a renewal of an official friendship that was forged between the two signatories in the past. We hope that our new alliance brings good fortune and prosperity to both Lazarus and the West Pacific, in addition to improving the ties that we share.

[The Holy Principality of Saint Mark]

We are delighted to have resurrected our treaty with an old friend!
The West Pacific looks forward to a future of cooperation and collegiality with Lazarus.

[Lazarus IR Office]

Government

Delegate: Treadwellia
Vice Delegate: New Rogernomics

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Court Justices: Amerion

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Ministers

Media and Events (Acting): Canton Empire
Assistant Minister of M&E: Legalist Zombal
Interregional Relations: Lazarene Ryccia
Assistant Minister of IR: TempestShadow
Lazarene Regional Guard: None

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Speaker: McChimp
Deputy Speaker: TempestShadow

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Lazarus Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PFcUtRy
IR Server: https://discord.gg/ywj9kRp

Lazarus Now

Appointments, recalls, talk of democratic reform and discussion of treaties have been the highlight of June in Lazarus. Several officials have been approved or dismissed by the Assembly, and nominations to fill the aforementioned vacancies are currently under consideration.

Despite some hiccups and certain levels of inactivity, Lazarus continues on, strong as ever, facing the challenges that present themselves to the region. Its citizens are discussing reforms in order to resolve these issues together as a community.

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Assembly
Written by Wymondham

The past month has seen a flurry of activity from the Lazarene Assembly with Speaker McChimp having this to say on the events of the last month:

    “I am delighted with the amount of interest I've seen lately. Even players who've not been enthusiastic about legislation in the past have gotten involved with these discussions and new citizens haven't been shy either. It's nice to see the community come together and forge a path we can all follow”

The Assembly kicked off the month with Constie (Also Known As John Laurens) invoking Article 1, Section 6 of the 12th Mandate against 3 government Officials; Justices Arlo (also known as Consular) and Sheepshape, as well as Councillor for Lazarene Security Harmoneia. This was due to their inactivity, with Mr. Laurens feeling that individuals in important government positions ought to be more active. The motion for Arlo’s recall was withdrawn as he activity picked up again, only for Arlo to face another recall motion a day later as he was found to have fabricated evidence in relation to the Security Council motion to condemn the land of Kings and Emperors. The motions for recall all achieved the required 2/3s supermajority, with Arlo recalled with 88% in favour, Sheepshape by 94% and Harmoneia with 76% in favour of a recall.

June has also seen the Nomination and Confirmation of Lazarus’ new Vice Delegate, New Rogernomics. The confirmation was marred by an issue with regards to whether NR acted within his remit as Chief Administrator to ban Roavin in accordance with the Hostile Entities Act. However the issue was soon resolved after NR explained his reasoning and the he was confirmed as Vice delegate with 75% of the assembly voting in favour of his appointment.

This was followed by the presentation of the Treaty of Fùhuó to the assembly for a vote. The Treaty had been the subject of much discussion throughout March with many technical legal points being discussed in a debate that showcased the wide range talent present in the legislature. The treaty comfortably exceeded the majority needed to pass with 64% voting to the affirmative.

The last month has also seen the resurgence of the Cabinet of Lazarus Amendment Act which many thought had been discarded. Its writer, New Rogernomics, recently performed a shake up of the bill that has prompted widespread discussion about which direction, if any, reform of Lazarus’ government system should take. Some favour challenge elections for the delegacy, while others prefer each cabinet post to be elected. The act proposes for each cabinet position but not the delegacy to be appointed via challenge election.

The Assembly Powers Act has also been introduced to the assembly for discussion. Jointly written by Cormac and Atlantica, the bill proposes that each cabinet member and the speaker of the assembly be elected by instant runoff voting for a 4 month term. The Cabinet would be able to issue directives with regards to public and governmental policy by a majority vote. As well as this, the assembly would also have the power to override a delegate veto and call a constitutional convention without the delegates consent. The act also provides for the election of a Prime Minister, who would be a Primus inter Pares in the Cabinet. Their vote would be decisive in a case where the Cabinet could not reach a consensus as to a course of action.

Another proposal which has been discussed but is yet to go to vote is the Treaty of the Anti-Pacific Coalition, which has received broad support from the assembly and will most likely pass when it goes to a vote.

Overall, June has been a month of great activity in the Assembly, long may it continue.

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Judiciary

As it was noted previously, Arlo and Sheepshape have lost their seats due to their inactivity. If the Assembly gives its consent, they shall be replaced by the Delegate’s nominees, Wymondham and Atlantica.

There is a pending legal question on the issue of NPO membership, and whether belonging to one of their off-game branches violates the proscription imposed on said organization. Such a question stemmed from the controversy surrounding Roavin’s temporary stripping of his citizenship. The Court has not deliberated yet on the matter.

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Delegacy

As was previously mentioned, the Delegate has nominated New Rogernomics for the Vice Delegacy, receiving support from the Assembly. New Rogernomics is known for his superb administrative and governmental work. Treadwellia also nominated Constie, also known as John Laurens, to serve as Media & Events/Internal Management Director. After a few days, John Laurens decided that the position was not for him, and thus decided to withdraw his candidacy.

The Delegate has nominated numerous persons in early July at once. Wymondham and Atlantica are candidates to fill the two vacant seats at the Court. Further, John Laurens has been named by the Delegate to occupy Harmoneia’s previous CLS position. Lastly, if the Assembly approves of the nomination, Legalist Zombal shall be the next Director of the Guard following Jo’s resignation.

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Media and Events

The monthly LazEndo event has ended with great success. An endotarting campaign, it has greatly increased average endorsements and fortified the region. We thank Imaginary for her dedication and her work on making our region a safer and fun place.

The Internal Management Department has been affected by a change in leadership, as its previous Minister, New Rogernomics, ascended to his current post as Vice Delegate. Consequently, the most recent Lazarene Gazette article was NR’s last as the editor of the paper.

Following this event, Constie serves as Acting Minister, even despite his withdrawl, appointing Legalist Zombal as a Deputy in the Internal Management Department.

Interregional Relations

Ryccia has officially assumed the responsibility of Minister of Interregional Relations on June the 7th. His appointment was approved unanimously by the Assembly. Previously, he was serving as Acting Minister following Imaginary’s resignation from the position.

The new Minister oversaw the negotiations on and ratification of the Treaty of Fùhuó, a treaty that officially allies Lazarus with the West Pacific. The treaty discussions began under Imaginary’s tenure, and they were finished after her resignation.

The Ministry also has a new Discord server, where its staff conduct the workings and events of the body. It is hoped that the new server can serve as a tool to drive activity within the Ministry and improve its structural organization.

Lazarene Regional Guard

The Guard has been valiant in its duty the past month, aiding in the detagging of The Left Nationalist against the Confederation of Corrupt Dictators. However, due to the successful LazEndo event and personal inactivity from the leadership, overall activity was lesser, this particular engagement was the only one of note.

As a consequence of his unfortunate inactivity due to personal issues, the now former Director of the Guard, Jo, has opted to resign.

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New Forum Embassies

The Free Nations Region

Closed Forum Embassies

None