THE MELIOR CITIZEN: 'The Passing Of The Torch'
The Passing Of The Torch
Written by Daniel Proper
The nation mourns today as we bury President Byron Tolsade, who was killed in the terrorist attacks of May 27.
The funeral service was closely guarded, due to the possibility of another attack, and the presence of former Vice-President Maurice Wilsborough, who has now emerged from his undisclosed secure location to bid farewell to the man he described as "one of the greatest Presidents in Ivonan history".
Despite stringent security, hundreds of citizens turned out to mark his passing, lining the streets as the funeral procession moved from St. Francois Cathedral in downtown Bellcius to the national graveyard on Memorial Hill, where he was buried amidst tears of grief and loss. A touching eulogy, spoken by George Tolsade, the former President's brother, described him as "the best of us, stolen away...before his work could be completed. (See page 14 for the full text)
President Wilsborough, having taken his new oath of office in a closed ceremony following the attacks, spoke briefly with reporters, advising that an investigation into the identity and motives of the May Twenty-Seventh bombers is already underway. "We will know their names and faces before long," he promises, "and we will stop at nothing to find and punish them."
This statement has alarmed members of the Vohemaro government. In a press release, they state that while they "empathize with our Ivonian neighbours in their time of loss", and "will of course do whatever is needed to cooperate in the investigation," that they will not tolerate any invasion of Vohemar's sovereign territory. "We cannot allow Ivonian military forces to move in our territory or airspace without our notification and permission, regardless of intent. Any such movements will be legally considered an act of war."
There is concern among them, unspoken but present, that given the historically tense relations between Vohemar and Ivona, that Vohemar may wind up as a scapegoat in the hunt for the bombers. Critics also point out that Wilsborough has never been as ardent a supporter of international peace efforts as Tolsade.
When asked if he thought that the bombers were Vohemaro in origin, Wilsborough declined to comment, saying that "we are not ruling out any possibilities at this time."
Opinion on the street is mixed: according to a poll conducted by the Cantar Organization, 35% of Ivonian individuals believe that the Vohemaro government is involved in the attacks in some way. Another 39% believe that the attacks are connected to Joseph Falls' terrorist Free Badlands movement. By contrast, a mere 10% believe that the terrorists are domestic.
Written by Daniel Proper
The nation mourns today as we bury President Byron Tolsade, who was killed in the terrorist attacks of May 27.
The funeral service was closely guarded, due to the possibility of another attack, and the presence of former Vice-President Maurice Wilsborough, who has now emerged from his undisclosed secure location to bid farewell to the man he described as "one of the greatest Presidents in Ivonan history".
Despite stringent security, hundreds of citizens turned out to mark his passing, lining the streets as the funeral procession moved from St. Francois Cathedral in downtown Bellcius to the national graveyard on Memorial Hill, where he was buried amidst tears of grief and loss. A touching eulogy, spoken by George Tolsade, the former President's brother, described him as "the best of us, stolen away...before his work could be completed. (See page 14 for the full text)
President Wilsborough, having taken his new oath of office in a closed ceremony following the attacks, spoke briefly with reporters, advising that an investigation into the identity and motives of the May Twenty-Seventh bombers is already underway. "We will know their names and faces before long," he promises, "and we will stop at nothing to find and punish them."
This statement has alarmed members of the Vohemaro government. In a press release, they state that while they "empathize with our Ivonian neighbours in their time of loss", and "will of course do whatever is needed to cooperate in the investigation," that they will not tolerate any invasion of Vohemar's sovereign territory. "We cannot allow Ivonian military forces to move in our territory or airspace without our notification and permission, regardless of intent. Any such movements will be legally considered an act of war."
There is concern among them, unspoken but present, that given the historically tense relations between Vohemar and Ivona, that Vohemar may wind up as a scapegoat in the hunt for the bombers. Critics also point out that Wilsborough has never been as ardent a supporter of international peace efforts as Tolsade.
When asked if he thought that the bombers were Vohemaro in origin, Wilsborough declined to comment, saying that "we are not ruling out any possibilities at this time."
Opinion on the street is mixed: according to a poll conducted by the Cantar Organization, 35% of Ivonian individuals believe that the Vohemaro government is involved in the attacks in some way. Another 39% believe that the attacks are connected to Joseph Falls' terrorist Free Badlands movement. By contrast, a mere 10% believe that the terrorists are domestic.