[IC] The Meridian Journal - Diariú di Merídia

D'Maié convenes emergency Cabinet meeting after Sizhouan rebels arrive in Meridia

The Republicans, along with their coalition partner the Libertarians, are staunch anti-communists. It is expected that the current government may grant asylum to Xin Yian and his colleagues.

Sizhou and Meridia - Meridian authorities, and the entire country as a whole, were in shock when a group of Sizhouan officials, key of which was the former provincial legislator Xin Yian, arrived in the country with fake passports and rushed to apply for Meridian protection.

The press - and extremist socialists and communists, plus their ideological enemies - mobbed the detention centre for answers or protests and counter-protesrs respectively, as this is an unprecedented situation. Due to death threats from radical leftists, and the fear that Sizhou's authorities may kill them, these asylum seekers are now protected by an armed guard of Meridianitaié.

The Prime Minister, Salviné D'Maié, has called an emergency meeting with his Cabinet on what to do over these Sizhouan escapees, but it is highly probable that their request for sanctuary may be accepted, say experts, as the Republicans and their Libertarian coalition partners are known for their negative, intolerant views on communism, and seek to stop it at any opportunity.


Will the former Sizhouan officials be granted asylum?

There is a good possibility. The views of the current government on communism is of a sadistic ideology that is against liberty and the Meridian way of life itself, as well as their natural ideological enemy as right-wing coalition.

Their sympathies may also lie on the goals of the rebels themselves, as they wished to replace the Sizhouan socialist regime with a capitalist, free republic, or as far as Meridian officials know.

But they may give in due to two, related factors: Sizhou's trading sway, and the embarrasment that would be Flourentína formally protesting against the central government.

Despite having a socialist economy, Sizhou is actually a major trading nation in the East, and Meridian businesses may be affected. This is crucial, as it is the imperative of all Meridian governments to help advance economic growth, or they'll be unpopular. And with the coalition facing a possible defeat in October, they want to fight until the very end.

The issue of trade, and any measures Sizhou may take to punish Meridia, has a profound impact on Flourentína as well. And if Flourentinan officials are disgruntled enough, they may lodge in a formal protest against Florenzei, humiliating the incumbent government for having this shining city built on trade bicker with the national authorities over...well, trade.

This is a precarious dilemma that the government will have to traverse carefully. It will most certainly push as much as it can to save these Sizhouan "political refugees", as some sections of the right are already calling them, but if it slips, it may relent and give in to Sizhouan demands.

What has been the Meridian populace's response?

Surprise. Interest. Anger. Sympathy. Ideological fury. These are some terms that describe almost all of the Meridian population right now.

To start with, most Meridians are neutral, have unfavorable view of communism, or are outright anti-communist, refusing to tolerate people and nations of that ideology. As most Meridians are also religious and/or pacifist, the violent message of "class struggle", "revolution", lack of any morality and state atheism that communism espouses alienates them, especially when they already feel free.

Thus, there is not much sympathy for Sizhou's socialist authority, which is ruled by a communist party. Even the Democrats have negative views on communism, and some are even vehement anti-communists, which will not tolerate nations like Sizhou. In both parties also there is concern that toxic relations with Sizhou could seriously disrupt commerce in the East. This could become a bipartisan issue, or something that transcends party lines, with some Republicans and Democrats voting against their party in any proposal regarding these Sizhou asylum seekers.

A trickle few Democrats, the socialists, and especially Meridia's small communist community are the only ones showing any support for Sizhou, with small protests all across the country demanding that the "thugs and criminals" are "brought to justice" in their homeland.

How will this end? No one knows. There is uncertainty now on whether to even accept Sizhou's gesture at negotiation, so we shall see.