WesWorld

AWNR India: 1 July 1921

1. Raj Comments on Current Crisis
2. Gun Battle in As Salif
3. Babur Commissions

1. Raj Comments on Current Crisis

The Raj has surprised some observers with his take on the current hostilities between Argentina and Nordmark. Speaking with AWNR’s Aden Bureau during a brief refueling stop, the Indian leader said:

“I can identify with Argentina’s concerns over the ownership of the South Atlantic Islands. They’re not very happy that a pair of European imperial powers are conducting real estate deals involving a land mass they consider to be theirs. India has had to watch similar transactions in its past and we didn’t care for it either.

“I think the world has to grasp the fact that nations other than the European imperial powers have legitimate claims to sovereignty over many colonial possessions. In this case, I think the League of Nations should consider stepping in and declaring the South Atlantic islands a mandate until such time as its proper ownership is determined by international tribunal. Armed force - by either side - is not yet necessary to resolve this dispute.”

Asked about Nordmark’s recent demands, the Raj added: “I’ve seen nothing to suggest that Nordmark genuinely wants a diplomatic resolution to this entire fiasco. Argentina can’t possibly accept such...er, strong...demands from Nordmark; it would emasculate them and leave them utterly incapable of defending themselves. I can only conclude that Nordmark wants blood, and I would caution them against it: the last time a European sovereign was assassinated, the consequences engulfed the entire continent.

“I think Nordmark would be better served in the long run by presenting its evidence of a foreign plot to the League of Nations and allowing that body to act appropriately. If there is evidence of a foreign conspiracy, a League of Nations court - I assume there is such a thing in the charter - should try the case.

“I would also suggest that the people of Argentina determine how they wish to proceed, as their leadership would seem to be leading them down a dangerous path.”

The Raj also indicated that he is not concerned about Indian civilians now in the South Atlantic. “There are only a few dozen of my countrymen in South America, and none are likely to be mistaken for Argentines or Nordmarkers any time soon. They’ll be fine - and if they feel otherwise, it would seem that there are enough ways to get out now.”

2. Gun Battle in As Salif

One Indian soldier and three Asirites irregulars are dead following a gunfight near the As Salif salt mine. Colonel Devender Karat, commanding officer of the Loyal Bhutan Rifles, delivered this statement:

“At approximately zero two hundred, on the twenty-ninth of June, a patrol of the Loyal Bhutan Rifles were ambushed by a force of at least nine Asirite irregulars. The patrol suffered one fatality and two injuries in the barrage, but returned fire under the leadership of Sergeant Muppala Khatib. Sergeant Khatib personally killed one of the Asirites and wounded two others, both of whom were captured. The Asirites quickly routed, and escaped into the hinterland.

“Interrogation of the captured Asirites has indicated that they were attempting to raid the mine’s offices, but chose to engage the patrol as a target of opportunity.”

This is the second incident of its kind since the Indian landings in November of 1920.

3. Babur Commissions

India’s second battleship, SR Babur , commissioned on the 30th of June. The former RSAN Uruguay was purchased just days before the implementation of the Cleito Treaty, after the dreadnought was damaged in a collision with a civilian ship.

Although the acquisition strengthens India’s navy, it also adds some complications. “India now has two battleships with different main gun calibers - not an ideal situation”, commented Roger Williams of Jones’ Quaterly Naval Review. “It also means that the Indians have to allocate more of their escort forces to screen the second dreadnought. And the fact of the matter is, they don’t have a lot of escorts out there.”

Admiral Sanjay Das waved off Williams’ concerns. “The Indian Navy is readily aware of the need for additional escort forces and is budgeting as such for the 1922 estimates. Babur and Dara Shikoh are bolstering our strength, not sapping it.”

Diplomatic note from the Nordmark government
[SIZE=1]The note is handed over to the Indian diplomatic representative in Stockholm and the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hyderabad. The government of Nordmark does not undertake any printing of this note in newspapers.[/SIZE]

The Government of the Kingdom fo Nrodmark finds it fortuitous to point out the following:

1. The island South Georgia is located some 2500 kilometres - 1550 landmiles; 1350 nautical miles - from the Argentine mainland - travelling such a distance Northwards from Hyderabad would place on in the middle of the Western part of the Takla Makan desert in China. Travelling such a distance Eastwards from Calcutta would result in one finding oneself a mere 300 kilometres - 200 landmiles - from Macao. Travelling such a distance Eastwards from the West coast of the island of Ceylon would result in one finding oneself in the Gulf of Thailand. Travelling such a distance directly Southwards from the Southern tip of the Indian subcontinent would take one more than one third of the way to the Antarctic continent. The connection between the South American continent and South Georgia is tenuous, at the least.
   
2. The first person to make landfall at the island was the British Captain Cook. The only persons to settle the islands with any form of permanence have been British and Nordmark citizens.
   
3. The British ownership of the island was never disputed under international law, and international law does not prevent a nation from doing with its territory as it sees fit.
   
4. The Government of the Kingdom of Nordmark notes that the last time a European sovereign was assassinated, it primarily lead to an acceleration of the line of succession to the then imperial Russian throne,a s well as the regrettable cancellation of very needed social reforms in that empire. As regards the previously recentmost assassination of a significant dignitary in Europe - the Arch-Duke Franz-Ferdinand, Heir Apparent to the Austro-Hungarian Empire - that assassination was conducted by a lone lunatic member of a fringe-group, and was not, as the present assassination, a part of a coordinated effort involving invasion of Nordmark territory, and the unprovoked attack in international waters on Nordmark warships, and the death of several hundred - possibly more than one thousand - Nordmark sailors.
   
5. Armed force has already been in use - and if Argentina is not checked, what is then next? Which area shall then be the scene of the use of armed force initiated by Argentina? No doubt South African Uruguay, and the Falklands Islands. And then - how soon until Argentina will begin expanding at the expense of other South American nations, such as Paraguay or Chile?
   
6. Lastly - were such an abominable action to be taken against the rulers and people of India, the Kingdom of Nordmark would at the very least understand any Indian desire for blood as a result thereof, and in most circumstances would indeed be willing to aid India in drawing it.
   [/list=1]

Quoted

As regards the previously recentmost assassination of a significant dignitary in Europe - the Arch-Duke Franz-Ferdinand, Heir Apparent to the Austro-Hungarian Empire - that assassination was conducted by a lone lunatic member of a fringe-group,

These events are slightly more similar to the Nordmark regicide than one might originally suppose. The arms used by Gavrilo Princip in the Sarajevo outrage were provided him, for that purpose , by Colonel Dragutin Dimitrijevic, code name Apis , head of the Intelligence Branch of the Serbian General Staff, although Colonel Dimitrijevic acted without the direct instruction or sanction of his government. So there was indeed non-trivial State involvement in the Sarajevo outrage.

[This being a hand-delivered communication to the government, and not released to the media - though they may start to wonder why the two countries keep exchanging information]

To address points raised by the Government of Nordmark, in the same order as the note of earlier today:

1. India agrees that the distance between South Georgia and the South American mainland is considerable; it also observes that Nordmark is in a different hemisphere entirely. The separation of mainland and island is not, of itself, a decisive factor with regards to sovereignty.

2. India had understood South Georgia to be a commercial venture (a whaling station) with a transient workforce, rather than a settlement of families. India invites Nordmark to clarify this point if this information is inaccurate.

India would also suggest that British occupation of the island is a factor in the absence of an Argentine population.

3. International law was formulated by European imperial powers in an era of colonialism, and does not necessarily represent the views and values of all nations.

That being said, Argentina and Nordmark are both member states of the League of Nations, implying recognition of, and obedience to, the articles of the Covenant of the League of Nations. This body should be tasked with resolving - indeed, it is obliged to resolve - the current crisis rather than allowing a war to take place.

4. The Government of Nordmark has yet to demonstrate that the regicide is directly linked to Argentine military action in the South Atlantic.

5. As Nordmark and Argentina are both members of the League of Nations, India submits that the League should take appropriate action to resolve the crisis peacefully and punish the aggressor in an appropriate manner that re-establishes regional stability.

6. India believes that Nordmark can seek vengence or justice in this matter, but not both. The Raj believes that Nordmark will, in the long run, be more comfortable with having gained justice, rather than vengence. To this end, the Raj suggested that an impartial court would be appropriate for Nordmark to take its case to. Clearly, Nordmark knows best what it can live with - the Raj only seeks to ensure that Nordmark contemplates the choice before making it.

The Raj's comment that Nordmark "wants blood" is intended as an observation rather than a judgement. Indeed, precedent has established that regicide committed against India is answered with vengence, without regard to due process.

The Government of India invites further dialogue on these matters as are appropriate.

Your Obedient Servant,

M. Gandhi,
Ambassador of the Empire of India to the Kingdom of Nordmark

[OOC: Soon afterward, the ambassador fires off a cable to SR Bangalore, asking the Raj to be a bit more circumspect in his musings. This cable is destined to be ignored...]