The Morovian Telegraph

A Brief History of the Baracão-Menelmacar Conflict

The tensions between the People's Republic of Baracão and the Imperium of Menelmacar that have come to be a central feature of the post-Tymarian micro-world would appear top be drawing to a close. Despite the overwhelming failure of Menelmacari defector and Freenesian leader Philip Locke's "Peace is the Leftist Way Bill" (http://pub173.ezboard.com/fbaracaofrm18.showMessage?topicID=49 .topic), which called for a formal peace summit between the two states, the cross-border exchange of scathing remarks that characterised the conflict seems to have come to an almost anticlimactic halt.

The initial cause of the so-called Cold War was apparently the immigration of the infamous* Thomas Hubert (now known as El Dorni) to Baracão, and the revelation, caused by the loss of ezboard Gold Status and therefore the discovery of "hidden forums" in Menelmacar, that Menelmacari military officials had been holding secret discussions involving opposition to Hubert. The Hubert débâcle saw the collapse of the micronation of Varja into a province of Baracão and resulted in a splinter group forming the Imperium of Menelmacar. This also brought into the arena one of the most outspoken exponents of Menelmacari-Baracãoan peace, relatively new micronationalist and both Menelmacari and Baracãoan citizen Zarathustra Erutirn.

Thus, the tensions can be traced to the very formation of the Imperium. It could perhaps be said that Menelmacar is a semi deliberate antithesis of Baracão, created simply to oppose the Hubertist "socialist revolution" in Varja. Of course, since its foundation Menelmacar has developed a much more solid raison d'etre, primarily as a refuge for culturalist elements in micronationalism, namely the founders of "Apolloism" Harvey (formerly Jason) Steffke and Bill Dusch. This will bring me to my next point, which seeks the reasons for the continued and even increasingly vehement conflict even after the issue with Hubert had cooled.

This reason lies in what is arguably one of the most important debates in micronationalism - indeed, it defines the very nature of micronationalism itself. The question is this: is micronationalism primarily a political exercise, or a cultural one? The first camp, which believes micronationalism is essentially a grand political experiment, and that macronational issues and politics do have a place within micronationalism, is championed by Baracão. The second, which believes in a reduction of politics in micronationalism in place of increasing focus on "cultural" activities and that macronational issues are unacceptable within the hobby, by Menelmacar.

This argument has probably been around since the first fictional micronational history was written, but within the context of the Baracão-Menelmacar conflict it stems from argument regarding the macronational ideologies of each of the countries, and accusations made in a macronational context.

The fact is that the Communism practised in Baracão is almost singularly ideological - with no properly functioning economy as yet, there is really no way to practise what is preached. Similarly, accusations of totalitarianism and oppression of the citizenry have been made by both countries against each other and yet, as the Menelmacari leader herself asserts, micronation oppression is impossible because the power of the state over the citizen is entirely based on that citizen's consent.

In the interests of objectivism, I will not go into my own opinion regarding the culture vs. politics debate, but I will direct you to the Apollo Skyline (http://www.geocities.com/giantsquid1_1999/Skyline/), issues 34 and 35, for editorial articles on this subject by Thomas Hubert (El Dorni), Sirithil nos Fëanor, and myself. In relation to the Baracão-Menelmacar conflict, it is enough to know that this is the primary issue around which their mutual opposition is based.

The Alliance of Free States and the International Brigade

Arguably the most effective manoeuvre of the entire Cold War period was the removal, through absolutely legitimate and peaceful legislative means, of the Micronation of Pacary from the Alliance of Free States. The Micronation of Pacary, first of all, is an important military ally for any nation that will consider the possibility of electronic forum-based "intermicronational war". The Alliance of Free States was a micronational Comintern of which Baracão, of course, was a member. Sirithil nos Fëanor, Elentari (Star Queen) of Menelmacar, being a member of Pacary, was able to strip Baracão of this important ally by simply getting a Bill passed in the Pacarian direct-democracy People's Congress.

Despite the outrage of Pacary's founder and military technologist Sander Dieleman and Scott Noseworthy, another Pacarian militarist, Elentari nos Fëanor had struck both a military and political blow which not only meant that Pacary could no longer officially operate alongside Baracão militarily but also made an example to the rest of the microworld that even one of Baracão's staunchest allies would democratically elect to forsake them.

Baracão, though, were able to strike a blow with a similar degree of political effect in creating the International Brigade. This "foreign legion" enabled them to almost double the size of their army, as well as re-involving Sander Dieleman in the Baracãoan military, as well as prove their support from individuals in the microworld. Baracão had effectively neutralised the impact of the Pacary Incident, and indeed had used the international outrage propagated by well known micronationalists such as Dieleman and Noseworthy to turn the affair to their own advantage. Thus, having achieved a balance of power, the conflict began to slow.

The Fidel Nico Declaration of War

"There will be no war. Ever. Period." - Harvey (Jason) Steffke

On the 22^nd of September 2002, the Imperium of Menelmacar didn't declare war on the People's Republic of Baracão. In fact, Fidel Nico, dissident Menelmacari socialist and Baracãoan citizen did, under the ezboard identity of "SirithiI" (this was, in fact, a prank that had already been played within the microworld on one Earl Andrew Washburn, wherein an "l" is replaced by a capital "i", which look the same in ezBoard's Verdana font).

In fact, this incident probably did more to bring the Baracãoans and Menelmacari together peacefully than any attempt at official peace talks. It forced the combatants to admit that in reality there was no chance of any kind of war, for both political and practical reasons.

Unfortunately, the Cold War was not allowed to end there. On the 24^th, an article appeared on the Micronational News Network, written by none other than Elentari nos Fëanor herself, boldly claiming that "Baracão Harbo[u]rs Terrorist!" Despite claiming that "the Menelmacari themselves seem to care relatively little about the entire affair" the Elentari seemed intent on making an issue of it. Had this not been the case, it is more likely that I would have been able to stop here.

Freenesia and the Philip Locke Defection: The End

Philip Locke is a micronationalist whose name will always be tarnished with the legacy of the 11^th April malicious deletion of Tymaria's forums. Since then, he had created the nation of Freenesia, which was seen by many to have had the sole purpose of making further on Tymaria. Following the collapse of independent Freenesia, after a Freenesian citizen made an attempt to attack the forums once more, the country was made a province by the then-up-and-coming Imperium of Menelmacar, eager to pursue their expansionist ambitions.

I will not go into Locke's history in Menelmacar, but move on in the interests of relevance: Locke later wanted to secede from Menelmacar and give the territory to Baracão. Such things have happened many times in micronationalism. They are part of the micronational process, and in order for that process to run properly it is assumed that micronationalists - especially leaders - will have a degree of courtesy and fairness in dealing with these matters. However, the Menelmacari government decided that it would refuse to grant the secession, despite the fact that Locke was the only person who was both Menelmacari and Freenesian.

Frankly, there isn't much to say about Freenesia's arduous road to becoming a Baracãoan province. Menelmacar's government continually claimed that the secession was illegitimate because Locke had emigrated from Menelmacar before a vote was cast at the direct-democracy Conclave of Equals in Menelmacar. The government of Baracão were reserved in getting involved in the affair, at one point Chairman Daffyd Young saying that "half a country is like half a bicycle." In the end, Elentari nos Fëanor gave in - perhaps mindful of intermicronational exasperation at what seemed to many to be a pointless and unfriendly display of imperialism - and declared that "Locke could have what he wants."

In summary, and in the words of Elentari nos Fëanor herself: "this entire Freenesia issue is getting pathetic, stupid, and childish." Perhaps that was the result of a new micronationalist failing to understand the micronational social-political tradition.

Thomas Cutterham,
Micronational News Editor
The Morovian Telegraph