As a person who has regular dealings with various members of the Federal government, I can probably shed some light on this matter.
But I can tell you right now: you’re not going to like my answer.
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Personally, my support for clarification of and relaxation of the ban is a simple one: the Intaki Syndicate is sovereign. It is not in any way a protectorate of, beneficiary of, or signatory to the Federation. It is, therefore, very simply a matter of right that a sovereign people should have the ability to settle habitable planets without threat of violence, so long as that act of settling does not constitute an invasion.
Very simply, the Caldari know perfectly well the importance of independence and the necessity of being able to colonize.
Now, if the Syndicate is not in any way banned from colonization efforts, and they have opted not to do so simply due to their preference for a purely space-based society, then that is a perfectly laudable decision on the part of the Syndicate.
But self-determination is key.
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Don’t you dare to speak about Caldari, you little liar. I’ve caught and humiliated you for your attempts at staining good Caldari reputation earlier, and I’ll do that again if you keep your inadequate tendencies.
We, Caldari, indeed value the independence and we do respect independence of others. And it means we do not intervene in politics of other entities like I-RED was doing with this inquiry.
Forcing independence on others is the same oppression as these lobotomized freedom-loving fanatics do when they invade others, when they tried to bring “freedom” to our colonies from their rightful owners. If the Intaki want independence, if they want own colonies, they should tell the Federation to leave them alone. Only then Caldari can help them. But while they feel themselves fine under foot of their gallentean overlords, real Caldari will just accept their fate as their own decision.
Caldari can help new Intaki Republic or Intaki Monarchy, or whatever they will decide to rule themselves with - in case Federal oppressors will try to subjugate them like they did when we declared our independence. But helping Intaki while they are still inside Federation against same Federation? That’s just being another annoying gallente politician or gallente invader.
As for the Syndicate… if they still follow Federal “orders” even after leaving them, they are just pathetic spineless cowards under gallente boot, that don’t deserve even a second of our time. If they do build their colonies - well, that’s their business and shouldn’t bother us anyway.
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To be honest, the Intaki struggle for independence is an admirable one. Nevertheless, pushing for them to become a State megacorp would defeat the underlying purpose behind it. Would trade and diplomatic relations be established fairly quickly? Absolutely, as per the rules of acquisition: peace is good for business. Pushing them from one State to another, which limits their agency within their own state is not, however, is not only a spit in the face of the democratic principles that a federate state espouses, but in the hard-fought for freedom a Statesman enjoys today. It would serve nobody’s interest and end in tragedy.
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Mm. Right.
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Ms. Nieyli; I don’t think anyone is taking Kim’s suggestion seriously.
This initiative is borne out of the Ishuk-Raata Enforcement Directive’s long-running efforts in the Syndicate region on behalf of the Ishukone Corporation. Their objectives of promoting the stability and strength of the Syndicate and the Intaki people generally are well-established, and do not constitute an attempt to absorb the Intaki people.
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I’ve read through this proposal to the Federal Senate several times, and I have several concerns that I think might have been forgotten about by the authors to support a pro-Syndicate stance rather than necessarily one that is pro-Intaki.
First off, I along with many generations of Caldari servicemen and women recognise the deeds and valour of the Intaki that fought alongside the State Armed Forces during the struggle for independence, as well as the Senators in the Federal Senate that consistently pressed for a peaceful solution to the conflict between our two nations.
Whilst the Presidency of Luc Duvailer and the Ultra-Nationalist regime was as loathsome as they come in regards to their shambolic and criminal tenure as leaders of the Federation, their treatment of the Intaki Five Thousand was far better than what they inflicted upon the Caldari or the Federal member states that showed dissent. Let us remember who exactly the Five Thousand were: rebel leaders, perpetrators of hate crimes, criminal elements amongst others that threatened the unity of the nascent Federation at a time when they needed to be unified the most. Even when the U-NAT regime fell and was replaced, President Yiona and the rest of her cabinet shared the same concerns concerning the burgeoning Syndicate, especially as it was developing into a haven for unlawful activities and criminal enterprises on the fringe of Federal territory. It is in the strategic interest of the Federation to not permit destabilising elements from establishing themselves on its borders.
The Intaki Syndicate of today engages in numerous criminal activities and questionable practices, including but not limited to illegally converting Caldari megacorporate scrip which affects the stability of currency prices within the State, collaborating with the Serpentis Corporation to establish a dominant position within the Federation’s black market, complicit in laundering hundreds of billions of dirty ISK each year and even having True Creations listed on the Syndicate Stock Exchange! I wouldn’t be surprised in the least if the Federation did not wish to co-operate or concede anything to them, in light of this and more.
If anything, I wish this proposal did not concern Syndicate but rather the Intaki home system which has been mired in the Militia conflict for nearly a decade now. The Federation Senate should be petitioned to explore the possibility of immediately withdrawing the Intaki system as a contestable area and security forces deployed with the consent of the Assembly to raise the minimum security status to at least 0.5.
I would also appreciate that announcements such as these would not be given on the anniversary of an event such as the Malkalen Incident. I was led to assume that it would be solely a celebration of the lives and achievements of the men and women, both Caldari and Federal, that lost their lives that day, and I don’t think it is right that a day such as that should be utilised as a political engine to drive forward foreign policy.
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If I recall my history lessons correctly, lots of noteworthy days are used to bring attention to more current political issues. Not saying it’s right or wrong, but it’s something I notice being done by all races, for any number of things. This instance is not unique.
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Without commenting on the remainder of the piece (that I’ll save for later), my view on the political efforts undertaken are as such:
The date is already politicized. However, it had first been made a matter of political sport by those very hateful people who would most readily betray Gariushi-imkura’s legacy of openness, tolerance, and productive peace. We aren’t making the day political. We are retaking the politics of it, reforging the political message into one that carries forward the ideals of Gariushi and Ishukone, the ideals that were so badly struck that day.
You need not look far to see why we fight, why we must fight to make sure that legacy isn’t hijacked by those who display abject hatred of the Liberal ideal.
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I agree wholeheartedly, and I know you personally as someone who has never forgotten the example set and the principles that Gariushi and the Liberal Bloc have upheld in regards to relations with foreign entities. Nonetheless, I am of the opinion that furthering the interests of the Intaki people can be better served elsewhere than the Syndicate. That is, if we can claim to be authorities on what is the ‘best interests’ of the Intaki in the first place.
You’re entirely correct about the day already being utilised for political purposes. It was a day that saw our hopes of co-operation dashed on to the rocks, and our resultant grief, shock and anger in the aftermath manipulated by the Provists into launching a military campaign of conquest against the Federation which has set the incredibly dangerous precedent of pre-emptive strikes into the mindset of both the Caldari and Federal Navies. That said, to myself and many others the date is a reminder of when our relations, comrades and our aspirations were cruelly ripped away from us.
The legacy of our esteemed late-CEO must be upheld by all of us that adhere to Liberal principles, of that I do not question. But by rendering support to an entity that is known for providing assistance and succor to criminal enterprises that threaten the security and stability of both the State and the Federation, I fear that could drive an even bigger wedge between the two.
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Yet for all that we might decry their enterprise, it also stands that the Intaki Bank is a participant of note in the Upwell Consortium; that they can contribute to some of the monumental works projects of our time.
Perhaps, then, we might view the grey market not as criminality, then, but as the key to survival for a small, marginalized group who haven’t even been afforded the basic right to settle their own planets. What if the best way to deal with what you see as ‘criminality’ is to provide opportunity for growth and development, to aid the Syndicate in becoming more invested in the political sphere?
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I will be addressing some comments “off the record” so to speak. The following opinions and comments are my own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of I-RED.
Mr. Adams your record speaks volumes on your dedication and loyalty to the Caldari State. Throughout your employment with I-RED you were nothing short of an upstanding citizen worthy of the highest remarks. However, I feel compelled to address a number of comments and perceptions.
While the Federation at the time did not bombard Intaki Prime from orbit, they did silence a number of uprisings that occurred on the planet - through violent force, of course. Quite honestly, I do not find it appropriate to claim who had it worse. Many Intaki, just as many Caldari, were both wronged by the early Federation. Who “got it worse” is both subjective and not relevant.
Additionally, while a number of the Intaki Five Thousand were radical to an extent, the majority of them were peaceful and law-abiding. I find it incredibly offensive to plaster the titles of “criminal elements” and “perpetrators of hate crime” across all of them as this certainly was not the case. I am sure you understood for a long time what it felt like to be denied your rightful home constantly by an oppressive nation. So too, you must know, the Intaki who were wrongfully exiled felt as well. This feeling has manifested throughout many Syndicate families as a form of resentment against the Federation who have yet to correct the wrongs of the past.
It is true that there are numerous operations which partake in illegal converting of Caldari corporate scrip. It is a problem that I-RED has worked very hard to address while operating in the region, to varying degrees of success. However, this issue pales in comparison to, for example, production of counterfeit corporate scrip by the Guristas. The bottom line is while yes this is a problem in Syndicate, it is not one strong enough to toss away all hope of a mutually beneficial relationship with the Syndicate.
As for the latter half of the above paragraph, I quote Ms. Priano with the utmost in emphasis:
The Intaki Five Thousand were exiled into an undeveloped frontier with no allies to help them. Faced with few other options, the young Intaki Syndicate had to do what had to be done in order for the people living there to both survive and thrive. I have seen plenty of modern Federation Senators scoff at the Syndicate for being a criminal and pirate haven. I have even seen them criticize the people of the Intaki Syndicate for partaking in such collaboration with criminal elements. But for all these criticisms, I find it rather interesting that this is what their ancestors created.
The entanglement of the Intaki Syndicate with criminals, Serpentis in particular, is a regrettable one. In the 98Q superpocket, I-RED has done an incredible job in loosening the ties between local Intaki Syndicate entities and Serpentis. Contrary to what you might believe, the average working-class Intaki family does not like living with a metaphorical gun to the head by the Serpentis. Many such families saw what happens when they choose to cut ties with Serpentis or outright refuse their demands. Remember Rilnais? I can assure you a good number of Intaki Syndicate residents do not enjoy the relationship with Serpentis and other criminal elements. But for many, unfortunately, it is a necessary evil in order to provide for themselves and their loved ones.
Thus, circling back to the original post of this thread, I-RED and our allies stand committed to the Intaki people. They deserve a home. A home on the worlds of Syndicate, if they so desire, free from threat by Serpentis, the Federation Navy, or otherwise. The Intaki Syndicate deserves to have a choice. As Ms. Priano stated earlier, “self-determination is key.” Until such a vision is achieved, however, I-RED stands committed to provide ample and legal opportunities for the families of the Intaki Syndicate to succeed.
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Okay, so. It goes like this:
When I say that I-RED’s formal inquiry is a waste of time, I don’t think the effort they’re making is worthless or a bad idea. I literally mean that you’re wasting your time. The absolute best case scenario you can go for here is that the Senate will look at your request, tell you the Intaki Syndicate are still forbidden to colonise any planets in Syndicate - I guarantee you that state of affairs has not ceased to be the case - and then continue on to the next item on their agenda.
There are certain things that, in the complex and often murky world of Federal politics, commentators like myself would charitably call “career suicide.” Notable examples of this are “attempting a unilateral nationalisation of all Gallente industry,” “proposing a no-strings-attached return of Caldari Prime to the State,” “attempting to outlaw cosmetic body modification,” “proposing a sales tax on birth control devices” and, relevantly to this particular discussion “proposing literally any sort of legislation that could conceivably benefit Serpentis in some way.”
It is not a particularly well-kept secret that the Intaki Syndicate has very strong ties to the Serpentis. Intaki Bank and Intaki Commerce are sometimes uncharitably depicted as being little more than fronts for Serpentis financial interests. This isn’t really fair, but it’s certainly true that the Syndicate essentially acts as a sort of neutral buffer zone where Serpentis can sell product that will eventually end up in the Federation through (slightly) less illegal and dangerous means than the Serpentis having to take it there themselves. Almost any measure that relaxed Federal regulations on the Syndicate would have - or, perhaps, more importantly, would be perceived to have - the knock-on effect of making it easier for the Serpentis to do business. This is not a PR situation any Senator would want to find themselves in.
I can’t really express exactly how angry Serpentis makes most Federal citizens. Remember that it’s only been five and a half years since Serpentis blew up Rilnais, whose relief efforts I was personally involved in. Particularly clear in the minds of the public are the way in which Serpentis-loyalist capsuleers acted - not just blowing up the city, but pitilessly revelling in the destruction and suffering they caused.
For any legislation to improve the lot of the Syndicate to pass even a cursory reading in the Senate, you’d need to put absolutely massive conditions on it that forcibly disentangled the Syndicate from Serpentis and the Angel Cartel - conditions that I feel fairly certain the Syndicate would never agree to, because it would wreck their economy. Without those conditions, Senators aren’t going to be able to sell it to the public. Without selling it to the public, they won’t win re-election.
Another issue we face is a weird sort of inverse of the first one. The Syndicate’s status as a massive grey-bordering-on-black market makes it an absolutely perfect place for Federal agencies and corporations to make the sort of clandestine and questionably-legal dealings that you can’t make on Federal soil. We’re fairly certain that the deal that got Intaki into Ishukone’s hands during Heth’s Blind Auction was done with the help of the Syndicate. Any attempt to normalise relations with the Syndicate is probably going to run into opposition from various groups whose profitable rackets will be stepped on. Add to this that I’m not entirely certain what the Syndicate wants, and I wouldn’t be comfortable speculating either.
Simply put: the Senate isn’t going to fix relationships with the Syndicate because as of yet it doesn’t see the current state of affairs as a problem.
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Excepting, of course, that the Federation is dictating terms to a sovereign organization under threat of essentially unlimited violence.
I find it remarkable that ostensibly tolerant and peacefully-inclined Federal-loyal capsuleers would think, “And then we bombard it from orbit,” is an acceptable response to colonization efforts.
That is the detail that rubs me the wrong way.
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Is it so difficult a concept for people to understand the desire of independence…? To be without the identity of a foreign nation who has expressly put their interests above yours…?
Ah, good, I am glad that is settled then.
Ah yes, the Caldari servicemen who recognized the deeds and valor of the Intaki so well that they pushed them to forge an alliance of mercenaries in lieu of their failure to act. Those same mercenaries who would guard Intaki Prime today - and in a twist of irony, Caldari Prime as well. Yes, we Intaki know full and well the “recognition” of the Caldari.
Someone is going to provide that service. If not the Intaki Syndicate, than probably one of the Caldari Practicals, whether or not it ever comes to public light. Perhaps the Caldari position, in all of their capitalistic acumen, is one of envy rather than moral superiority. Do us a kindness and do not single out the Intaki for special criticism when the Guristas are a much more flagrant perpetrator in the endeavor.
Though, for that matter, I wonder what stake you have in it to care at all…
Ah, the truth at last. And what would the State-loyalists do in the eventuality that the Federation did withdraw forces, I wonder? Considering how quickly it was that you auctioned off my home-world upon its conquer, I think it is fair evidence that “leave well enough alone” is not an likely option in that list of possibilities. In the absence of the Federation, I wonder what security forces would be left - save Mordu’s mercenaries who themselves have a storied history with the Caldari at Waschi City… No - though I have fallen out of the thinking of my homeworld brothern, I suspect the Intaki Assembly is keen on their current contracts. The security status of our system offers its own benefits, and the performance of Mordu’s Legion is quite adequate.
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Sure, but… so what?
I mean, don’t get me wrong here, Makoto, I’m not saying nobody should care about your opinion, or anything like that. I’m just pointing out that the only ones who can change this policy (the Federation Senate) don’t. And they’re not going to. More, it doesn’t matter to them what ‘ostensibly tolerant and peacefully-inclinded Federal-loyal capsuleers’ would think. It doesn’t matter to them what any capsuleers think.
We’re humored when our services are needed, and it’s not too inconvenient to do so. The rest of the time? They don’t care. They don’t even try to pretend they care, any more than any of the other empires do.
If any of them cared, you wouldn’t need to be undertaking multiple legal actions in the courts just to get them to keep their word… which, correct me if I’m wrong, but… have you gotten any official response, even so much as a ‘we’ll have our lawyers call you’ on official letterhead?
It doesn’t matter what details rub who the wrong way. As far as the leadership of the four empires are concerned, unless we’re doing what they need from us, when they need it, we should just shut up and go away.
You’re really going to ask that of a Matari? Of course it makes perfect sense to pretty much all of us that the Intaki might want the right to decide who they are without any of the empires claiming the be their masters. I was being snarky about the ‘corporate shills’ label.
I completely support the right of the Intaki to not have to be part of the Federation or the State, if that’s what they choose. I don’t know of any Matari who wouldn’t.
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You will do well to remember that the Caldari, as a sovereign nation, rose in the light of what the Federation considered illegal activities as well. Suffice to say, no, you cannot claim to be the authorities of what is the ‘best interests’ of the Intaki - not without donning the air of a hypocrite. No, I do not think that the Caldari were much worried about their relations and “comrades”… The Caldari way seems to be one of assimilation at best and rampant xenophobia at worst and that has repeated itself throughout your history. Aspirations is quite the telling word to use though - accurate, even. For what is camaraderie without putting the aspirations of the Caldari first and foremost?
But yes, rendering support to an entity that is known for providing assistance and succor to criminal enterprises that threaten the security and stability… from the perspective of the Federation. That is an apt description of the Intaki’s involvement with the Caldari from the very beginning. And what just rewards we have reaped as a result.
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I do not believe we have met, Madam Scarlet, but I would like to thank you for yours words here today. You are perhaps the most knowledgeable and understanding of the Intaki perspective I have seen in… years, to say the least. Do let me know if there is anything I can offer to pay tribute to such an enlightened individual such as yourself.
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How dare you, infamous liar and disgraced person, speak of Liberal ideal?
Caldari have three different ideals: Practicals, Patriots and Liberals. And they all have different ideas about dealing with jaijii (outsiders). Patriots prefer to not deal with them at all. Practicals deal with them, considering trade as a weapon, their ideology that the profit in trade can be achieved only at someone’s expense. And finally, Liberals accept trade with outsiders just as Practicals, but they believe that the trade shall be done with mutual benefit.
Unfortunately, too many people don’t know about Caldari ideals and foolishly believe that to be liberal means following some stupid gallente ideas, especially that abnormal inhuman egalitarianism, or maybe allowing some filth that Caldari (including real Caldari liberals) would never accept, be it like public display of skin, or marriage between same genders, or any other hedonism or crap that only gallente can tolerate… Or hiring gurista CEO and mumbling about their “ideals”. That’s not being liberal either, that’s just shameful.
But it’s not the worst. The worst are those, who commit open treason, trying to explain it by being “liberal”. It is well known that Liberals are trading with outsiders, so they bring up rhetoric “if the enemy of the rest of the State is outsider, we can trade with them too”. Brilliant.
Dealing with enemy is not being liberal. It’s being traitor and collaborationist. It is being a shameful disgrace, that does not deserve to be called either Caldari or Liberal. It is just filth.
I myself have worked with Hyasyoda - one of liberal Megacorporations. And I do respect them greatly, even if their ideology doesn’t match with mine. But I know for sure, they are Caldari, proud and courageous (despite what their motto says). They are, but not these floor-kissers, who intervene into affairs of other nations or openly commit treason with collaborationism.
You mistake me saying “this is how it is” for me saying “this is how it should be.”
I’m not implicitly or explicitly supporting the Federation’s stance on the Syndicate. I’m telling you what the Federation’s stance on the Syndicate is.
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