Rhodesian News

[TheShammySocialist]

[quote][b]Government Press Release[/b]

The Interim Ruling Council is pleased to announce after two weeks of granted time, the parties that have been recognized for the general election are as follows;

[list]
[*] Rhodesian National Union Party (RNUP) - Center-Right (Likely Prime Minister Candidate; Robert Khama - Current Interim President)
[*] South African Socialist Party (SASP) - Left (Likely Prime Minister Candidate; Desmond Angula)
[*] Namibian Liberal Front (NLF) - Center-Left (Likely Prime Minister Candidate; Peter Kgathi)
[*] Bucanaland Conservative Union - Right (Likely Prime Minister Candidate; Adam Ramsden)
[/list]

We congratulate these incorporated parties, and look forward to these upcoming elections. We will remind the parties that these elections are our first, and are being watched by many in the international community, and the government will not tolerate any election fraud. We will prosecute any instances of election fraud to the fullest extent of the law, to ensure that these elections are clean and fair.

[i]Rhodesian Interim Ruling Council[/i][/quote]

[TheShammySocialist]

[quote][size="6"][b]National Union Party wins General Election![/b][/size]

[IMG]http://i1192.photobucket.com/albums/aa325/VictorDeltaRomeo/arthurmutambaraworldeconomicforum.jpg[/IMG]

[i]Robert Khama, on the right in this photo, is expected to be nominated as the Prime Minister later today.[/i]

[b]Harare, ZW[/b] - The last month has been a roller coaster of political activity since the interim ruling council declared its intent to break the protected status of Greater Rhodesia from the government of Arctica. The Interim Ruling Council approved the creation of four parties, which were able to represent a wide spread of political ideologies, before the general election occurred. Although some independent candidates were able to be elected, especially from a number of districts in Namibia, it is clear that the winners were the favored horse from the beginning. Robert Khama's Rhodesian National Union Party was able to win a majority of the votes, despite some polls suggesting that the Namibian Liberal Front was making gains against the RNUP during the last four days before the run up to the general election.

Khama claimed victory with about ninety percent of precincts reporting two days after the election occurred, the RNUP was able to win thirty-eight percent of the vote, followed closely by the Namibian Liberal Front, at thirty percent. In a surprise showing, however, the South African Socialist Party was able to garner twenty five percent of the vote, and has called into question the conduct of the Rhodesian Elections Commission, whose administrator is a close friend of Khama. The Bucanaland Conservative Union was able to grab four percent of the vote in a poor showing from initial polls, and three percent of the vote went to independent candidates, as noted before, mostly in the Namibian district.

The South African Socialist Party (SASP) was one of the most active political parties in the race, and hotly contested Khama being able to participate in the race as a candidate from Harare County. Most of the criticism was leveled at the fact that he was already interim president, making it easy for Khama to "interfere with the conduct and process of elections at multiple levels". Khama, as interim president, is the de facto leader of the Rhodesian Security Forces, an interim paramilitary force being used to keep law and order while the Rhodesian Defense Forces and Rhodesian National Police are trained and formed. In some counties, there were some notable incidents where RSF troops kept individuals from voting, after claiming they had already voted once, many of these reports are from counties that indicated high levels of activity for SASP.

"The ability for this man to continue to be in charge as the ruler of our nation while the elections decide his own fate, is disgraceful," noted one vocal SASP worker, at a rally in Harare following the general election on Tuesday.

[IMG]http://www.independent.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00166/southafrica_166975t.jpg[/IMG]

[i]Voter turnout was high, with eighty-seven percent of all persons being able to vote turning out to vote in the elections.[/i]

Despite what could be a case that might end up in the Rhodesian High Court, voter activity during this first election sets a high standard for elections to come. Voters turned out in high numbers to this election, with eighty-seven percent of the voting population turning out to the polls. Activity at the polls was highest in young adults, in a range that spans from seventeen to twenty-seven. The lowest voter turnout was amongst older generations, particularly the age range from seventy years of age, plus, which stood at about seventy-six percent. Political activism was strong as well, with all parties noting strong commitments by younger people to go door to door and stage political rallies supporting their parties.

A spokesman for the Rhodesian Security Forces noted that there were no notable incidents at all polling stations, except for what was dubbed "young political hotheadedness", when a few scuffles had to be broken up here and there. Although the conduct of the Rhodesian Security Forces, which comprises a number of mercenaries, has been called into question by the SASP, the Interim Ruling Council has thanked the Security Forces for ensuring polling stations were well-protected and orderly.

[i]South African Journal[/i][/quote]

[TheShammySocialist]

[quote][size="6"][b]Explosion and Gunfire rock Central Gaborone[/b][/size]

[IMG]http://www.edinburghwargames.com/Ultra%20Modern%20Images/Stringer3.jpg[/IMG]

[i]Rhodesian Security Forces, like the ones pictured above, responded to attacks in Central Gaborone sluggishly.[/i]

[b]Gaborone, BW[/b] - Botswana's Provincial Capital, Gaborone, was assaulted yesterday afternoon in a series of rash attacks aimed at financial institutions in the city center. At approximately two-thirty in the afternoon, a remotely-detonated truck bomb hit a branch of the Rhodesian National Bank in the downtown area, completely obliterating a portion of the structure. The explosion, which killed as many as one hundred people, some still unaccounted for and possibly still alive beneath rubble, was followed up by a wave of gunfire that erupted in the same general vicinity. The Rhodesian National Union Party's Botswana provincial headquarters was assaulted by a team of as many as one hundred soldiers, wearing masks and well organized with assault rifles and machineguns.

The attack was eventually repulsed by security forces which pushed the gunmen back out of Central Gaborone, the gunmen eventually escaping after a dramatic vehicle chase out of the city. Government helicopters and vehicles engaged in a running gun battle with the gunmen, who have now been identified as the South African Liberation Front. The South African Liberation Front, a spinoff from the South African Socialist Party, who did denounce the attacks, but scolded the Khama government on the lack of proper response to the attacks. The attacks left as man as forty civilians dead or wounded, as well as twenty-four gunmen killed, and five members of the Rhodesian Security Forces dead.

"The explosions shattered everything, it shattered glass, shattered desks, shattered people, it was carnage," said a tearful survivor, who worked for the Rhodesian National Bank.

"They were shouting slogans from the general election, they shouted 'death to Khama', 'death to the fascists'," reported a mournful survivor from the RNUP headquarters.

[IMG]http://www.debbieschlussel.com/archives/tanzaniaembassybombing.jpg[/IMG]

[i]Damage to the Rhodesian National Bank in Gaborone was apparent, with a piece of the building collapsed.[/i]

The attack has raised serious questions for the interim Rhodesian Security Force, which is still serving as the country's police and defense force while the nation's constabulary force and the military is trained. The Security Force, which is made up of mostly mercenaries, was able to drive off the attackers, but was hampered by resistance outside of Gaborone. Security forces were seen patrolling Central Gaborone after the attackers were driven off, and while the security forces have claimed a victory, the sluggish response time, and the inability to completely apprehend or kill the SALF insurgent force has raised questions about the governments ability to effectively enforce law and order.

"If these insurgency attacks continue, it will continue to prove the Khama regime's inability to continue its leadership of this country!" said member of parliament George Bullayo, a leading member of SASP.

"We will continue this crusade until the we ensure the people of this country are given their social right to rule! Power to all! Power to the workers!" shouted a SALF sympathizer at a rally in Walvis Bay, Namibia.

SALF has promised to continue its attacks until the Khama government is replaced, and a socialist government is installed in Greater Rhodesia. A strong SALF presence has been reported in Northeastern Namibia, including the Caprivi Strip. Security outposts in Northern Botswana have also reported a strong presence of SALF insurgents trafficking weapons and training in the region.

[i]South African Journal[/i][/quote]

[b][OOC: This conflict is going on [i]before[/i] the world war.][/b]

[TheShammySocialist]

The explosion had knocked the Prime Minister and his entourage to the ground as they stepped off the aircraft at Thornhill Air Force Base in Gawela, an attendant refueling vehicle had detonated on the other side of the aircraft. The staircase that Robert Khama and his delegation were stepping down off of was shaken violently by the blast, which caused the Seven-Thirty-Seven aircraft that served as the Rhodesian premier's aircraft to slump on its right side. The explosion took off the right side landing gear, as well as starting a huge fire near the rear of the aircraft. As Khama struggled to his feet, next to the burning aircraft, gunfire could be heard nearby.

It had been well known that the South African Liberation Front had been able to infiltrate the military, but the coordinated attack that was now unfolding was something that was unforeseen completely. The base security personnel were responding as quickly as they could, many rushing to the Prime Minister's side, and helping him to his feet. Gunfire erupted from behind another nearby vehicle, where at least five gunmen, probably insurgents who had infiltrated the military, had found cover. Khama ducked down behind a base security truck, as his security personnel, whoever was left, plus some loyalist base security personnel fired back. The clatter of automatic weapons fire filled the air, as the two sides exchanged gunfire, a series of explosions could be heard in the distance, as well as the wailing of sirens.

"What is going on!?" shouted Khama, turning to one of his security detail, who was reloading his pistol. "What were those explosions!?"

"Just lost contact with the Gawela District Police Headquarters, might have just been hit by a bomb!" shouted the guard, as he finished reloading and began firing back at the gunmen opposite them on the tarmac.

"We have a perimeter security breach!" called out an air force security guard, spraying the infiltrator's vehicle with a submachinegun.

"We can't stay here," screamed Khama, as he ducked down and almost curled in a ball as bullets thudded into the vehicle he sat behind.

"We got an insurgent convoy that just breached the southern perimeter!" called out the air force security guard, ducking down as bullets continued to slam into the truck they huddled behind.

A sudden explosion sent the remaining security guards and Khama flat to the ground again, as one of the nearby aircraft's fuel tanks went, taking with it three of the dwindling number of security personnel. Khama looked around, most of his entourage lay wounded or dead, many clutching grievous wounds as the cried in agony, among them, the foreign minister, the interior minister, as well as the defense minister, the latter was still clinging to life. He was looking at Khama directly, as he clasped a chest wounded, he reached out to the Prime Minister, who could only watch his close associates' dying moments. The scene was surreal, it was almost like it wasn't happening.

Khama looked around him at the death and destruction, the remaining security personnel were yelling something about a SALF truck convoy that had just arrived. Heavy machinegun fire erupted, shattering the truck they were huddled behind. Khama felt liquid spray across his chest and upper face as a security guard next to him took a hit from a heavy machinegun mounted on one of the large trucks, sending him sprawling to the ground. Khama touched his fingers to the spray that had hit him, and looked at his fingers, which were covered in blood, his body was shaking in fear as holes were blasted into the truck. He could hear screams and shouts, some of the security personnel were running out of ammunition, one was rushing to a body to grab extra ammunition when he was hit by multiple rounds, sending him crumpled to the ground.

It was at that moment when Khama felt a sudden pain erupt in his lower back, a round penetrated the truck and entered his right lower back, sending him sprawling onto the ground, the pain excruciating, he wept as he clasped his hand over the exit point in his lower abdomen. Through his blurred vision, he saw a security guard look over at him with wide eyes, and shout something at him, something about holding on. The security guard stood and let out a burst from his assault rifle, it would be his last, as a round slammed into the man's neck, the man falling to the ground, clutching at his neck, choking as he stared at the fallen Prime Minister. Khama looked to his left, and saw a group of five men walking towards the truck, dressed in a variety of disheveled fatigues. A wounded security guard drew his sidearm, and fired at the group of advancing troops, presumably SALF insurgents, hitting two of the insurgents, before one of the men hip-fired his AK-47, the security guard shuddering and falling dead.

Khama looked up at one of them, wearing a red beret and wearing a grin, he was also wearing a pair of sunglasses. Presumably a leader, he kicked Khama fully onto his back, and drew a pistol, and taking aim at Khama's head. Khama heard him say, "An enemy to the people, no more." Khama heard the gunshot, then heard and felt no more.

---

Reports were scattered about what was happening in Greater Rhodesia, what was certain was that a massive series of attacks had struck the governments' security forces headquarters, as well as political institutions and economic infrastructure. Robert Khama and most of his ministers were killed in a massive attack on Thornhill Air Force Base in Gawela, while a series of bombings destroyed the parliament building in Harare, killing a number of members of parliament. Although the South African Liberation Front had managed to mount a large amount of attacks, they were unable to destroy the entirety of the security forces, which fought back viciously. There was no semblance of control as Greater Rhodesia quickly devolved into chaos, the political violence having destroyed the central government.

[b][OOC: So yeah, Greater Rhodesia has been wiped.][/b]

Edited October 23, 2011 by TheShammySocialist