Luthori

[Ligbruderkrieg]

Emperor William arrived in Bianjie through the imperial state jet coming from New Englia after spending three days there. This visit was highly anticipated upon due to Luthori and Bianjie’s seeming geopolitical rapprochement during the civil war in New Verham and the role of Their Majesties in perpetuating this diplomatic course. Of course, certain questions were going to be problematic, Luthori’s former position as a colonial power specifically. 

As Their Majesties arrived in Bianjie, it was shown in a poll for the BHK, that a slim majority of 53.5% of questioned individuals have expressed “distrust” at the Emperor of Luthori’s visit in Bianjie – as compared to 55% two months ago. Understanding this distrust, deeply rooted in mistrust of Western involvement in Dovani and lingering issues with the colonial past between Luthori and Bianjie was key to Emperor William’s state visit. 

It does seem however that the previous state visit from the Luthorian Emperor in New Englia – which was praised by all sides of the New Englian political spectrum as having been an “useful visit, which addressed the issues with Luthori’s relationship with its former colony”, according to Martin O’Neil in an editorial to the Evening Standard – has been useful in rehabilitating Luthori’s image among the public, specifically as steps have been taken in recognising Luthori’s past colonial activities. 

Emperor William XI was received by a delegation composed of a guard of honour, Matt Bratt, Luthorian Ambassador to Bianjie and other Bianjie state officials. The monarch, after reviewing Bianjie troops went to the Stanford Mansion in Gemun where they’ll spend the three nights of their visit.  

On their way to the Stanford Mansion, the Emperor and Empress’ motorcades were met with protesters who were demonstrating against the state visit of Emperor William in their nation. Leading the charge were students and young left-wing activists, they protested the lack of recognition from the Luthorian Empire of its colonial legacy in Bianjie. Messages of “Go Home Tea-Drinker" or “We’ll Never Forget” dominated the small-scale protests, the largest of which took place near the Stanford Mansion in Gemun, where 200 young protesters assembled.  

One said that “they [Luthori] think that they can send their emperor and that every sin committed by the Empire here would be promptly forgotten.”, sharing an interesting viewpoint about the still controversial visit in Bianjie from Luthori’s monarch. Politically, while centrist parties such as the Socialist People’s Party (SPP) and the Democratic People’s Party (DPP) adopted a cautious tone, with the SPP stressing in a statement that the Bianjie people “deserve to be adequately represented, their needs and wishes being answered”, the Bianjie far-left and far-right both have reacted negatively. 

Bianjie’s Progressive Communist Party slammed the visit as an “unfortunate attempt by Luthori to make us [Bianjie] forget about their past crimes in our soil”, the party reiterated its position of “colonial apologies”, demanding that the Luthorian Emperor “takes responsibility for the countless martyrs caused by his nation”. BSP (Bianjie Sovereignty Party) leader, Eidu Arakcou published controversial comments on social media saying that the visit “will change nothing, no forgiveness for Luthori’s crimes and as such, the Luthorian monarch can promptly pack his bags and go home”, a position which was echoed by the far-right National Conservative Union (NCU). 

Even within the ruling SPP-PCP government, voices rose to oppose the state visit, primarily from the SPP’s youth wing (Shakokutō Youth) which largely participated in the anti-visit protests.  

Emperor William XI and Empress Victoria were then invited to attend a State Dinner organised by Bianjie’s Khan Nilhuma in a superb reception at the Orchid Palace in downtown Gemun. The Emperor, the Empress, the Khan, the Premier of Bianjie and other highly important figures were present at this celebration of the first Luthorian Emperor’s visit in Bianjie since generations.  

Both heads of state addressed their guests in speeches before the meal – but Emperor William’s words went well beyond what was originally planned. The Emperor stated that “[Luthori] we, as a nation, committed countless crimes, as did all others, but none can compare to the systemic subjugation of countless peoples into our realm”, he moreover added that “the Empire, as it is, stands as the successor state to our ancestors’ crimes, which brought their fair share of suffering upon all colonised peoples, as such, I believe it is my responsibility to formally ask for your forgiveness and can only be hopeful that these sore feelings between our nations might be overcomed in the future.” 

This single statement – brought Luthorian policymakers in Fort William to a standstill, it was technically a direct apology from the Sovereign on behalf of the nation concerning its colonial crimes – an unprecedented step in recent Luthorian history.  

In Luthori, reactions were mixed, conservative groups such as the Hosian People’s Party denounced a “regrettable choice of words”, the Conservative government has for its part, acknowledged the “unforgiving reality of Luthori’s actions in its former colonies” and has promised to “promptly address” these issues. The left-wing opposition however, commanded the emperor for having “stepped on a very difficult topic”, stated a Green party statement, the Labour Party stated through party leader Holian-Keaty that “colonisation was a terrible crime and it is good that someone finally acknowledges it for what it is.” 

In Bianjie, the majority of the political class commanded Emperor William’s address during this state visit, although some called for more actions to be enacted as part of a large “reparation program”, as petitioned by some anti-visit protestors and Bianjie’s far-left in the PCP, the Bianjie far-right has nonetheless stated their opposition to the state visit, dismissing Emperor William’s words as “merely a political stunt to make us forget about their crimes”. 

The Emperor and the Empress, alongside the Khan then visited the newly built College of Dovani and the Ersangi University of Technology, embarking in Bianjie’s state-of-the-art railroad infrastructure to reach their destination. Emperor William XI expressed the hope of “seeing cultural cooperation and exchanges develop between Luthori and Bianjie in the next years”, a statement which was widely seen as far too early as Bianjie and Luthori are still mending wounds from their shared history in colonialism. 

Emperor William XI praised Bianjie’s “innovation nature”, as the nation has been innovating on many fields – helping its integration in current global politics as a player that matters.  

The Emperor and Empress left Bianjie on the morning following the visit of the two education institutions to set sail on their next visit, Xsampa. Their Bianjie state visit will be likely remembered as a turning post - the first time, where formally, the Luthorian monarchy acknowledged its and the nation's role in the subjugation of millions of people throughout the world.