M'Biruna

M'Biruna, officially the Republic of M'Biruna (M'Bweni: *Iriphublikhi ka M'Biruna*) is a country on the eastern coast of Central Scipia with a coastline on the Ozeros Sea. M'Biruna is bordered to the north by Kembesa and Charnea, and also shares a maritime border with Bemiritra. The capital is Insukamini, while the largest city is Getjenge. The population is concentrated particularly along the coast and the highveldt of the Agysimban hinterland.

A great number of early hominid fossils have been discovered in M'Biruna, particularly in the vicinity of the Umlilo Ntaba Volcano and the Imbongolo Izithelo Gorge where numerous examples of Homo Ibirungus have been unearthed. These hominids dominated M'Biruna until the coming of Homo Sapiens in the Kho'ka people who were in turn replaced by the Tongo-Tongo peoples who arrived from the west of Scipia around 3500 years ago. The Tongo-Tongo were followed by the Komuntu peoples, particularly the Amaveni tribe who became predominant in the area until the circa 1300 arrival of the Imbesu tribe. The arrival of the Imbesu also marked the establishment of roughly the same borders that M'Biruna occupies today.

## Etymology

The name M'Biruna is believed to derive from the Tongo-Tongo word *ibirunga* which translates as volcano. This name is almost certainly related to the now extinct Umlilo Ntaba Volcano which dominates the northern quarter of M'Biruna and was the centre of the Tongo-Tongo kingdom until it's conquest by the Amaveni.

## History

Prehistory-First men? Homo Ibirungus. Kho'ka hunter gatherer people gradually driven off the hills by the Tongo-Tongo

Antiquity-Tongo-Tongo Kingdoms, renowned ancient mercenaries fighters, Meroe Head equivalent stolen from the Latin dogs. Arrival of the Amaveni

Middle Ages-Those sea faring boys turn up and make themselves known on the coast, the Amaveni take over. The Imbesu come a raiding on their Quaggas.

Early Modern-Ingubu splinter off the Imbesu and conquer the volcano and the northern hills. Amaveni get raided and subjagated.

Modern-Amaveni trick/pay off the Ingubu into invading Imbesuland and uniting M'Biruna. Possible commie times, civil war, de facto independence of Agysimba. Tongo-Tongo revolt and Anteker rising crushed by central government.

## Politics and Government

The M'Birunan government consists of three branches; the executive, legislative and judicial. The executive branch is comprised of the President of the Republic, his deputy and the Indaba of Ministers.

The legislative branch of the government consists of the unicameral, 166 seat Indaba elected from constituencies across the nation. The Indaba's current integrity is damaged by the fact that the 72 seats which reside inside the de facto independent Republic of Agysimba continue to be filled by members of the ruling Amaveni Worker's and People's Party under a law decreeing that in the event an election cannot take place, the incumbent Indaba Member (IM) will continue to serve their constituency until such a time as a vote can be held. This has led to some IMs holding their seats since the last election in 1982, which was widely alleged to be rigged and one of the key causes of the M'Birunan Civil War.

While nominally a democracy the M'Birunan government is closer to being a semi-hereditary authoritarian dictatorship with power concentrated in the hands of the military and a political elite and their families, with both the Indaba and the judiciary having little actual power beyond rubber stamping the decisions of the President and the Indaba of Ministers and both being stuffed with supporters of the ruling AWPP.

M'Biruna is notable for having only allowing 3 political parties to participate in elections, supposedly to prevent overt tribalism in the politics of the nation. However this is made a mockery of by the existence of the ruling Amaveni Worker's and People's Party.

### Constitution

The M'Birunan Constitution is currently suspended and all power is wielded by the government. The Constitution was suspended in 1984 as the M'Birunan Civil War escalated and a state of emergency was declared. The Nkomo Accords which ended the violence in 2006 included the framework for a new M'Birunan constitution which was to be used by a new federal M'Biurna, however the failure to reintegrate Agysimba into the nation and the refusal of the AWPP to hold free and fair elections in M'Biruna means this has never been adopted.

### Justice

There are three levels of judiciary in M'Biruna, starting with the Local or Kraal level courts which deal primarily with low level crime such as robbery, minor drug offences and parking fines. These courts are often unofficially established by a village and have their verdicts confirmed by a local magistrate in the more serious offences while relying on community support for the enforcement of lesser punishments. These courts are considered by traditionalists as one of the last holdouts of the pre-Republican society of the M'Birunan tribes, where councils of elders would decide how and when to apply the law within their communities.

The next level of the courts is the Constituency Court which deals with the majority of criminal cases within the Indaba constituency it is situated in. Usual cases begin with thefts totalling over 100,000 Imalis, sexual crimes and violent offences above that of common assault. These courts are considered to be highly inefficient due in part to corruption, but mainly due to the absence of qualified judges leaving many constituencies without a functioning court system and being forced to send their cases to neighbouring constituencies creating long delays and legal arguments about jurisdiction.

The final level of the judiciary is the Elders Court, which functions as a supreme court and can theoretically hold the government to account. However being an appointed court it is filled with supporters of the government and is devoid of independence and has not challenged a single government decision since it's inception in 1998.

### Police

The M'Birunan Police is divided into seven departments; Public Order, Criminal Detection, Traffic, Border Guards, Riot Police, Reserve and the Emergency Intervention Police. There are 6500 officers, the majority in uniform with only 200 qualified detective and 100 senior officers. The Association of Ozeros Nations are currently helping to advance forensic and other detection techniques through exchange programmes and increased education for specialist officers, however AON observers have noted the politicisation of the police force and are attempting to encourage the M'Birunan police to take a non-political approach to law and order.