440.31 // The Back Reach formally folds into the Third Estate
Disturbing news from the Gordian Reach today. In their de facto capital world of Feena, the ultranationalist group dubbed “The Roilers” have enacted a military coup over their local governments across the Back Reach. The Roilers were able to get a legislative majority on most of the worlds across the Back Reach four cycles ago in the last major election. Readers should note that a legislative majority does not equate to a popular majority in the legislatures of the Back Reach. In fact, on Feena specifically, the Roilers held only 40% of the legislative branch, while Vahn Goreing won an electoral victory while still losing the popular vote, earning only 48% of the popular vote for his governorship.
In the looming specter of losing their legislative foothold in this upcoming election on 439.28, the day of said election, Vahn Goreing, the self-proclaimed leader of a trans-system state dubbed “The Third Estate,” ordered agents from his Ministry of Purity and Thought to execute a mass wave of arrests across the governing planets of the Back Reach. In a matter of hours, hundreds of lawmakers and elected officials were arrested for alleged charges of “felony crimes of thought,” as the Ministry of Purity and Thought stated later in the day.
News of this has been sparse and difficult to piece together as there has been a blanket ban on the free press and extreme limits on permissive external communications outside of the borders of these systems. Several reporters, including a colleague of mine at the Associated Press, based out of the Republic have had warrants for their arrest issued inside the borders of the, until recently faux, Third Estate. Internal announcements for the days after called for calm as the Ministries and Governor Vahn Goreing “navigated the ongoing crisis,” citing that the “opposition party has attempted a coup to overthrow our glorious state.”
It was not until a public broadcast to the Galaxy from the Executive House on Feena that we had any confirmation about the situation that went on during the last few rotations. Governor Goreing made this announcement with flags emblazoned with the insignia of the Third Estate rippling behind him.
People of the Galaxy, our government has survived a violent coup attempt by political radicals who do not respect nor follow the rule of law across our systems. Indeed, as I speak, our valiant crisis response teams are continuing to attempt to evacuate survivors from our legislative complex, where a biological attack occurred. We have arrested all of the people involved in this widespread conspiracy. With the consent of the surviving and acting legislators in our system, I have declared martial law and suspended the constitutions of the Back Reach until such a time that elections may be safely performed.
Rest assured. Our Third Estate will come out of this crisis more unified and stronger than ever.
The Associated Press has found no evidence to corroborate any attack cited in this speech.
Immediately at the end of this speech, all emigration from the Third Estate was banned, all ports of entry were restricted, and it was announced that only pre-approved immigrants reviewed by the Third Estate would be allowed entry. Curfews were created across all systems and enforced by the Third Estate’s armed muscle, dubbed “The Roilers” after their original political movement.
At this point, while any formal proceedings may officially cement the authority and creation of a formal third estate that the Roilers have been building over the last four cycles, Vahn Goreing and his cabinet have effectively rested complete autocratic control of these systems. Our thoughts go out to all those beings trapped behind this curtain that has fallen across the borders of the Back Reach who now face persecution with no recourse or opportunity to escape.
There has been no announcement from the Republic, League of Sovereign Systems, or Empire at this junction, nor any smaller independent planetary system. We will give updates as they develop.
Reporting from Coruscant, this is Andee Nevaro.