A group of Milintican activists have been arrested by Xiomeran authorities after they entered a secured military zone on the Chenalco Islands as part of a protest.
The Milintican activists are members of the Milintican Communist Party and were protesting Xiomeran occupation of the islands. Known as Aoatea in Milintica, the islands were previously a Milintican province. They were occupied by Xiomera during the Great War and remained in their possession after the conflict. Xiomera officially annexed the islands in 1979, naming them the Chenalco Islands Province after the Xiomeran admiral Chenalco who led the operation to seize them during the war.
Milintica routinely demands the return of the islands. But the MCP has accused President MatÅchmizalo and his government of being too passive on the issue. Today’s protest was organized by the MCP as “a way of reasserting Milintican sovereignty over Aoatea, and demanding the return of our rightful lands,” MCP Premier Neina Arana told DTNS.
The activists entered a secured military zone around Ilhuidira Naval Base, the main naval base on the islands. They managed to get past a perimeter fence and plant a Milintican flag before being arrested by Xiomeran military police. The flag was burned on the spot by the Xiomerans, who then arrested five activists, according to a sixth activist who managed to escape with a video recording of the incident.
The video is rapidly spreading through social media, and Milinticans are already protesting in large numbers over the incident. While the Xiomeran government has refused to comment, it is likely that the activists will be facing a military tribunal over the incident, since it took place on a military base.
