| Coruscant_Journal | Date: Friday, 08 November 13, 5:17 PM | Message # 1 |
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Anti-Slavery Group Denounces Tiure, Pryce
Lorrd, Kanz Sector — In a statement released this morning, the Lorrdian Anti-Slavery Society has denounced Jamulon Tiure, who came to power in the Cygnus Star Empire last week in an apparent coup de'tat, for introducing slavery as a punishment for crimes, including the crime of "speaking ill of the sovereign"—that is, Mr. Tiure himself. The Society also condemned Chancellor Pryce for not mentioning slavery in his remarks about Mr. Tiure's coup de'tat.
Also known as 'Jamie the Hutt,' Mr. Tiure, whose waste disposal company faces multiple lawsuits in Republic space for pollution, came to power in the Oktos Sector-based Cygnus Star Empire last week, employing mercenaries to depose the former Emperor. Tiure, who has assumed the powers of the Emperor—but styled himself as the "Bey" of the Cygnus Star Empire, an ancient Huttese title—proclaimed that "speaking ill of the sovereign or encouraging dissent shall be punishable by exile or being reduced to slavery, along with all children and the spouse of the convicted traitor."
The Lorrdian Anti-Slavery Society, based in the city of Qatamer on the planet Lorrd, today denounced Mr. Tiure for "introducing slavery to the Mid Rim," and Chancellor Pryce for "doing nothing about it."
"Jamie the Hutt is turning a Mid Rim sector over to Hutt slavers," read the Society's statement, "and the Chancellor is doing nothing about it. The leader of the Republic should speak out against slavery wherever it exists, but not once did Chancellor Pryce mention it in his remarks to the Senate last week."
Chancellor Pryce had told the Senate that "I see no reason that peaceful relations between the Republic and the Cygnus Star Empire need be interrupted." The Chancellor demanded that "the Oktos Run... remain open to Republic commerce in accordance with long-standing treaty obligations," but made no reference to slavery.
The institution of slavery has been illegal for thousands of years, but is still widely-practiced outside of Republic space, and even on some Republic worlds—most of these under the influence of the Hutt Cartel. The Republic-friendly Cygnus Star Empire, which encompasses almost thirty star systems in the mostly uninhabited Oktos Sector, shares a border with Hutt Space.
Mr. Tiure has also ordered an end to "any present law enforcement cooperation arrangements" with the Republic, and proclaimed that "Huttese chartered vessels will be permitted to transit and/or deposit goods in the Cygnus Star Empire without being subject to customs inspection or search." These proclamations have raised concerns in the Senate that, through Mr. Tiure, the Hutt Cartel is projecting its influence beyond the borders of Hutt Space, expanding the slave trade, and may soon control the twenty-seven systems of the Cygnus Star Empire in all but name.
Pryce, already embroiled in the so-called 'Aargau Scandal,' has been heavily-criticized for his handling of the coup. "The Republic risks losing its credibility on the Mid and Outer Rims if it can't even stand up for the most basic Rights of Sentience," the Lorrdian Anti-Slavery Society's statement read. "If Chancellor Pryce won't stand up to Hutt slavers, then the Republic needs new leadership.
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