CUBORICA:
Staring into the Abyss

The Interest Groups:
National divisions which had formed along political party lines coincide with ethnicity and socioeconomic status as well as geographic location. The southern border of Cuborica is just north of the 15^o north latitude. (Map of Cuborica)

The region dominated by the ethnic Boreacans (the National Alliance Party) has attempted secession in the past when they lost control of the national government and continues to threaten disunion today. Boreacan territory is rich in the natural resources (especially oil) that have been a staple export and source of revenue in the unified nation's budget. While power-sharing has historically been an issue between the National Alliance and the Common Sense Party (dominated by ethnic Japicas), both groups have enjoyed a socioeconomic and political status significantly above that of the Cubnians, a group long subjugated under repressive national policy. The Cubnians, spurred by the dissolution of the national infrastructure, have begun coalescing in an association being called the Freedom Party.

Political Structure and Party Leadership:
Prime Minister and National Alliance Party Leader: Alexander Isayevich Khomeini
President and Common Sense Party Leader: Reiza Selassie
Freedom Party Party Leader: Haile Solzhenitsyn

Cuborica has a parliamentary system which means a legislative and executive branch. The president, responsible for domestic affairs, is a Japica, while the Prime Minister, responsible for foreign affairs, is a Boreacan. Cuborica is also divided into provinces and the division of power between the national government and the individual provincial governments is sometimes unclear.

Foreign Relations and the Military:
Most international experts agree that the reported numbers of enlisted or conscripted fighters may far under-represent the actual number of military or paramilitary personnel on each side. Best estimates claim that the army of the National Army has about 800,000 enlisted soldiers, the National Alliance represents about 1/2 of the total number of currently enlisted soldiers. It is impossible to tell how many Cubnians have joined the Freedom Party paramilitary force.

The surrounding countries of Kosnia, Cupan, Bosgovnia and Aforea all have significant Cubnian minorities; in Bosgovnia, Boreacans are the ethnic majority. Both the Japicas and the Boreacans in Cuborica have solicited foreign support for their objectives. The National Alliance has curried the favor of  South Austrica (Prime Minister Alija Ganic), and Common Sense maintains ties within the government of Latvistan (President Margaret Chirac).

Economy and Social Structure:
Cuborica has a mixed economy; there is some agriculture, but the manufacturing/industrial sectors and oil exportation dominate the economy. While not a global economic leader, it certainly is of consequence to global economic and political health. The Cubnians are 34% of the total population of 4,530,000 and are the poorest of the nation's residents. Japicas dominate the wealthy class; Boreacans are middle or working class. Despite a short tenure in charge of the national government, they have had to endure the policies of the Japica-run administrations. Most Boreacans believe the Japicas enforced economic policies that maintained Boreacan working-class socioeconomic status. Recently, the province of Ricastan (wholly in Boreacan territory) refused to pay an import tax on luxury manufactured electronic goods levied by the Japica-dominated national legislature.

Boreacans are 25% of the overall population, 35% is Japica, 34% Cubnian, and 6% other; Boreacans and Japicas are of European descent; Cubnians trace their ancestry to west Africa.

Ethnic Cubnians were denied education, suffrage and residency in Boreacan or Japican townships. However, they were granted work papers which allowed them to be employed as day laborers in the townships.

There is a 90% literacy rate among Boreacans and Japicas.

Religion was outlawed.

TUNA News Network

Additional Background Information

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THE SIMULATION:
Your group will represent one of the interest groups in this potentially cataclysmic situation. You will become the members of this interest group, you must think, feel, speak and act as they would. Check your identity at the door.

Roles:
Japicas in Cuborica
President and Common Sense Party Leader: Reiza Selassie

Deputy Ministers rule at the pleasure of the President, thus they are expected to agree with and carry out the administration's policy as it pertains to their area of management. Ministers in disagreement with the administration are expected to resign their post. Ministerial duties are defined below.

Minister of Domestic Affairs: chief diplomat or ambassador, deals with matters of state
Minister of Security: oversees foreign military ventures
Minister of Homeland Defense: oversees domestic policing and security
Treasury Minister: oversees budgeting setting and expenditures
Education Minister: responsible for curriculum-setting and allocation of funds
Justice Minister: executes the laws as legislated by Parliament
Minister of Commerce: manages all of Cuborica's foreign trade and works to establish domestic trade policy
Labor Minister: sets fair labor standards, arbitrates labor disputes
Resources Minister: manages the harvesting, distribution and sale of all natural resources
 

Boreacans in Cuborica
Prime Minister and National Alliance Party Leader: Alexander Isayevich Khomeini

Since Common Sense has control of the Presidency and Parliament the National Alliance is not represented in the cabinet. The leadership structure of the Party is outlined below.

Treasurer General: strategizes for fundraising, allocates financial resources
Information, Publicity and Research: sets and promotes the party platform (PR)
Manpower and Development: recruiting membership and growing the organization
Foreign Affairs: sets party policy regarding foreign affairs and relations
Four Provincial Representatives: represent and serve the interests of individual provinces in party planning
 

Cubnians in Cuborica
Freedom Party Leader: Haile Solzhenitsyn

The term "party" applies loosely to this organization. While it originally emerged as a political organization with the goal of securing Cubnian recognition by the government, analysts suspect the transition apparently underway to a paramilitary group may be signaling a split in the organization. Most suspect if the split occurs ties will be maintained between the political and paramilitary organizations but the current infrastructure, as outlined below, will only apply to the political organization; some of the party leaders may take up arms instead of continuing their political activities.

Treasurer General: strategizes for fundraising, allocates financial resources
Information, Publicity and Research: sets and promotes the party platform (PR)
Manpower and Development: recruiting membership and growing the organization
Foreign Affairs: sets party policy regarding foreign affairs and relations
Four Provincial Representatives: represent and serve the interests of individual provinces in party planning
 

Information:
In order to accurately represent your interest group you must get to know your people. Ask questions to supplement the information provided here. Decide and articulate for yourselves what the needs, interests and goals of your group are. What issues do you know need to be addressed? What other issues do you assume exist? What are the priorities of your interest group or nation? You may submit requests for additional information to TUNA (Teachers Unified National Alliance) - responses will be posted on the Additional Background Information page.

The Latest Development:
The government of Cuborica has just initiated a foreign policy maneuver that will spark action from the different parties within the country and surrounding nations as well. You must react to this catalyst (not to mention defend the accuracy and legitimacy of your reaction) and then to the subsequent actions of the other groups/ and nations...is war inevitable? can further bloodshed be avoided? is peace possible? Regardless of the outcome, at what price is it reached?

Between Cuborica and Bosgovnia is 140 square miles of disputed territory known as the Rhine Strip; relations between Cuborica and Bosgovnia are historically tense. A recent period of detente is ending because the Japica government has begun militarizing the border of Cuborica along the Rhine Strip. Many suspect the government is developing plans to invade both the territory and ultimately oil-rich Bosgovnia, and will conscript the Boreacans to fight. Boreacans comprise a majority of the population of Bosgovnia thus complicating relations between Boreacans and Japicas in Cuborica.Jacques Blacque, self-appointed leader of the radical wing of the National Alliance Party, leads his Boreacan supporters on a raid of the federal weapons arsenal in DaNangistan to seize weapons and foment a rebellion against the Japica government of Cuborica.