Sanmatar Shakor Delays Tribal Assembly, Returned Tribes 'Need More Time'
Pator – Sanmatar Maleatu Shakor has declared that the upcoming tribal assembly is to be delayed until the end of the third quarter this year, rather than being held shortly after the middle of the year as originally planned, in order to "give our Nefantar and Starkmanir brothers and sisters more time to properly carry out the crucial task of selecting their tribal chiefs." Although it is a response to concerns expressed by Minmatar converts over the killing of Abel Jarek some days ago, and the political complications this has caused in those tribes, the announcement also reflects the reality that the political groundwork for the assembly has not been completed.
Many of the Nefantar who defected from the Ammatar Mandate to the Minmatar Republic remain adherents of the Amarr religion, some having fled in fear of general reprisals by Amarrian forces and others wishing simply to live in the Minmatar home worlds. While they do not constitute a majority among the returned Nefantar, they make up a significant bloc within the tribe and are pressing the issue of representation, complicating the already delayed process of appointing clan leaders and the overall tribal chief.
Similarly, many Starkmanir maintain Amarrian beliefs, while a much smaller segment of their tribe are becoming involved in the political process for selecting the chief. At the request of Sanmatar Shakor, the Brutor Tribe advisors working with the Starkmanir are treating all points of view with respect, including those Starkmanir who still choose to follow the Amarrian faith.
Given the charged atmosphere that has arisen around the two tribes' selection processes, the Sanmatar took the decision to formally delay the tribal assembly. While the Sanmatar's office acknowledges that this will ease other difficulties and give more time for planning, aides insist that the Sanmatar's main hope is that "more time for reflection will allow the Nefantar and Starkmanir to choose their new chiefs wisely."
