Post by Bradfordsborough on Jan 13, 2014 13:49:45 GMT -5
Sword & Shield's separatism problem is growing in Umbar
A mural showing a MLF paramilitary is pictured on the wall of a house in Umbar.
UMBAR, SS - It's been less a year since Mantellian separatists killed 86 people in this frigid tundra town, unintentionally exploding a homemade bomb in a waterfront apartment complex, but already their numbers are rebounding as recruitment efforts by the rogue faction go into full swing.
Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, the Mantellian Liberation Front (MLF) denies responsibility for the January 21 bombing and has turned the federal government's efforts to marginalize their group into a local recruiting drive.
"My brother wouldn't have died if Mantellia was free," Umbar-resident George Leveaux told DMRN Monday.
Leveaux's brother, Martinique, was killed when the MLF bomb exploded and lived directly below the front's secret workshop. "He died on Jan. 21 because we're still not free and a struggle took his life."
Leveaux said he "can't help but blame the government for Martinique's death" and said he believes federal policies which persecute separatists in Mantellia, forcing them to go underground, are the cause of events like the Umbar Bombing.
Those sentiments, from some family members of the bombing's victims, have been turned against Delphi in a propaganda war to win over the people of this barren northern province of Sword & Shield.
"Mantellia is free wherever MLF is," said Horque Jargeu, a 12-year old middle school student from South Umbar. "They're why we can live, not why people die."
Jargeu, along with seven of his twelve male classmates, said they want to be in MLF when they leave school. At least one of Jargeu's classmates said he was already helping the MLF but was rushed away by an administrator before he could be further questioned or identified.
Only a mile away from Jargeu's school, the Mantellian flag flies tall next to an upside down Sword & Shield banner. The rugged symbol of defiance marks the location of MLF's unofficial training grounds, disguised as an archery club named Shooting for Success.
In 2008, investigators arrested six of the club's founders for drug trafficking and found 27 pounds of heroin, millions of dollars in cash, bomb-making materials and heavy weaponry in the club. Since then, leaders in Delphi have jokingly dubbed the club "Shooting for Succession."
Officials in Delphi, however, say they have been unable to shut down the club due to semi-autonomous sovereignty, which requires the Mantellian police to declare the club illegitimate. As of now, police in Umbar maintain Shooting for Success is an archery range.
According to Sword & Shield's Department of Federal Affairs, MLF's numbers have grown sharply over the past six months in Umbar. Immediately following the Umbar Bombing, it was estimated that less than 100 MLF agents operated in the city. Now, that number is believed to have multiplied by ten.
"MLF is active in Umbar and uses the urban nature of the city to cloak their operations and actively recruit. Incidents involving ethnically-motivated violence are on the rise in Umbar and those visiting the city without Mantellian ancestry should remain vigilant and alert," a federal affairs tourism advisory from last week reads.
Graffiti in Umbar has also grown increasingly belligerent in recent months. "The Gallics were weak but Mantellia stays strong forever," reads one downtown mural, which shows a paramilitary soldier standing over a grave. "Save bullets for Delphians," reads another.
Recently, a video on the internet showed police officers in Umbar threatening a man who complained about graffiti near his house. "Look the other way or I come back and put one in ya," Ofiicer Borhe Ioask was taped saying.
Ioask was placed on administrative leave immediately after the incident was exposed
But, transplants living in Umbar from more southern cities, like Syracuse and Orleans, remain concerned for their safety.
"The cops here don't care if some mob attacks me on the way to work," said George Haka, a resident of Umbar's West Side. "Its happened to people I know here and it's a matter of time before something happens to me."
Haka's best friend, Martin Goaffanrouga, was beaten and robbed on his way to work a month ago. After being dragged out of his car in a traffic jam on Route 16 by an angry driver, Goaffanrouga was assaulted by three men from different vehicles.
The words "carpetbagging commie go home to Orleans" were written on Goaffanrouga's forehead in permanent marker. When Goaffanrouga and Haka went to the police, with the writing still on Goaffanrouga's head, the on-duty sergeant at Umbar's police station sent them away.
"He told them it was road rage and they wouldn't be able to do anything if we didn't have the license plate numbers," Haka said.
The Umbar Police declined comment when prompted about the incident Monday and Goaffanrouga has since relocated back to Orleans.
Haka has chosen to stay in Umbar. He is from Delphi.
Bill Blight is an associated reporter with DMRN operating out of Delphi, Sword & Shield.
A mural showing a MLF paramilitary is pictured on the wall of a house in Umbar.
UMBAR, SS - It's been less a year since Mantellian separatists killed 86 people in this frigid tundra town, unintentionally exploding a homemade bomb in a waterfront apartment complex, but already their numbers are rebounding as recruitment efforts by the rogue faction go into full swing.
Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, the Mantellian Liberation Front (MLF) denies responsibility for the January 21 bombing and has turned the federal government's efforts to marginalize their group into a local recruiting drive.
"My brother wouldn't have died if Mantellia was free," Umbar-resident George Leveaux told DMRN Monday.
Leveaux's brother, Martinique, was killed when the MLF bomb exploded and lived directly below the front's secret workshop. "He died on Jan. 21 because we're still not free and a struggle took his life."
Leveaux said he "can't help but blame the government for Martinique's death" and said he believes federal policies which persecute separatists in Mantellia, forcing them to go underground, are the cause of events like the Umbar Bombing.
Those sentiments, from some family members of the bombing's victims, have been turned against Delphi in a propaganda war to win over the people of this barren northern province of Sword & Shield.
"Mantellia is free wherever MLF is," said Horque Jargeu, a 12-year old middle school student from South Umbar. "They're why we can live, not why people die."
Jargeu, along with seven of his twelve male classmates, said they want to be in MLF when they leave school. At least one of Jargeu's classmates said he was already helping the MLF but was rushed away by an administrator before he could be further questioned or identified.
Only a mile away from Jargeu's school, the Mantellian flag flies tall next to an upside down Sword & Shield banner. The rugged symbol of defiance marks the location of MLF's unofficial training grounds, disguised as an archery club named Shooting for Success.
In 2008, investigators arrested six of the club's founders for drug trafficking and found 27 pounds of heroin, millions of dollars in cash, bomb-making materials and heavy weaponry in the club. Since then, leaders in Delphi have jokingly dubbed the club "Shooting for Succession."
Officials in Delphi, however, say they have been unable to shut down the club due to semi-autonomous sovereignty, which requires the Mantellian police to declare the club illegitimate. As of now, police in Umbar maintain Shooting for Success is an archery range.
According to Sword & Shield's Department of Federal Affairs, MLF's numbers have grown sharply over the past six months in Umbar. Immediately following the Umbar Bombing, it was estimated that less than 100 MLF agents operated in the city. Now, that number is believed to have multiplied by ten.
"MLF is active in Umbar and uses the urban nature of the city to cloak their operations and actively recruit. Incidents involving ethnically-motivated violence are on the rise in Umbar and those visiting the city without Mantellian ancestry should remain vigilant and alert," a federal affairs tourism advisory from last week reads.
Graffiti in Umbar has also grown increasingly belligerent in recent months. "The Gallics were weak but Mantellia stays strong forever," reads one downtown mural, which shows a paramilitary soldier standing over a grave. "Save bullets for Delphians," reads another.
Recently, a video on the internet showed police officers in Umbar threatening a man who complained about graffiti near his house. "Look the other way or I come back and put one in ya," Ofiicer Borhe Ioask was taped saying.
Ioask was placed on administrative leave immediately after the incident was exposed
But, transplants living in Umbar from more southern cities, like Syracuse and Orleans, remain concerned for their safety.
"The cops here don't care if some mob attacks me on the way to work," said George Haka, a resident of Umbar's West Side. "Its happened to people I know here and it's a matter of time before something happens to me."
Haka's best friend, Martin Goaffanrouga, was beaten and robbed on his way to work a month ago. After being dragged out of his car in a traffic jam on Route 16 by an angry driver, Goaffanrouga was assaulted by three men from different vehicles.
The words "carpetbagging commie go home to Orleans" were written on Goaffanrouga's forehead in permanent marker. When Goaffanrouga and Haka went to the police, with the writing still on Goaffanrouga's head, the on-duty sergeant at Umbar's police station sent them away.
"He told them it was road rage and they wouldn't be able to do anything if we didn't have the license plate numbers," Haka said.
The Umbar Police declined comment when prompted about the incident Monday and Goaffanrouga has since relocated back to Orleans.
Haka has chosen to stay in Umbar. He is from Delphi.
Bill Blight is an associated reporter with DMRN operating out of Delphi, Sword & Shield.
