New Bava - The Newspaper for the Twenty-First Century - Circulation 215,000 est.

6 August 1998

News flash: Michael Grey says he's staying loyal to Cyberia

Last week Mike Rosario, former leader of the Communist Party and former Deputy for Menet, formed his own nation, on democratic communist lines. It was reported that the new nation would soon be publishing a declaration of independence stating its grievances against the Virtual Commonwealth of Cyberia. Citizens of the new nation have already set up web pages and a forum, and are debating a possible constitution for the new country, which, it is currently proposed, will be divided into six states, plus Mala and Windsor. Rosario is acting as Premier Pro Tempore of the new republic. His web pages tell visitors that "East Cyberia" was formed in protest at undemocratic procedures in Cyberia. As a consequence, East Cyberia proposes to enshrine the right to appeal, the right to counsel, and other liberties that were allegedly denied to Rosario in the Cyberia lawsuit, in its constitution. The East Cyberian Premier has given an interview to the Micronational Monitor, a popular Cyberian journal, claiming that his trial was unfair for numerous reasons. This week, Peter Hickey denied that he dominates Cyberia, and hit back at accusations that Rosario received an unfair trial. Rosario's jury included two Socialists, one of whom became a Malan revolutionary.

The revolution in Mala started late last week and came to fruition a couple of days ago, when Governor Cohen of Mala, Deputy Michael Key, Deputy Michael Jones, Deputy Heather Moore (Bava), and others revealed that they had been orchestrating the revolution from the very highest levels, and had received the assistance of East Cyberian troops. However, former Speaker Peter Hickey, and Acting President Vadim Pokolitov, both of the PFP, complained publicly that the rebel citizens' actions were in contravention of the Simulation Control Act. Shortly before the Socialist Party members in Mala (plus at least one in Bava) announced their resignation from Cyberia and their defection to East Cyberia, Governor Richard Pond (SP-Bava) announced that he was disaffiliating the SP-Mala from the SP of Cyberia with immediate effect, as an emergency disciplinary measure. Now that all revolutionaries are resigning Cyberian citizenship, no further disciplinary action will be necessary, but the Cyberian Socialist Party is left a shadow of its former self. Former Deputy Michael Key reportedly apologized to SP members for any embarrassment the revolution had caused them. This newspaper's sister-journal, the Malan Post, has now been taken over by the revolutionaries.

Exactly how many SP members would remain in Cyberia (called "West Cyberia" by its ideological opponents) and how many more would defect to East Cyberia remained unclear at the time of going to press.

East Cyberia forms Vanguard organization

Yesterday Travis Dandy of East Cyberia told comrades that all political organizations in the country would have to accept principles, including: "It is not possible to abolish capitalism without a revolution. Since the ruling class will not give up power violence will have to be used. The revolution is a time of bloodshed as well as liberation." Premier Mike Rosario, revealed as a moderate, argued that in some cases peaceful means of revolution might be possible.

Pond Publishes New Book

Governor Pond has just published a new book, "Cyberian Communism: A Political Obituary". Published by Bava University Press today, the Governor's book describes in detail the rise and fall of the Communist Workers Party of Cyberia, and also comments extensively on the problematic alliance constructed between the SP and CWP (and also the former LDP). The SP ended the alliance once Cyberian socialism seemed strong enough to get by on its own, and once the coalition had become more of a liability than a help to the party. It is revealed for the first time that Rosario was initially irritated over Pond's decision (which he later backed). Pond's book takes readers from the founding of the CWP and its hounding by the Harrop regime right up to the trial verdict against Rosario. The trial is described in detail but Pond does not enter into the dispute over the fairness of the trial (of which he was juror). The book is sure to raise much political interest both in Cyberia and abroad. In the province of Bava alone, 9,200 advance copies have been ordered.

Other Stories

Hickey Set to Regain Speakership. The sudden departure of Mike Jones leaves Peter Hickey in a strong position to regain the Cyberian Speakership if he wants it. Governor Pond (SP-Bava) agreed that Hickey would be ideal for the job.

Pokoliov Celebrates Departure of Far Left. On the Cyberian Forum, Pokolitov said that we had now seen the departure of the "radical" leftism represented by Key, Dandy, et al. Asked to comment by New Bava, Gov. Pond told us that he agreed that Dandy and Rosario were radical leftists, but that until the revolution took place, he couldn't see any reason to apply the term to Key and Jones. Key had always advocated "market socialism"; Jones called himself "centre-left"; and many of the Mala socialists had favoured an early weakening of the alliance with the CWP. But the Mala party has now sided firmly with the radicals, and, like the WSWP, left Cyberia. Gov. Pond told New Bava that he shared Mr Pokolitov's hopes that those SP members remaining in Cyberia would rebuild the party and its standing. He was relieved that the party's opponents were not launching a witchhunt.

New Bava is published by the Bavan News Company (BNC), a workers' cooperative.