One Year of Civil War

October 10, 2011

With the one year anniversary of the Alcovian Civil War fast approaching many questions still loom over the nation's strife. Whether the sudden declaration of independence made by General Kusatya, the hesitation of the monarchy in declaring an exact and decisive doctrine in the conflict, or the growing indications of foreign involvement in what had begun as a civil crisis, the longer the nation of Alcovia is at war, the more confusing the entire thing becomes.

In ten days the nation will have seen an entire year of conflict with no end in sight. With public works and infrastructure starting to break down due to war-inflicted damage or general disrepair caused by lack of funds, manpower, access or available materials, many parts of the small nation have been reduced to struggling local economies with many people living at pre-20th century standards. In some regions, water, fresh food and basic medical care have become treasured commodities, often controlled and sold by the various gangs and militias who have turned a war into their opportunity. Government officials have promised an increase in aid to these depressed regions, but so far such aid has been scarce if not absent altogether.



What's more, King Ullo's insistence against foreign aid has only served to increase the hardship the war has inflicted upon the nation's people. In eastern Alcovia, the region most affected by the civil war, this policy has done much to embolden the cause of that regions various militia factions as well as polarizing the region against the monarchy. Even with UN relief stations being set up across the Borka river, the far flung edges of Alcovia are not receiving enough aid to make up for the ever-increasing tole the war is taking on its people.

The monarchy's inability to control the eastern regions has also left the long-contested border between Alcovia and Iqenistan vulnerable to incursions by dissident factions from that nation and other opportunistic governments who might benefit from sowing the seeds of unrest and rebellion. Sources within Alcovia's intelligence community have indicated that there is no doubt that at least some amount of aid is being fed to the Alcovian People's Army by Iqeni terrorist organizations as well as ethnic Iqeni militias operating within Alcovia itself.

Ambassadors from both Germany and France have visited the king and his family in the capital city of Chubakrev in hopes that a plan for the peaceful reconciliation of the conflict might be reached, however King Ullo seems reluctant to accept a non-Alcovian solution to what he deems "an Alcovian problem". Royal advisers indicated, in a press conference with national and international news agencies, that the king's reluctance comes from a concern that accepting foreign solutions and aid will weaken the strength of the Alcovian identity and cost the nation it's "heart and soul".

It is said that the coming year may see official visits from both the United States and United Kingdom as with additional rumors circulating of visits from both Russian and Chinese dignitaries. Whether or not hostilities will allow for such meetings and exactly which factions are to receive such attention is as yet to be determined. Whatever develops from any such ambassadorial missions, it should be worth watching to see how events unfold in the second year of war within the kingdom of Alcovia.