The Xiomeran government has renewed expulsions of Huenyans and foreign nationals from certain countries in territories it has annexed from Huenya.
The Xiomeran government last conducted mass expulsions from Xiomera proper, in May of 2022. Those expulsions resulted in thousands of Huenyans, Eirians, Lauchenoirians and Milinticans being expelled from the country. The Xiomeran government has renewed its expulsion policy, except this time people are being expelled from its newly annexed provinces of Tihanang and Xonacatlán.
The Xiomeran government has refused any comment, but sources on the ground at the border between Huenya and the newly annexed provinces report that thousands of people have been forced across the border since approximately midnight on November 2nd. The mass exodus is expected to place a severe strain on already stressed Huenyan emergency services and infrastructure.
Huenya approves Xiomeran homeland plan
Despite the actions of Xiomera, Huenya has chosen not to embrace ethnic-based discrimination or retaliate against ethnic Xiomerans. The Huenyan Federal Legislature passed a bill today to create an ethnic Xiomeran homeland out of predominantly Xiomeran territories in its existing three regions.
Huenya is currently divided into three regions for the Tepiltzin, Itotemoc and Necatli tribes. The new plan will create a fourth region for Xiomerans across a wide span of the existing three regions, with its own regional government and leadership to match the other three.
The proposal was unanimously passed by the Chamber of Executives but faced a much tougher fight in the Chamber of Deputies. Opponents of the bill claimed that it would dilute Itotemoc, Tepiltzin and Necatli representation in the legislature, and force a reapportionment of seats. Opponents also said that the bill was an abandonment of the Unification Party platform plank that declares Xiomera proper to be part of the Huenyan Federation and a region to be eventually absorbed into Huenya. Under that plank, Xiomeran ethnic representation was supposed to be guaranteed by Xiomera itself becoming part of Huenya.
Supporters of the bill said that it would bring ethnic Xiomerans more fully into the Huenyan fold and would blunt the appeal of the Golden Blade terrorist group. They also said that the bill would more fairly represent all four major tribes in Huenya. The bill eventually passed by a vote of 135 to 105, after a passionate speech from Vice-Speaker Xiadani in support.
“Now is the time for Huenya to demonstrate that we are better than the Xiomeran Empire, and that we value and respect all people living in our country despite the best efforts of the Imperial regime to divide and split us apart. Now is the time for Huenya to show the world that we can, and will, stick together as a nation no matter what the crisis. This is the time for us to show everyone that we can, and will, rise above hatred and violence and choose a better future for everyone in Huenya,” the Vice-Speaker said. “Everyone in Huenya, including Xiomerans, deserves representation, equal status and a seat at the table as we decide our fate together.”
In order to avoid diluting the representation of each region and increase support for the bill, the Legislature approved an amendment to increase the size of the Chamber of Deputies by 80 seats for the new region. A special legislative election for the 80 new seats in the Xiomeran region of Huenya will be held in December 2023, at which time the Chamber will expand to 320 seats.
