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The Most Serene Republic

Posted: Apr 15 2007, 03:20 PM

As composed by the United Nations Commitee for the Evaluation of Western Afghanistan-

Commitee Chair: Anne Lewis (NZL)
Commitee Vice-Chair: Biemeka Nnomonga (ZAM)
Commitee Vice-Chair: Ivan Ortiz (USA)
Commitee Vice-Chair: Guillermo van der Sar (SUR)
Commitee Vice-Chair: Diomansy Faye (SEN)

Economy

Exchange Rate: 1 aoaj = 0.0003375 USD
Gross Domestic Product: $18.24 billion
GDP Per Capita: $912
Unemployment Rate: 37%
Population Below Poverty Line: 49%
Government Budget: $18.24 billion
Government Expenditures: $17.94 billion
Exports: $729 million
Imports: $2.29 billion
Trade Surplus/Deficit: -$1.56 billion
Average Income Tax: 46%

The West Afghan economy is strictly ruled by the Office of the Secretaries, through the puppet organization of the Department of Commerce. The current Under-Secretary of Commerce is Sheza Al-Jubeera, though he is mostly powerless; the Secretaries above him have absolute control. The markets of the economy are rigidly fixed systems, and private business is completely forbidden, as is typical of socialist governments like that of Western Afghanistan. For the most part, this does the economy no favors, and keeps a massive chunk of the population below the poverty line.

The general leftist leaning of the government also leaves the economy vulnerable to union strikes, which are usually ended by the termination of an executive somewhere and a minimum wage raise. This strategy, while helping the social welfare of the people, leaves the economy terribly weak.

However, with this said, the structuralism of the economy does put it slightly above other comparable, poor economies in the region.

-Biemeka Nnomonga, UN CEWA Vice-Chair

Western Afghanistan

Unregistered

Posted: Apr 15 2007, 03:46 PM

Geography

Past Locations: the Pacific (NSW), Central Asia (RW)
Area: 95,662 sq km
Area (Comparitive): Slightly larger than Portugal
Climate: Dry, arid, mild winters, very hot summers
Terrain: Rocky and hilly in the west, sandy and barren in the north, flat plains in the south and east
Highest Point: The Khorughani Plateau, 1,508 m
Lowest Point: Morghab River, 401 m
Natural Resources: Wind power, trout farming

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Three provinces of the former Afghanistan make up the current Western Afghanistan. For the most part, this land is rocky and difficult. However, in certain areas, particularly in the northeast, the soil, where it can be accessed, is quite rich. The rivers which flow across the mostly flat south are rich with resources; fish farming has become quite frequent (though still not quite as frequent as poppy farming). Unfortunately, because of government restrictions on exporting of the famous trout, little fiscal gain results in these resources (though as difficult as trout smuggling might seem, there is a significant black market which services the rest of the world).

-Diomansy Faye, UN CEWA Vice-Chair

Western Afghanistan

Unregistered

Posted: Apr 15 2007, 04:09 PM

Government

Long Form: The Most Serene Republic of Western Afghanistan
Short Form: Western Afghanistan
Government Type: Federal Republic
Heads of State: Secretary Khalid CHAKHISH, Secretary Zibari MUHAMMAD
Head of Government: Council of Ten Chairman and Prime Minister Abdullah DUKHIRAHIQ
Capital: Herat
Administrative Divisions: 7 districts, Badghis, Central Herat City, East Herat City, Faryab, Greater Herat, North Herat City, West Herat City
National Holiday: April 2nd, West Afghan Independence Day
Constitution: April 2nd, 2028 (RW time)

Governance and Social Welfare Board
Dr. Razirash Ushuq - Badghis District
Dr. Amir Khubajakh - Central Herat City District
Ms. Dr. Zebina Dujekhehif - East Herat City District
Dr. Mohammad Baker - Faryab District
Ms. Dr. Laliqa Fabalajaq - Greater Herat District
Dr. Sohrab Naq - North Herat City District
Ms. Dr. Ila Muhammad - West Herat City District

The Council of Ten (Party: AAP)
Chairman and Prime Minister Abdullah Dukhirahiq
Councilman Muhammad Ibaq Muhammad
Councilman Hassan Khirid
Councilman Ure Al-Makhshada
Councilwoman Qulufia Leqid
Councilwoman Ara Junaq
Councilman Ali Ekhish
Councilman Eruj Muhammad
Councilman Farid Shez
Councilman Ali Lakhini

The Secretaries
Mr. Secretary Khalid Chakhish (AAP)
Mr. Secretary Zibari Muhammad (Islamic Restoration Party)

West Afghanistan uses a small, unique structure for its affairs- which is surprising since the government controls virtually every aspect of society in the small Central Asian nation. In fact, with only 19 official members of government, over three separate branches, West Afghanistan can effectively claim to have the smallest government in the world, which is ironic considering its emphatically leftist historical leaning. (There is a fairly significant caveat to this statement, however, as vast layers of bureaucracy spread down from these 19 individuals.)

The country is split up into 7 administrative districts. Two of these districts are simply entire provinces (there are only three provinces in the entire country), Badghis and Faryab. The remaining districts split up the largest province in the nation, the Herat province. These districts are named Greater Herat, North Herat City, West Herat City, East Herat City, and Central Herat City. Every 8 years elections are held and each district elects one councilman to the seven-member Governance and Social Welfare Board. This board is officially the highest branch of the government, with control of the military as well as both legislative and judiciary responsibilities. The only prerequisites for these councilmen are that they cannot have any previous history as a politician, and that they must hold a PhD as issued by an accredited West Afghan or extranational university. (This second requirement eventually gave rise to the tradition of putting the Governance and Social Welfare Board directly in charge of all medical and health issues in the nation, because most council members tend to hold PhDs in family practice pediatrics or other general healthcare areas. This is why West Afghanistan has no Department of Health.) These prerequisites come out of a tradition of belief in educated citizen rule, a major precept of the Afghan Anarchist Party. The Board is responsible for the Ministries of Arts and Recreation, Education, Environment, Law and Order, and the Treasury, as well as the creation and passage of all legislation, and it must make all decisions in these areas unanimously. The only exceptions to this unanimous vote rule are on vetoes and on Council of Ten nominations. GSW Board members cannot be reelected.

However, it is worth noting that while the Governance and Social Welfare Board is officially the hightest branch of government, the actual power lies with the Council of Ten, which is made up of ten appointees, as can be seen from the name. This council is technically supposed to be a GSW Board-appointed panel installed at the beginning of every election cycle, but it has become an untouchable political cloister which effectively rules West Afghanistan with an iron fist. This will be discussed later on. The Council of Ten is, as its name would suggest, a council which possesses veto power over all decisions that the GSW Board makes. While the GSW Board retains its civilian makeup, the Council of Ten tends to be a very partisan group made up of experienced politicians.

The selection process for the Council of Ten begins immediately after the new GSW Board members take office. Any political party in the nation may submit a 10-man list to the GSW Board, which constitutes its nomination bid. The GSW Board then takes a vote to select one party's submission and the Council of Ten is appointed. The Council has power of veto over all GSW Board decisions. In the case of a tie, the vote of the Council of Ten Chairman, better known as the Prime Minister, counts as double.

The Council of Ten is then in turn responsible for the appointment of two Secretaries, who make up the third branch of government. These two individuals are responsible for what are regarded in West Afghanistan as commercial or "non-internal" interests. That is to say, they govern over business, infrastructure, and transportation, as well as foreign relations and international intelligence. All decisions made by the Secretaries must, like the GSW Board, be unanimous. Under-Secretaries in specific areas have been used in recent years to be public spokesman for the decisions of the Secretaries. While highly powerful in terms of their specific areas of governance, the Secretaries are under direct veto power of the GSW Board, and are therefore considered the weakest branch of government.

Traditionally, the Secretaries are made up of one nominated member of the party which controls the Council of Ten (the party in power) and the chairman of the largest opposition party. This tradition is not legally binding; if the Council of Ten wished to, they could at any point declare that both Secretaries were to be of their political party.

-Anne Lewis, UN CEWA Chair

Western Afghanistan

Unregistered

Posted: Apr 15 2007, 04:23 PM

History

(OOC: Events recorded in this history are set in the real world, with real world chronology, set forward over the next 50 or so years. As far as RPing in Atlantian Oceania goes, however, all references to actual real world foreign powers should be acknowledged. The current day is considered to be the year 2061.)

In 2018, civil war once again ravages the nation of Afghanistan once again, due to the assassination of a right-wing political figurehead. With the UN providing nothing but humanitarian aid, the fight lasts for eight years. When the war finally ends in late 2026, a huge percentage of the Afghan population has permanently fled the country; the once well-populated nation contains less than 19 million people (an almost 40 percent drop from the 2005 census). Nothing at all is left of Afghan culture or society. In this vacuum of cultural values, the country breaks into two separate political cloisters. By 2028 this manifests itself as the expulsion of all ethnic Hazaras (who become an easy target for other ethnicities to blame the war on) and all political progressives to a separated state. This is seen as a compromise and alternative to war. Afghanistan (or Afghanistan Proper, as it becomes known) becomes a Pakistan-endorsed, ethnocentric, Islamic theocracy which occupies most of the former unified state and is controlled by a military junta, and West Afghanistan, made up of the Herat, Badghis, and Faryab provinces of northwest former Afghanistan. The latter comes under the control of a progressive radical party which calls itself "The Advocates for the Abolition of Antiquated Traditions and for the Rebuilding and Liberation of Afghanistan," also known as the Afghan Anarchist Party, and consequently garners the support of the new revolutionary secular government of Iran. Their chairman, Ramat Al-Sakat, a prominent Hazara figure from Herat, is selected as the Council of Ten Chairman, or, more commonly, the Prime Minister. His government rejects any association with Islam, in conjunction with the party tagline "Better a mind opened by wonder than closed by belief," and announces the state's name as The Most Serene Republic of Afghanistan (though this name is ceremonial, casual references to the state are universally to 'West Afghanistan.' The flag is designed in the model of the 20th century flag representative of anarchy.

It takes nearly twenty years for West Afghanistan to be rebuilt, and even then it is hardly an economic power of any significance, but the mixed population of Pashtuns, Hazaras, Uzbeks, and Turkmens remain faithful in progress, and in the AAP. Al-Sakat remains in power until 2032, when he chooses to step down. Three more AAP chairmen hold the position of Prime Minister over the next 19 years. When the Italian corporation Zaccardo International loses a class-action lawsuit, it is ordered to pay over 81 million US dollars to the West Afghan state in 2042. However, because of the AAP's general opposition to business, the money is put into an "citizen security fund," where it is essentially delivered to arbitrary government organizations. The move is widely criticised; one pro-business pundit mocks the fund, saying that the "biggest place it allows business a fair share is in bakery ownership." (It later emerges that this mockery is completely accurate- the biggest government contribution to private business of the $81 million is a paltry $400,000 for "Dining-Related Private Enterprise.") The fiasco eventually becomes known as the Zaccardo Affair, and it proves to be almost entirely unhelpful. It does, however, provide an impetus for more conscious economic spending on the part of the AAP in the coming years, and for greater tolerance of the smugglers and salesmen of the increasingly famous gourmet Afghan trout, which in the latter part of the 40s becomes quite popular in France and Spain.

In 2051, the most recent AAP chairman steps down, and his successor, Abdullah Dukhirahiq, a ethnic half-Pashtun, half-Hazara (making him controversial with left-wing pundits for possible ties to Afghanistan Proper) is controversially selected as the new Prime Minister, as many opposition parties worry that he is too radical. He is indeed notably more forceful than his predecessor, but the public gives him the benefit of the doubt.

Further, in 2052, the passage into law of a controversial piece of legislation, which permits for medical use the immediate confiscation of internal organs from a deceased person, is broadly criticized by the majority of West Afghans as a misrepresentation of their values. Dukhirahiq takes the brunt of the criticism for this ruling (though technically his only role in the passage of the law is to choose not to veto it; the fluidity of the passage is surely due to the medical histories of the members of the Governance and Social Welfare Board). All criticism notwithstanding, the move eventually does help significantly to fortify a national healthcare system with almost universal organ transplant availability for all citizens, something that puts it not only ahead of other countries in the region, but ahead of conservative privatized healthcare systems such as that of the United States.

The next year brings further changes for West Afghanistan. More major legislative changes come, and it becomes apparent that the GSW Board no longer has much role in decision making, as two bills that had for years been too radical for the citizen-composed council become law. The first permits human cloning for medical research. This is not to say that the passage of the law makes Western Afghanistan a scientific pioneer immediately, the law is more symbolic that anything else. It emerges several years later, however, that several Swedish scientists had come to Herat in 2053 in order to receive government grants for work in human cloning. The second law follows in the footsteps of fellow progressive nations France and Australia by legalizing public nudity. Also a generally symbolic move, the rights granted by the law prove to be rarely utilized by the nation's mostly Muslim population; it seems that Dukhirahiq is pushing controversial laws past the GSW Board for no reason but simply to aggravate the West and establish Western Afghanistan as one of the leading states in true anarcho-syndicalist policy.

In 2055 major uranium reserves are found in the southwest of Herat province. Nearly spilling over into Iran, the previously unknown deposits become an immediate target for western powers. An American corporation, Revelry Industry Incorporated, immediately posts an outlandish offer in order to be permitted mining access to the area. The AAP demands a hefty chunk of all funds gained from the mining, a 60 percent share. Making international news, Revelry accepts the offer. However, when a month later, in September, when the corporation's operatives arrive in Herat, they are turned away from the site by force by the West Afghan army. Word comes out immediately that due to "environmental concerns," the Dukhirahiq regime has reneged on the deal. Revelry and the American government are furious, and even file a complaint with the UN, but ultimately no action is taken. By the next year, however, Dukhirahiq does order the forested area above the deposit to be declared a national park, adding at least a small degree of consistency to the debacle. This event, along with the Zaccardo Affair, adds a significant level of distrust to all relations between Western Afghanistan and western corporations.

2057 is a year of condradictions for the West Afghan state. When in January a massive protest by the racist political group Al Teqawa is smothered forcefully by the national guard, UN representatives threaten to withdraw their embassy, citing that "a free, civilized political system is one that tolerates not violence or hatred, but one that tolerates every side of the political spectrum; there is a fine line between social justice and dictatorship." Prime Minister Dukhirahiq makes his first public address in over two years, and responds, "The racists and the bigots are not welcome in Western Afghanistan. If Pashtun purity is so important to you, go back to East Afghanistan." However, later in the year, a class action lawsuit is filed against the national television network, Wind Kings TV, citing complaints about the alarmingly racist sitcom "Hazaras Say The Darndest Things." This affront to the cultural and ethnic diversity of the nation is, however, not squelched as easily as the January protest; though the official Secretaries' response is that the move was designed to appease the UN, rumors begin to spread that the only reason the show was not cancelled was because it is one of the Prime Minister's favorites.

In February 2058 Fatima Hassani, the chairwoman of the TY Alliance (the main opposition party) and consequently a Secretary, is dismissed by the Council of Ten. The reasons for her dismissal are attributed to a labour strike in the Herat-based Wukhar auto manufacturing plant. Wukhar Corporation is of course property of the West Afghan government (as private enterprise is strictly forbidden), and so when Hassani recommends that the strike be ended by force (hardly in keeping with AAP policy), Dukhirahiq orders her removed. Hassani had been a moderate (or conservative, as the AAP sees her) and a Pashtun, and so many right-wing personalities accuse Dukhirahiq and the powers that be of racism. No official defense of the sacking is ever made. Hassani is replaced with Sheza Al-Jubeera, a Hazara, party-line AAP liberal. As the other Secretary, Khalid Chakhish, is also an AAP member, this makes both Secretaries members of the same political party, a scenario which breaks with tradition and enrages the general public. When in October 2058 67 percent of all Dahada Products Inc. employees go on strike, Al-Jubeera and Chakhish have Dahada executives strongly punished and order a 20 percent raise for all employees of the trout farming company. While this makes Dukhirahiq and other AAP big shots happy, it emboldens other labour unions across the government to strike for higher wages, and in general does the West Afghan economy no favours whatsoever.

Consequently in April 2060 foreign businesses cooperating with the West Afghan government hold a conference in Mumbai. The Mumbai Conference becomes a benchmark moment for capitalists who point out the ineffectiveness of anarcho-syndicalism. 90 percent of all West Afghanistan's business contract holders threaten to leave. The scenario of this vast en masse departure frightens the Dukhirahiq administration into reinstating Hassani as Secretary (though Al-Jubeera is discreetly named Under-Secretary of Commerce). She and Chakhish forge a compromise with the Mumbai Conference dissidents: in exchange for reinforced fair wage regulations, previously enforced marketing standards, product quality checks, and anti-trust laws will be effectively abolished. This diffuses the crisis.

The election of a new Governance and Social Welfare Board in 2061 sends the nation deep into controversy. Though no problems are seen in the election process, by West Afghan analysts or by outside UN observers, the appointment of the same incumbents (and incumbents for the last 23 years) for the Council of Ten leads to accusations of corruption and bribery. Though the AAP would likely have been the nominated bid anyway, examinations of the GSW Board vote show that the bids of all parties except for the AAP were rejected as "invalid." As the AAP was the only party to field a nomination bid for the Council of Ten, they were of course awarded it. The GSW Board (with the notable exception of Dr. Ila Muhammad, a firm conservative and unofficial supporter of the Islamic Restoration Party, who writes an official letter of concern to the UN) defends the disqualification of all the other bids, stating that "irregularities were not to be tolerated." Dukhirahiq happily resumes his post as Council of Ten Chairman and Prime Minister. Meanwhile, conservative world powers begin asking serious questions about the validity of the Dukhirahiq leadership.

-Ivan Ortiz, UN CEWA Vice-Chair

Western Afghanistan

Unregistered

Posted: Apr 15 2007, 05:03 PM

People

Population: 20 million
Age Structure:
0-14 years- 38%
15-64 years- 59%
65+ years- 3%
Median Age:
Total- 26.1 years
Male- 24.8 years
Female- 27.4 years
Life Expectancy at Birth:
Total- 51.8 years
Male- 51.6 years
Female- 52.0 years
Literacy: 96%
Nationality: West Afghan (noun), West Afghan (adjective)
Religions: Sunni Islam 61%, Shi'ite Islam 38%, Other 1%
Language: Dari (official)

A mostly poor but charming people live in Western Afghanistan. While as recent as 20 years ago the majority of West Afghans lived in the rural countryside, the relative wealth and growth of the capital, Herat, has changed the dynamics of society such than almost 70 percent of the country's populace now live in Herat or its surrounding suburbs. This makes it one of the largest general metropolitan areas in the entire region.

Subsequently, almost all of the culture of Western Afghanistan resides in the metropolitan capital. For example, the 8-club Afghan Premier League (Western Afghanistan's top football division) is this upcoming season composed of only clubs from the Herat metro area, though the league represents the entire country. While some football fans dislike this occurrence, and demand an increase in the size of the league, they are in the minority (as these people are unsurprisingly living in the rest of the country). Most fans are excited that their top-flight football will take place in such an intimate atmosphere.

As far as cultural pasttimes go, buzkashi is the eternal tradition, something gathered from its unification with Afghanistan proper. The ancient game is played on horseback, with two teams trying to carry a goat carcass into the scoring zone of the opposing side. Music and art are extremely popular, and in many ways the government's earnest advocacy of these two subjects is one of the best social welfare policies the socialist state has.

Literature is extremely popular, despite the general poverty that a great deal of the population lives in. Due to large sums of the West Afghan budget being poured into public education and vouchers for private schooling, the literacy rate is extremely high- not only relative to other third-world countries, but relative to world powers like the UK and Germany. Several popular authors are becoming internationally recognized for the quality of their literature.

And, as mentioned above, almost all of the youth in the nation play football, and new, expensive stadiums are regularly packed to capacity, particularly the 70,000 seat Q'an Coliseum, home to the most popular club in the country, Nine Columns Athletic. The social outreach programs that the club runs not only for its local North Herat constituency, but for the rest of the nation as well, are regarded as some of the most compassionate in the world of sport. Fans all over the country don the white and navy blue Nine Columns kit every Saturday.

-Guillermo van der Sar, UN CEWA Vice-Chair

Western Afghanistan

Unregistered

Posted: Apr 15 2007, 05:14 PM

Miscellaneous Information

3-Symbol Abbreviation: W-A
Internet Code: .wa
Fiscal Year: Standard calendar year
Currency: The aoaj
Currency Code:
user posted image

National Animal: The Asian cheetah

Western Afghanistan

Unregistered

Posted: Apr 15 2007, 05:20 PM

Link to Western Afghanistan's official website, with (almost) daily reports from the Afghan Premier League, NationStates government decision-making, and more:

Western Afghanistan Official Website