2003 Paulastran Southern Islands Uprising

Southern Islands Conflicts
Date 29 March 2003 – 19 October 2003 (6 months, 2 weeks and 6 days) Location Crona Result Paulastran victory; Reform and renewal of the Punitive Acts Establishment of a permanent Garrison in Channelside Reform of the Southern Islands Constabulary
Belligerents
Paulastra	Southern Islands Seperatists
Casualties and losses
Military dead: over 6374 Civilian dead: over 8000 Total dead: over 14,374	Military dead: over 56,000 Civilian dead: over 9,000 Total dead: over 65,000

Was an ethno-nationalist conflict in the Paulastran Southern Island territories. Part of a series of uprisings and civil conflicts that have erupted in the territory since the Paulastran Kingdom established control over the islands.

Prelude to conflict

In the late-2002, a peaceful civil rights campaign was initiated in the Southern Islands. This movement consisted of various groups, including the Southern Islands Civil Rights Association, the Campaign for a Free Southern Islands, and the Native Peoples Action Committee. The campaign had four main objectives: Putting an end to job discrimination: The campaign presented evidence that native islanders were facing discrimination in employment, particularly in government jobs 1. Eliminating discrimination in housing allocation: The campaign provided evidence that island natives were being actively discriminated against when it came to purchasing and renting properties, with preference given to mainland Paulastrans 2. Reforming the police force (Constabulary of the Southern Islands): The campaign criticized the police force, which was predominantly composed of Mainland Paulastrans, for sectarianism and police brutality 3. Repealing the Punitive Acts of 1912: The campaign demanded the repeal of these acts, which granted the police the power to conduct searches without warrants, arrest and imprison individuals without charge or trial, ban assemblies and parades, and censor publications. These acts were disproportionately used against native islanders

Timeline

A series of protests began in earnest in January of 2003 beginning with sit-ins at government offices demanding an end to job discrimination and to open up government positions to island natives. Those that participated in the sit-ins were forcibly removed from the offices. While some minor clashes with the Police forces occurred, the sit-ins remained for the most part, non-violent in nature. As the sit in and protests continued, anger grew among the mainland Paulastrans living in the islands.

• March 16th 2003 the civil rights movement held its first civil rights march in Channelside, while marching down City Square the marches encountered Paulastran Loyalists and minor classes ensued. Due to the lack of police intervention to stop the attacks, the separatist accused the police of being in bed with the loyalists and allowing the attacks to occur. The movement called for additional protests across the territory.
• March 21st the Movement held an additional march in an affluent neighborhood in Channelside, the marches attacked anyone they viewed as loyalist. The brunt of attack victims were just residents of the neighborhood.
• March 24th a student lead group held a march in Channelside espousing the same principles as the civil rights movement. Enraged by the previous violence in Channelside, roughly 300 loyalist citizens set upon the protestors armed with bats, crow bars, bricks, and stones. The student group accused the citizens of planning an ambush and that the police did nothing to stop the attacks. The violence was halted by intervention of riot forces. That evening, the Channelside security forces conducted a major effort to locate and arrest all persons that had taken part in the violent acts of the day. Both loyalists and separatist neighborhoods began erecting barricades in an effort to keep Security Forces out of the neighborhoods.
• March 30th a Police substation was bombed by an unknown group killing 12 police officers. Officers are attacked by mobs of citizens while they are on patrol. Channelside security forces are placed on high alert in the wake of the attacks. The Chief of Police vows to bring the violent offenders to justice and announces a city-wide curfew from 6pm to 6am. Citizens across the city are enraged and with each side blaming the other for the violence take to the streets setting the city ablaze with violence. The city police forces are unable to re-establish order in the city.
• March 31st the Mayor of Channelside calls the Governor of the Islands and requests assistance in re-establishing order in Channelside. The Governor fearing a spread of violence extended the curfew territory wide and dispatches the regional security forces to Channelside to end the riots and re-establish law and order.