TOURISTS AND TERRORISTS
A character-based RP about the involvement of War Tourists in the 2019 Free Aceh Insurgency.
"We offer all the right to live in utopia—but some still choose to fight for the right to live in hell."
- Ren Cao, Supreme Commissary of the Pan-Asiatic States
PREMISE
Outsiders often come across mention of bands of rebels agitating within the Pan-Asiatic States in their news cycle, and make the terrible mistake of disregarding them as minor skirmishes of the rabble. Some laugh at the pettiness of the rebel's quarrel, others heckle at yet another stunt by the majoritarian Pan-Asiatic government to enforce its ideology—knowing full well that those who oppose the military might of the People's Federation in small numbers are walking right into a slaughter.
But there is always the chosen few, the men and women of action. There are those with a lust to bathe in blood. There are those who see insurgency as an opportunity: a chance to die for a cause maybe? A chance to prove their worth? A chance at adventure? Or perhaps for the pragmatic, a chance to sell their sword for a fair price?
The insurgency in Aceh, officially designated the Aceh Disturbance by the Pan-Asiatic government, was first, merely an obscure conflict fought by the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) between 1976 to 2005. People thought the peace would last.
It would not.
The Free Aceh Movement has the goal of making the province of Aceh independent from the Pan-Asiatic States due to cultural and religious differences between Aceh and much of the rest of the State of Nusantara. A more conservative form of Islam than is mainstream in most of Nusantara is widely practiced in Aceh. The broadly secular policies the late '90s were especially unpopular in Aceh where many resented the central government's policy of promoting a unified 'Nusantara culture'. Further, not surprisingly given the location of the province at the northern end of Nusantara, there is a widespread feeling in the province that leaders in distant Jakarta and Neo-Manila do not understand Aceh's problems and have little sympathy for local needs and customs in Aceh.
But there is always the chosen few, the men and women of action. There are those with a lust to bathe in blood. There are those who see insurgency as an opportunity: a chance to die for a cause maybe? A chance to prove their worth? A chance at adventure? Or perhaps for the pragmatic, a chance to sell their sword for a fair price?
The insurgency in Aceh, officially designated the Aceh Disturbance by the Pan-Asiatic government, was first, merely an obscure conflict fought by the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) between 1976 to 2005. People thought the peace would last.
It would not.
The Free Aceh Movement has the goal of making the province of Aceh independent from the Pan-Asiatic States due to cultural and religious differences between Aceh and much of the rest of the State of Nusantara. A more conservative form of Islam than is mainstream in most of Nusantara is widely practiced in Aceh. The broadly secular policies the late '90s were especially unpopular in Aceh where many resented the central government's policy of promoting a unified 'Nusantara culture'. Further, not surprisingly given the location of the province at the northern end of Nusantara, there is a widespread feeling in the province that leaders in distant Jakarta and Neo-Manila do not understand Aceh's problems and have little sympathy for local needs and customs in Aceh.
Location of Aceh in the State of Nusantara, highlighted in green
But the main issue pertaining to economic grievances were related to the revenues derived from the oil and gas industries in Aceh. Oil - the liquid gold of the 21st Century, was something the Pan-Asiatic Revolution-Machine needed to survive: for their tanks to be distributed among the proletariat of the world, the proletariat of Aceh had to sacrifice their vast, lush, and sacred earth.
An "LNG boom" following the discovery natural gas on the northeast coast of Aceh led to scarcity of every other major resource. Now, the Pan-Asiatic States Armed Forces have tightened their grip on the region once more. The political authority of the Armed Forces, considerable even under normal conditions, now became unchallengeable. In the name of national security, military and police authorities deployed in Aceh were thereafter free to use virtually any means deemed necessary to destroy the traitors to the revolution.
With their ammunition and food stores empty, the rebels of Aceh have also turned to more desperate means of feeding their own revolution - armed force against local farmers. On both the government's and rebel's side, no sacrifice is unwarranted. But able men with the will to fight are scarce.
An "LNG boom" following the discovery natural gas on the northeast coast of Aceh led to scarcity of every other major resource. Now, the Pan-Asiatic States Armed Forces have tightened their grip on the region once more. The political authority of the Armed Forces, considerable even under normal conditions, now became unchallengeable. In the name of national security, military and police authorities deployed in Aceh were thereafter free to use virtually any means deemed necessary to destroy the traitors to the revolution.
With their ammunition and food stores empty, the rebels of Aceh have also turned to more desperate means of feeding their own revolution - armed force against local farmers. On both the government's and rebel's side, no sacrifice is unwarranted. But able men with the will to fight are scarce.
WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON?
Corrupt officials from the Pan-Asiatic States government will pay a fair amount and provide a good pension in secret for those willing to replace the losses of their armed forces. Casualties mean bad publicity for the generals who are criticized for their harsh implementation of the draft and thus secret military fraternities have consolidated their funds to sponsor "expeditionaries" and "advisers" from governments either allied or tolerating of the Pan-Asiatic States. But be warned, traitors are not to be trusted and army-commanders not complicit in the scheme resent freelancers. You can't teach an old dog new tricks.
The Free Aceh Movement is on the road to certain defeat. There is no way to turn the tide of the war, and they will pay less than government contractors. However, between the leaders who wish to die heroically on the battlefield and the soldier who would follow them to the death, is the soldier looking for a way out. Middle-class rebels from well-to-do families have nowhere to go, and amnesty is far-fetched when government death-squads have already been dispatched. If they owe you their very lives, they'll pay their debts in full.
Or, you could forge your own path. Does it matter to a man if his orders come from the mouth of a Neo-Manila blackshirt or a "Free" Aceh redsleeve? Some people want it all. Aceh is a land of vast treasure and lawlessness. With convoys hauling oil, cash, weapons, power-armor suits, grain, and gold, who could resist resorting to banditry? It's only a crime if you're caught or shot. But be warned, all odds will be against you.
The Free Aceh Movement is on the road to certain defeat. There is no way to turn the tide of the war, and they will pay less than government contractors. However, between the leaders who wish to die heroically on the battlefield and the soldier who would follow them to the death, is the soldier looking for a way out. Middle-class rebels from well-to-do families have nowhere to go, and amnesty is far-fetched when government death-squads have already been dispatched. If they owe you their very lives, they'll pay their debts in full.
Or, you could forge your own path. Does it matter to a man if his orders come from the mouth of a Neo-Manila blackshirt or a "Free" Aceh redsleeve? Some people want it all. Aceh is a land of vast treasure and lawlessness. With convoys hauling oil, cash, weapons, power-armor suits, grain, and gold, who could resist resorting to banditry? It's only a crime if you're caught or shot. But be warned, all odds will be against you.
SIGN ME THE FUCK UP!
Again, this is a character-based roleplay. You can only sign-up as an individual, or an individual with an army.
- Code: Select all
[box][b]Character Name:[/b]
[b]Nation of Origin:[/b]
[b]Image (optional but make sure to spoiler):[/b]
[b]What do they want out of the Aceh Insurgency?:[/b]
[b]Job/Position of Employment:[/b]
[b]Skills:[/b]
[b]Equipment:[/b]
[b]Number of Men (if any)(max. of 50):[/b]
[b]Equipment of Men:[/b]
[b]What do their men want out of the Aceh Insurgency?:[/b]
[b]2 RP Examples (Required unless told otherwise):[/b]
[b]OOC Commentary/Questions:[/b][/box]
THE THREE GOLDEN RULES
- Please keep responses civil and realistic.
- I reserve the right to refuse to recognize something as canon in PAS lore if particular actions are not realistic.
- Direct all chatter not written from an in-character perspective to this OOC thread.
