[centre][h1][u][colour=FF8430]Democratic Alliance for Reform[/colour][/u][/h1][/centre]

A message was delivered to the residence of Zan Mahol, and a copy sent to the leaders of each of the political parties in the National Assembly, including Zan Mahol's own Samgola Dawn. All copies of the letter were delivered by armed and uniformed personnel of the Security Bureau of the Republic of Samgola. The original, penned and signed by the president personally, was hand delivered to Zan Mahol by David Desange, the Minister of Security of Samgola—and those same uniformed officers' boss. Each letter was sent in a white envelope bearing the official seal of the President of Samgola. It would be noticed by those politicians active in the National Assembly and the broader political and administrative buildings in Kamidye that security had been tightened. Efforts were being made to further cement the current democratically elected administration's authority in the capital city, and positions that had previously been occupied by Task Force Europa were increasingly being defended instead by agents of the Security Bureau. Control over Kamidye was being subtly reasserted by the republic. The message, available to all parties but not yet presented directly to the media, was the impetus for it all.

[quote=President Samuel Bassong]

Dear Zan Mahol, Leader of the Samgola Dawn Party,

As we are both aware, our great nation has only so recently been delivered from the maw of a cataclysmic civil war. Billions of dollars of damage has been wrought to our national infrastructure, hundreds of thousands of families have been left socially and economically devastated, and worst of all, untold numbers of Samgolan civilians have lost their lives. The scars of the civil war plague us still. Unrest is rampant in some parts of the country, and it is natural for all of us to wish to protect ourselves and ensure that we do not fall victim to the lingering enemies of the state that wish to do us harm.

It is incumbent upon us, however, to have the utmost respect for the republic's exclusive authority in matters of defense and security. It is not necessary for me to inform you that the formation of paramilitary forces is illegal in Samgola. Upholding the law is paramount for any good citizen, most importantly of all those that aspire to lead. Your concerns regarding the security of your party's members of the National Assembly and your party's other officials outside of it is fair and genuine. This problem of security is met, however, by the security apparatus of the state. The police and military forces of the Republic of Samgola are fit to the task of the defense of the nation and its people. Equally as important as the matter of the strict legality of the formation of a secondary armed element within our society is the disrespect that it displays for those men in uniform who are tasked with and sworn to defend us and our rights and freedoms.

My issuing of this ultimatum, in place of immediate action, is a gesture of respect to the importance of the ability of the opposition parties of this democracy to operate unmolested by the incumbent government. The Samgola Dawn Security Force, however, is not a normal part of the functioning of an opposition political party, and will not be tolerated. The SDSF is an illegal paramilitary organization under Samgolan law. The organization must be immediately disarmed and disbanded upon the receipt of this message. Failure to do so will be seen not only as a violation of the law of the land, but as the formation of a parallel power in defiance to the elected power of this country, and therefore an act of treason.

Thank you for your compliance with the law, and your patriotism to our great nation of Samgola.

[/quote]

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Diplomatic discussions were underway in the Nigerian Embassy in Kamidye, concurrent with talks going on in the Samgolan Embassy in Abuja. Ambassadors and other diplomats were engaged in high level discussions regarding the Islamic Army, and in particular reports of the force's presence beyond Samgolan borders. Reports from the Samgolan Army had claimed that elements of the Islamic Army of Mostafa Lahbibi had been seeking refuge in Nigeria illicitly, preventing domestic military and security forces from engaging and capturing the organization's leaders. Diplomats on Samgola's side were hopeful that the talks would come to a beneficial outcome, given the Islamic Army's stated opposition to the authority of all regimes spare their own, and the obvious fact that Nigeria would likely not desire to have such a group operating in their own sovereignty territory.

Pointedly, the matter of Samgola's foreign aid to Nigeria was not discussed, as per the request of Charles Mpeya, the Minister of State & Foreign Affairs. There were concerns that addressing the issue of foreign aid would be perceived as too heavy-handed a gesture, and it was hoped instead that the unspoken reality of the annual payments would simply indicate to Nigeria good faith on the part of Kamidye in relation to Abuja's government. The hope was that Nigeria could play a constructive role in dismantling the Islamic Army by containing the IA's presence to Samgola, and thereby assist in stabilizing their friendly neighbour's regime. Relations between the two countries had been in an awkward state since the fall of the Rubusana regime, and the new Bassong administration hoped that working together against the Islamic Army would help to forge a strong and mutually beneficial international relationship in the future.
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[b]Vote:[/b] Freedom of Health Act; 0 NO - 65 YES.
[b]Vote:[/b] Kamidye Rail Line Construction Bill; 65 NO - 0 YES.
[b]Ground Game:[/b] Djidan. [i](-1 Action, -$500,000)[/i]
[b]Conduct Diplomacy:[/b] Request Nigeria to investigate and root out potential Islamic Army elements in their country.

[b]Actions Left:[/b] 1/4.
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