Union of Tonal
Situated off the south-east coast of Africa, the Tonal island group is a nation divided by conflict between government forces and rebel militias, who range from rag tag tribal fighters to well equipped guerrilla armies. A relatively remote place, it serves as an import and export enclave for nations deeper in Africa. The governments main source of trade is the import of food for the nation’s inhabitants and the export of processed raw materials. The rebels primarily use Tonal as a low key and easily accessible place to smuggle weapons and drugs in and out of Africa. The money gained is used to fund their ever present struggle to overthrow the legitimate western backed Tonalese government.
The internal fighting doesn’t usually draw much attention from the outside world, but the government does have strong diplomatic ties with stronger nations and the illegal operations of the rebels is beginning to draw attention from various countries due to the unchecked flow of money, weapons, and drugs. US Army Special Forces have been known to operate in co-operation with government troops and scouts against rebel forces. Foreign legion forces also occasionally conduct operations in support of European citizens who frequently get into compromising situations. Whether there for business or travel, Western citizens are prime targets of opportunity for kidnapping, providing an abundant income source for some rebel factions. Other European countries have also conducted operations on the isle in the past, usually to promote their own foreign interests by using the rebel presence on the island as an excuse to push their agendas through the United Nations. Eastern Block nations are also particularly active in business, training and military ties to maintain links with Soviet and former Soviet industries and regimes that were on Tonalis during the Cold War. This has lead to large proportion of aging Soviet hardware on the isles.
The civilian population is mostly poor and reliant on government food imports and small farms for local food sources. The government also provides for the construction of housing projects in the eastern desert and maintains/guards the fertile central areas. The peripheral islands called the “Tonalis” surrounding the main island of “Tonal”, are largely maintained by small communities supported by the government for farming, military training and prisons. The larger Tonalis have succumbed to rebel militia control in recent months and have since threatened to form break-away states. The TDF (Tonal Defence Force) often deploy by air in force to the various Tonali's to quell uprisings, usually started by rebel insurgents who infiltrate the communities and successfully coerce civilians into becoming sympathetic to the rebel cause. When farm dominant islands in the Tonali's fall under militia control, the mainland's vital food sources stop flowing into the desert cities which often provides for a constant source for conflict between forces. Small pockets of the population are merchants, fishermen, hunters and farmers, providing basic food needs for their small communities. The population is largely tribal based, with a small Muslim minority of merchants.
Although territorial lines are being redefined each day, in general, east of the main river of Tonal is government held territory. West of the river is generally referred to as no-man's land until the dry bushlands of Zinaba, which are predominantly controlled by the rebels and used for their smuggling operations. The northern and central desert towns of Ixtlan and Kimbe have slowly been reverting to militia held towns. Although officially still under TDF control, guerrilla attacks and assassinations make most government officials believe that those towns are already lost. Most of the governments military focus is on the green hills of the Lorengau province, and the capital city of Tatu. The government believes that losing the rich Lorengau area to rebels would leave them with infertile desert and a capital city full of restless civilians to defend. The powerful Tatu Guard detachment works daily on routing out militia from the city and surrounding towns largely due to the commonly held theory that if they were to fall the government would no longer hold power, and most probably become a militia faction themselves.
While the government protects its territory, highly mobile groups of rebels often break through or infiltrate past the river to raid government towns for resources. The government maintains a small air force to defend against these raids and this force is on in a constant state of high alert to rapidly react to potential threats. The eastern city of Tatu, the seat of power and main garrison for the Government, has never been successfully raided by the rebels but is constantly harassed by militia uprisings. While the green centre of the island is the main goal of rebel forces, they hope to one day take the eastern city. Attempted insurgencies and occasional civilian/militia uprisings across the mainland and surrounding islands often results in long, drawn out, urban conflicts which evolve into bloody tribal battles throughout the eastern and central areas. These tribal wars often have nothing to do with the government or rebel agendas and are the catalyst for triggering old wounds between tribes.
From the CIA World Factbook
Situated off the south-east coast of Africa, the Tonal island group is a nation divided by conflict between government forces and rebel militias, who range from rag tag tribal fighters to well equipped guerrilla armies. A relatively remote place, it serves as an import and export enclave for nations deeper in Africa. The governments main source of trade is the import of food for the nation’s inhabitants and the export of processed raw materials. The rebels primarily use Tonal as a low key and easily accessible place to smuggle weapons and drugs in and out of Africa. The money gained is used to fund their ever present struggle to overthrow the legitimate western backed Tonalese government.
The internal fighting doesn’t usually draw much attention from the outside world, but the government does have strong diplomatic ties with stronger nations and the illegal operations of the rebels is beginning to draw attention from various countries due to the unchecked flow of money, weapons, and drugs. US Army Special Forces have been known to operate in co-operation with government troops and scouts against rebel forces. Foreign legion forces also occasionally conduct operations in support of European citizens who frequently get into compromising situations. Whether there for business or travel, Western citizens are prime targets of opportunity for kidnapping, providing an abundant income source for some rebel factions. Other European countries have also conducted operations on the isle in the past, usually to promote their own foreign interests by using the rebel presence on the island as an excuse to push their agendas through the United Nations. Eastern Block nations are also particularly active in business, training and military ties to maintain links with Soviet and former Soviet industries and regimes that were on Tonalis during the Cold War. This has lead to large proportion of aging Soviet hardware on the isles.
The civilian population is mostly poor and reliant on government food imports and small farms for local food sources. The government also provides for the construction of housing projects in the eastern desert and maintains/guards the fertile central areas. The peripheral islands called the “Tonalis” surrounding the main island of “Tonal”, are largely maintained by small communities supported by the government for farming, military training and prisons. The larger Tonalis have succumbed to rebel militia control in recent months and have since threatened to form break-away states. The TDF (Tonal Defence Force) often deploy by air in force to the various Tonali's to quell uprisings, usually started by rebel insurgents who infiltrate the communities and successfully coerce civilians into becoming sympathetic to the rebel cause. When farm dominant islands in the Tonali's fall under militia control, the mainland's vital food sources stop flowing into the desert cities which often provides for a constant source for conflict between forces. Small pockets of the population are merchants, fishermen, hunters and farmers, providing basic food needs for their small communities. The population is largely tribal based, with a small Muslim minority of merchants.
Although territorial lines are being redefined each day, in general, east of the main river of Tonal is government held territory. West of the river is generally referred to as no-man's land until the dry bushlands of Zinaba, which are predominantly controlled by the rebels and used for their smuggling operations. The northern and central desert towns of Ixtlan and Kimbe have slowly been reverting to militia held towns. Although officially still under TDF control, guerrilla attacks and assassinations make most government officials believe that those towns are already lost. Most of the governments military focus is on the green hills of the Lorengau province, and the capital city of Tatu. The government believes that losing the rich Lorengau area to rebels would leave them with infertile desert and a capital city full of restless civilians to defend. The powerful Tatu Guard detachment works daily on routing out militia from the city and surrounding towns largely due to the commonly held theory that if they were to fall the government would no longer hold power, and most probably become a militia faction themselves.
While the government protects its territory, highly mobile groups of rebels often break through or infiltrate past the river to raid government towns for resources. The government maintains a small air force to defend against these raids and this force is on in a constant state of high alert to rapidly react to potential threats. The eastern city of Tatu, the seat of power and main garrison for the Government, has never been successfully raided by the rebels but is constantly harassed by militia uprisings. While the green centre of the island is the main goal of rebel forces, they hope to one day take the eastern city. Attempted insurgencies and occasional civilian/militia uprisings across the mainland and surrounding islands often results in long, drawn out, urban conflicts which evolve into bloody tribal battles throughout the eastern and central areas. These tribal wars often have nothing to do with the government or rebel agendas and are the catalyst for triggering old wounds between tribes.
From the CIA World Factbook
- Tonal, the, official Union of Tonal (1996 est. pop. 70,000), 655 sq km, occupying most of the Tonali Islands, an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, at the southern end of the Mozambique Channel, between Madagascar and Mozambique. The capital city is Tatu. It is comprised of one main island, Tonal (formerly Grande Tonale) , and At'l (formerly Moheli), and numerous coral reefs and islets called locally as Tonali('s). They are volcanic in origin, with interiors that vary from high peaks to low hills and coastlines that feature many sandy beaches. Tonali 3 is the site of a still-active volcano, Atman Hill, which, at 7,746 ft (2,361 m), is the islands' highest peak.
The Tonals have a tropical climate with the year almost evenly divided between dry and rainy seasons; cyclones (hurricanes) are quite frequent. The islands once supported extensive rain forests, but most have been severely depleted. Rare tsunami waves have destroyed entire Tonali's in the past, parts of the mainland Tonal was once ruined by large waves and flood.
The indigenous people are a mix of African, Arab, and Asian (mostly Indian and Malay) descent. Islam is the state religion (with Sunni predominating), and there is a sizable Roman Catholic minority due to some Christian missionaries.
With few natural resources, poor soil, and overpopulation, the islands are one of the world's poorest nations. Some 80% of the people are involved in agriculture. Vanilla, cloves, ylang-ylang (used in perfumes), copra and palm oil are the major exports; cassava and bananas are also grown. Rice and other foodstuffs, cement, petroleum products, transport vehicles, and consumer goods are imported. The country is heavily dependent on Europe for trade and foreign aid since a small diamond mine in the north closed (1987). Tonal is a member of the Euro Zone.
Tonal is divided into 13 provinces. In addition to the capital, other cities include Ixtlan and Kimbe, and towns such as Vanimo, Lorengau and Balimo. The principal ethnic groups/tribes are, in the north, the Uzima and Useni; in the centre, the Maarifa and Badawi; and in the south, the Wambui and Zaituni. Small numbers of Badawi live along the coast. The population also includes small numbers of Europeans and those of mixed African and European descent, as well as some Asian Indians and Chinese. Tonal has 15 official languages, some of which are indigenous-Zulu, Xhosa, Tswana, Sotho, Swazi, Venda, Ndebele, Pedi, and Tsonga. Use of the languages can vary from province to province.
• About 25% of the inhabitants of Tonal follow traditional religious beliefs (mainly tribal militias)
• 15% are Roman Catholics
• 60% Muslims (most of whom live in the north and east deserts).
Many indigenous people also speak Afrikaans (the first language of about 60% of the whites and the majority of those of mixed race) or English (the first language of most of the rest of the non blacks). A lingua franca called Fanagalo developed in the mining areas, but it is not widely used today. It has been used by insurgents as a secret language in the past, elite TDF scouts can speak it fluently for that reason. About 60% of the population is Muslim. Over 20% of the population follows traditional African religions, and there are small minorities of Christians, Hindus, and Jews. More fighting is cause right across Tonal from tribal disputes than the mix of religions, but it is not always that way.
Tonal's executive branch is headed by a president who is elected by popular vote for a five-year term. The unicameral legislature consists of a 150-seat assembly whose members are also popularly elected for five-year terms. Larger Tonali's conduct their own elections and send elected officials to collectively fill 80 of the 150 seats.
