1995 Karthira riots

The 1995 Karthira riots, also known as The Events of 1995, Red November or Battle for Karthira was a period of political instability in the city of Sajnirt-Karthira-Garedero characterized by protests, riots and armed rebellion against the annexation of Irdenja by Torberia that was resolved by military force followed by negotiations.

Ever since the execution of Operation Halatejat political tensions in the region of Irdenja's former capital have only increased with time, peaking at the decision of November 11th that declared the region of Karthira to be a core part of Torberia proper, effectively reducing the autonomy of ethnic Irdenjans living in the area.

In response, parts of local government and militant groups organized a successful coup attempt on November 13th that prompted military intervention by Torberia and loyal Torberian police. Street violence exploded over the next week, taking the lives of hundreds of people and reaching it's climax by the end of the month. The conflict concluded with the arrest of the Sajnirt Sigejda and negotiations with revolutionary groups.

According to the 1995 Riots Investigatory Comittee, 216 people were killed and 551 were wounded, although the authenticity of these numbers has frequently been put into question by international observers.

State of occupied Karthira
The Torberian invasion of Irdenja commenced in summer of 1991 and lasted until the capitulation of the Irdenjan Armed Forces on August 4th of the same year. In the following months that were characterized by fierce guerilla warfare both in the cities and the rural areas, Irdenjan infrastructure and economic output rapidly deteriorated as the local police became increasingly militarized, crushing all dissent to allow for incorporation of coastal areas into the Torberian state.

Karthira, formely Sajnirt, was one of the cities that got spared by rapid destruction of infrastructure, having been taken by the army in the first few weeks of the conflict. Former member of Sigejda, Luminar Irdenjan Karágaj Duca, active during the times of occupation, would later become the governor of Karthira following the dissolution of military government in the region. Duca was tasked with bringing reconciliation between Torberians and Irdenjans and improving the living conditions of Karthiran citizens, but, due to unrealistic expectations from Torberian bureaucratic apparatus, was replaced in summer of 1993 by Kárnt Hástlat-Kárthira, a prominent pre-war advocate for Torberian integration.

Initial protests against this decision were met with force and promises of a proper Irdenjan autonomy. Under Kárnt, the economy of the region started the process of recovery, with unemployment in the region finally stagnating at 23.3%. In spite of that, he still received criticism for his overreliance on Torberian funds in fueling Karthiran economic growth. Hástlat-Kárthira reopened the Sajnirt Sigejda in 1994, although the legislative organ had little to no real power and was mostly filled with loyal members of National Movement. Under him, the Sigejda passed a number of laws tightening state control over aspects of life in the former capital and actively favouring the interests of the Torberian wealthy class - the social class the local authority relied on to further economic growth.

Most advances by Kárnt's administration were met with small protests and strikes that grew in size together with discontent of Irdenjan citizens. Attacks on Torberians became frequent as the capabilities of employing cheap labour dwindled, driving many investors out of the region by September of 1995: in just two months, the real GDP of the region is estimated to have reduced by 2-3%. The sudden economic downturn led to further escalation of militant social violence in urban areas, culminating in an attempt to assassinate Hástlat-Kárthira on September 20th.

Coup
After recovering from a gunshot to the chest, the governor of Karthira urged for Ártanan Ministry to declare a state of emergency and put a law through the Sigejda on November 11th, seeking to finally incorporate his region as a "state of Torberian primacy" - putting an end to any Irdenjan autonomy. The law passed with 127 votes for and 123 votes against it. The Premier of the Assembly attempted to veto the proceedings, but was unable to do so due to the state of emergency declared earlier. Upon the announcement of the results, allegedly, one assemblyman shouted "Oginja Irdenja sur't!" (Irdenjan: "Irdenja will be free!") and stormed out of the parliament building, with many present on the hearings following him.

Large crowds of Irdenjans showed up later on the Independence Street later that night, demanding for the resignation of Hástlat-Kárthira and free elections. Initially peaceful, the protests slowly became more militarized with the arrival of militant groups like "The Militant Labour" and "Liberate Barisca", the precursor to the banned Barisca Movement. Clashes with the police continued until the morning of November 12th, when an unnamed gunman participated in a shootout with a Torberian patrol near a glass factory in the east of Karthira. As a result of this incident and lack of concrete data on perpetrators of this attack, violence exploded all throughout the city. Rioting became frequent, first reports of deaths of both Torberian and Irdenjan citizens were spread through word of mouth, as all broadcasting got shut down.

Former assemblymen of Kárnt's Sigejda, after his eventual evacuation from the city by Epirgarda, allied themselves with protesters, forming the Commitee for Irdenjan Restoration, and stormed the building, effectively, overthrowing the local government and putting the region into a state of active rebellion - something that was not expected in any way from a region with a significant Torberian minority like Karthira.