YC110.06.09
For the first time since their statement following the Caldari Constructions riots, Fourth District spokeswoman CAPT Svetlana Scarlet spoke to reporters about her alliance's stance on Tibus Heth and his Caldari Provisional Directorate, calling Heth "no savior of the Caldari people" and denouncing the Directorate as having "no legal authority."
Speaking from a hangar in the Reserve's Nonni offices with a Scorpion-class battleship undergoing maintenance in the bay behind her, CAPT Scarlet delivered the following speech while flanked by a number of Reserve marines.
"For a month now, the State has been held in the grip of terror by a man who has claimed that the leadership of the State has failed, that our problems can all be blamed on the Federation, and that he is the only one who can save us. That he, a man who not more than two months ago was working on an assembly line, has the financial and political acumen to see us through these difficult times, and no one else.
"Meanwhile, he has amassed his own private army and used intimidation and the politics of fear to consolidate his political position, creating a shadow government that seeks to usurp the authority of the Chief Executive Panel, the Caldari Business Tribunal, and the Caldari Navy. The one man with the vision and the strength to stand up to him, Otro Gariushi, has been killed in a tragic attack by a deranged madman.
"We in the Fourth District have watched as one by one, the Caldari megacorporations that we have pledged to serve have turned their operations over to him, with no apparent regard to the economic health of the State, the good of their shareholders, or common sense. Repeated calls for an investigation into the financial dealings of this man and his supporters have been ignored, and his enforcers have been allowed to run wild while the legitimate authorities of the State have only stood by and watched. The CEP and CBT have remained silent as a power-hungry demagogue has driven us headfirst towards the precarious cliff of war.
"The 'Directorate' has no legal authority and Tibus Heth is no savior of the Caldari people. Blaming the Gallente for our current problems is an excuse, it is not a solution. This thinly-veiled attempt at a planned economy and his appeals to the masses have no place in the State. We are not an ochlocracy, as much as Mr. Heth may like us to be. The will of the shareholders, the people who own the corporations of the State, have been ignored, despite their legal rights to authority over the companies they have invested in.
"The lack of any attempt by anyone within the State's power structure but Otro Gariushi to question the manner in which this egotist has managed to seize control of our nation is greatly disturbing. We have come to the conclusion that there is but one choice for us, and that is to once again refocus our efforts in Caldari space and confront this man and his supporters head-on.
"The Fourth District retains its commitment to defend the corporations and citizens of the Caldari State. We realize that in this time of trouble, it is more important than ever to keep foreign powers from attempting to get involved in our affairs, and as always, we will not allow anyone, including the Federation, to interfere in the domestic matters of the State. That is, and will always be, our primary duty. However, we do not recognize the command authority of Tibus Heth and his Provisional Directorate.
"The Fourth District offers its assistance to any Caldari corporations who feel their corporate sovereignty is being threatened by Tibus Heth or his supporters. Any interference in Fourth District operations by the Directorate or its supporters will be met with any and all necessary force. Any attempt by the Directorate to give orders to the Fourth District will be ignored, and any attempt to enforce the illegal edicts of Tibus Heth will be resisted with all appropriate measures. Furthermore, until such time that the legitimate government of the State is restored and the Directorate is disbanded, the Fourth District is removing itself from the Caldari Navy's chain of command.
"Those who would use this as an excuse to question our loyalty to the Caldari State do so at their own peril. The District and its members have served the State since their founding and our loyalty lies with the legitimate government that guided our people through their struggle for independence and in the century since. We Caldari pride ourselves on being a practical, rational people; what is practical or rational about the course of action Heth and his cronies espouse? What do we have to gain from denying our own faults and banging the drums of war? Do not allow this man to destroy all that we have worked towards for the last two centuries. Do what is right for your shareholders and your countrymen and follow our lead."
Following the statement, CAPT Scarlet took a few brief questions from the assembled reporters, making it clear the the Fourth District would not be interfering with civilian traffic, regardless of whether or not the ship flew under the flag of a Directorate-member corporation.
"We have no intention of sabotaging the economic strength of the State any further than Mr. Heth has already done with his socialist planned-economy agenda," she explained. "Nor do we intend to weaken the State's lines of defense against foreign intrusion. We are loyal to our people, to their proud history, and to the institutions that have preserved our State for over a century. That is why we must do this, why we cannot simply stand still and ignore the descent Tibus Heth is pulling the State into."
When asked of the Fourth District's future plans, CAPT Scarlet declined to comment. "I'm afraid any statement on our operational decisions would be premature at this time, but as soon as I have more information I will be sure to see that it is relayed to you post-haste."
Fourth District Statement on Malkalen Attack
YC110.05.15
Following the disaster in Malkalen today, Fourth District transport vessels loaded with relief supplies and combat vessels providing security support have been routed to the system. CAPT Svetlana Scarlet, Reserve Chief of Diplomatic Staff, spoke to the press from the Ishukone Watch station in the system coordinating the relief effort shortly after deliver a load of medical supplies.
"Ladies and gentlemen, today is a dark day for the State, perhaps the darkest since the bombardment of Caldari Prime a century ago. Today's horrific attack against the Ishukone corporate headquarters has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives already, and many more are missing or gravely wounded. Among the missing is Otro Gariushi, one of the State's greatest leaders and a man who opened his arms in the spirit of peace, only to be stabbed in the back by a man he thought – we all thought – was someone who believed in the same ideals.
"However, the greatest casualty of this vicious assault was not those hundreds of thousands of men and women, nor the economic might of the Ishukone Corporation that now finds itself paralyzed. The greatest loss today was the death of hope. Whether Admiral Noir's attack was the act of a single madman or the work of an insidious conspiracy against the people of the Caldari State, it matters little. The fact of the matter is that the Federation is to blame for this incident; they allowed this to happen, they promised us peace and brought death to our doorstep.
"Every Caldari man, woman and child feels the loss, the anger. We have watched as fires and explosions consume the station, watched the desperate relief efforts of Ishukone personnel and those pod pilots who answered their call. As the immediate tragedy begins to end, we are left with a decision to make; what are we in the State to do now, when confronted with this staggering blow against the very fabric of our nation? What actions must we take against the Federation, which has stabbed us in the back yet again, when we only wish to live in peace?
"The Federation has burned the last of the good will we can afford to extend to them. While peace is a laudable goal, the goal we should all work toward, the Federation has proven, once again, that is it an unreliable partner in this enterprise. We must take action to defend the State, its people, and our way of life. We must prevent the Federation and its allies from endangering any more lives with their negligence and recklessness. The Fourth District implores the Chief Executive Panel to lock down our border with the Federation immediately. We pledge our full support to the Caldari Navy and promise to devote any and all resources necessary in order to carry out this mission."
CAPT Scarlet refused to answer any further questions, saying that she did not have time during the current crisis, and directed further questions to the Fourth District's diplomatic office.
Following the disaster in Malkalen today, Fourth District transport vessels loaded with relief supplies and combat vessels providing security support have been routed to the system. CAPT Svetlana Scarlet, Reserve Chief of Diplomatic Staff, spoke to the press from the Ishukone Watch station in the system coordinating the relief effort shortly after deliver a load of medical supplies.
"Ladies and gentlemen, today is a dark day for the State, perhaps the darkest since the bombardment of Caldari Prime a century ago. Today's horrific attack against the Ishukone corporate headquarters has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives already, and many more are missing or gravely wounded. Among the missing is Otro Gariushi, one of the State's greatest leaders and a man who opened his arms in the spirit of peace, only to be stabbed in the back by a man he thought – we all thought – was someone who believed in the same ideals.
"However, the greatest casualty of this vicious assault was not those hundreds of thousands of men and women, nor the economic might of the Ishukone Corporation that now finds itself paralyzed. The greatest loss today was the death of hope. Whether Admiral Noir's attack was the act of a single madman or the work of an insidious conspiracy against the people of the Caldari State, it matters little. The fact of the matter is that the Federation is to blame for this incident; they allowed this to happen, they promised us peace and brought death to our doorstep.
"Every Caldari man, woman and child feels the loss, the anger. We have watched as fires and explosions consume the station, watched the desperate relief efforts of Ishukone personnel and those pod pilots who answered their call. As the immediate tragedy begins to end, we are left with a decision to make; what are we in the State to do now, when confronted with this staggering blow against the very fabric of our nation? What actions must we take against the Federation, which has stabbed us in the back yet again, when we only wish to live in peace?
"The Federation has burned the last of the good will we can afford to extend to them. While peace is a laudable goal, the goal we should all work toward, the Federation has proven, once again, that is it an unreliable partner in this enterprise. We must take action to defend the State, its people, and our way of life. We must prevent the Federation and its allies from endangering any more lives with their negligence and recklessness. The Fourth District implores the Chief Executive Panel to lock down our border with the Federation immediately. We pledge our full support to the Caldari Navy and promise to devote any and all resources necessary in order to carry out this mission."
CAPT Scarlet refused to answer any further questions, saying that she did not have time during the current crisis, and directed further questions to the Fourth District's diplomatic office.
Fourth District Statement on Caldari Constructions Incident
YC110.05.09
The Fourth District has a policy of generally not commenting on internal Caldari state political matters, but the extraordinary events of last week in Piak have prompted a number of inquiries to the alliance's diplomatic office, voicing concern about what this means for the integrity of the Caldari State. Therefore, we are releasing the following statement to explain our views on the issue, such as they are.
As far as the Fourth District and its staff are concerned, the shakeup of Caldari Constructions' leadership is a purely an internal political matter, and should have little effect on Caldari foreign policy as it stands, CEO Heth's personal views notwithstanding. The events of Friday have not changed the makeup of the Chief Executive Panel or threatened the stability of any of the major megacorporations, and the market appears to have stabilized in the wake of last week's tumult.
At this time, the activity of last Friday does not appear to warrant any sort of combat deployment on the part of the Fourth District. The Chief Executive Panel and the Caldari Business Tribunal are investigating the appointment of the new board of Caldari Constructions, and until they determine what, if any, sanctions must be applied towards the corporation and/or its board of directors, the Fourth District will maintain its current alert state.
However, the unstable security situation at many Caldari Constructions facilities following last week's riots and the withdrawal of Home Guard forces from Caldari Constructions stations and other facilities has raised concerns within the Fourth District's logistics divisions. As a result, the Fourth District will be conducting a review of supply contracts and suspending those with Caldari Constructions until such time that the legality of CEO Heth's appointment has been confirmed and a second review can be performed.
Furthermore, the Fourth District alliance council has issued a standing order that all Fourth District vessels are barred from docking with all Caldari Constructions stations until the security of these installations can be assured.
The Fourth District has a policy of generally not commenting on internal Caldari state political matters, but the extraordinary events of last week in Piak have prompted a number of inquiries to the alliance's diplomatic office, voicing concern about what this means for the integrity of the Caldari State. Therefore, we are releasing the following statement to explain our views on the issue, such as they are.
As far as the Fourth District and its staff are concerned, the shakeup of Caldari Constructions' leadership is a purely an internal political matter, and should have little effect on Caldari foreign policy as it stands, CEO Heth's personal views notwithstanding. The events of Friday have not changed the makeup of the Chief Executive Panel or threatened the stability of any of the major megacorporations, and the market appears to have stabilized in the wake of last week's tumult.
At this time, the activity of last Friday does not appear to warrant any sort of combat deployment on the part of the Fourth District. The Chief Executive Panel and the Caldari Business Tribunal are investigating the appointment of the new board of Caldari Constructions, and until they determine what, if any, sanctions must be applied towards the corporation and/or its board of directors, the Fourth District will maintain its current alert state.
However, the unstable security situation at many Caldari Constructions facilities following last week's riots and the withdrawal of Home Guard forces from Caldari Constructions stations and other facilities has raised concerns within the Fourth District's logistics divisions. As a result, the Fourth District will be conducting a review of supply contracts and suspending those with Caldari Constructions until such time that the legality of CEO Heth's appointment has been confirmed and a second review can be performed.
Furthermore, the Fourth District alliance council has issued a standing order that all Fourth District vessels are barred from docking with all Caldari Constructions stations until the security of these installations can be assured.