Araswa

The Confederation of Araswa is a sovereign country of 102.03 million in eastern Miju, located on the Araswi Peninsula. It is home to over 80 different ethnic groups, the majority speaking a wide variety of local languages with Jeogmonese and Kinshūnese pidgins, as well as Kipwani being the most commonly accepted universal languages. Being equatorial, Araswa is a tropical country, The Mwambami Mountains run along the eastern coast of the country, the west is defined by hills and spotted jungles along large riverlands in the Amkaro Valley to the south, with large plateaus dominating the north. The far west contains ancient, arid highlands and is where the capital of Omjopa is located. The largest city is Kuuxanbaya with 1.2 million inhabitants, the second largest city is the capital itself, with 72 thousand residents.

The area was first inhabited by some of the earliest humans around 90,000 years ago, acting as a launching point for early cross-sea migrations and settlement. Agriculture and herding was adopted around 800 BCE, as pastoralists emerged in the Amkaro Valley. The Amkaro people were pushed onto the riverlands by Bantu migrations from the south and the expansion of Kushitic peoples in the Peninsula and Yoju. Several early empires rose to prominence around 400 BCE, centered in the Amkaro Valley, rich in gold and ivory, introducing Araswa as an early trade junction. Buddhism soon entered the land via trade with the Pwani Coast, giving rise to a series of city-states which adopted brahmic writing and other eastern philosophies. The eastern Bantu coast syncretized buddhist philosophy and traditional spiritualism, while the northern and southern semites held Abrahamic beliefs, most prominently Islam and Judaism. With Buddhism came trade and the growth of rich Kingdoms based in it. The Araswi peninsula soon became a confluence of trade and culture between southwest Yoju, southeast Yoju and eastern Miju. The Pwani Sri Empire is one of the most notable pre-middle ages states that at its height, conquered much of eastern Araswa, inserting buddhism further into the land through the heavy construction of temples and statues during this period.

By the 11th century Mandala period, the empire had fractured and left competing city states emerging out of a dark age. Dominating the Peninsula were the Sultans centered on the northern coast, rich from trade with Yoju and western Miju. They were originally somali that arrived from the north, establishing coastal settlements in the 9th century which grew in the power vacuum Pwani Sri had left. Their cousins, the ethno-religious Ogadaa who joined them in settlement in Araswa, settled in the southwest, making it to the Gulf of Matumya. They had kept and spread their own religion, Waaqeffannaa, are theorized to have colonized Araswa to flee persecution in Yoju. With these groups and more, the Araswan Mandala period was one of intense competition and warfare, mainly clan and religion driven. The Araswi Sultanate eventually formed as a large, unified confederation with an elected Sultan, but quickly succumbed to infighting. Other Kushitic tribal confederations in the south also launched frequent raids against the Sultanate and its trade cities. Also, Christianized Bantu peoples in the south began migrating north around the 12th century, as drought intensified and famine beset many southern tribes within Araswa. This culminated in several religious wars known as the Kuvujadamo(the ‘Great Bleeding’), leading to a significant christian and jewish population settling on the riverlands, alongside the predominant animist-buddhist population. Despite the fall of the Sultanate in the early 15th century, the Mandala period in Araswa is known for the spread of the Abrahamic faiths, primarily in cities through trade. The end of the period is roughly marked by the steady adoption and widespread use of gunpowder, the centralization and formation of larger states and the revival of trade, mainly with newly arrived Sinju merchants that came with more advanced firearms.

The 17th century was marked with the rise of dozens of central Araswan states, mainly Kingdoms and reformed Sultanates. The buddhist ‘Pwani Republic’ formed from a merchant aristocracy sinicized and propped up by Sinju-Yoju wealth. It became the most powerful state in Araswa and was favored by powers such as Jeongmi. Most of the 17th and 18th centuries were periods of peace and prosperity in revived trade, with a ‘Sri renaissance’ occurring throughout the land and trade relations with Sinju becoming embedded. By the early 19th century, Araswan states developed some of the most sophisticated militaries, this period of peace also one of build-up and ethnic tension. The Sinjuese backed their own players in the Peninsula, funding and arming them, as well as antagonizing the Araswans against eachother as proxies. The Great Araswi War, as its most commonly known, lasted 20 years from 1855 ending in 1877, and devastated the land. The long, bloody war effectively destroyed or weakened the Araswan states, leaving the victors a pyrrhic victory and war torn land. In addition, the Araswi were mainly in-debted to Jeongmi, Basenareri and Kinshu, which had funded the expensive ‘forever war’ in Araswa, slipping under their Dominion unable to pay them off. The subsequent ‘Colonial Wars’, in which Sinjuese fought eachother and Araswi, lasted in a period of 1880 to 1930, though by 1930 it was mostly small scale rebellion put down before the Great Eulhae War.

The Colonial Wars of Araswa lead to Kinshu taking over the Peninsula by 1901, but maintaining very loose control as rebellion was constant. The period where Araswa was being contested and under colonial control is also known as the ‘Second Kuvujadamo’ due to its mass brutality and destruction. Jeongmi troops razed the ancient city of Axriti, burning most historical documents and buildings in 1882; stealing gold and other artifacts. Jeongmi also moved the most settlers in Araswa, allocating resources and land to them, leading to famine and poverty among the Araswi. Basenareri is noted for numerous genocides of local peoples in retaliation for rebellion, as they also flooded Araswa with settlers who enslaved the local populations. Rebellion ultimately led to Jeongmi and Basenerari ceding control of their colonies as they were too costly, but abandoning their large, entrenched settler populations. Kinshu was sold most of Araswa by 1901, inheriting these Sinjuese diaspora that were also growing rebellious. The majority of late rebellions in 1915-1920 would be settler-led while indigenous workers unionized. 1920-1944 Is known as a period of general strike and resistance in Araswa, with the growth of underground libertarian and syndicalist organizations. At the start of the Great Eulhae War, membership in radical industrial unions was climbing, however more workers/settlers were imported from overseas and brutal colonial policing was implemented to quell protest. Conscription was later implemented, however Araswi troops sent to fight abroad were known for mutiny throughout the war and when returning home, formed a more organized militia. Most rebelled when they were not compensated for their service. Independence was guaranteed after the war and a Transitory Independent pro-East government was established. It actively aided the late war effort while going through a lengthy constitutional convention. After the war ended, the Republic of Araswa emerged with a Sinjuized central government. This active opposition government was established in concert with Sinju powers against indigenous libertarian efforts, igniting the Araswi Civil War in 1947. It lasted until 1968, ending in the deaths of 4 million mostly through massacres, famine and lengthy asymmetric warfare. Fighting would wind down to irregular low-level war throughout the 70s and 80s. Fighting officially ended in 1992, with a ceasefire being established. The Republican government’s attempt to re-establish its authority led to significant backlash and a heightening of ethnic tensions.

The outbreak of disease and floods during the monsoon of 2003 devastated the country, as did subsequent droughts. Araswa’s Republican government is internationally recognized as a highly fragile state, having become ineffective and unable to provide for its over the decades. Since the ceasefire, the government has been able to heal sectarian conflict and has faced steep attrition from fighting seperatist rebellions throughout the 1990s. The government is also dominated by ethnic Sinjuese, international observers claim the government has heavily bias racial, ethnic and religious motivations.

Pre-existing government and law has been reintroduced, reformed and upheld outside government cities, in the mostly agrarian country, however. was enforced by the Insurrection and approved by the government in 2010 to keep order and settle disputes. Syndicalist labor federations also control over half of the industry in Araswa, a fraction being state owned and the rest private. With a high population and a failing state with no infrastructure, events like famine have been a recent occurrence and leading to past and current mass migration from the country. The Free Territories have recovered throughout the 2010s and the current anarchic situation is uncertain, however climate change has driven more arising environmental issues for the equatorial country, intensifying drought-caused famine or food insecurity in a growing number of areas.

Though considered weak, internationally the Republican government is recognized and given aid. It is in its fifth iteration, undergoing another internal military coup in 2017, now led by General Busar Arbayyii as President.