Zaratan Incident

The Zaratan Incident, named after Gushli judge Başyanon Zaratan, was an altercation between the Balak administration in Numudu and the Loja a Haadi community of Jute in 1893. The incident played into a wider power struggle between the Balak colonial administration and native Jutean communities.

Background

This section is empty.

Incident

Kaat a Netu was sentenced to exile from the Loja a Haadi Community, whose territory encompasses parts of the Taxone rain forest, for repeated murder and robbery. During this exile, they encountered a Balak-owned supply center by Lake Jehaadufi and trespassed to steal goods from it. After an altercation with Balak soldiers stationed there, Kaat a Netu was imprisoned and sent to Numudu to await trial. The trial, presided over by judge Başyanon Zaratan, saw Kaat a Netu tried for trespassing on private Imperial grounds, testifying about his exile from the Loja a Haadi Community in the process, and ultimately sentenced to death.

The incident drew ire from the Loja a Haadi Community, who demanded compensation for the death of one of its members. Soldiers at the supply centre were threatened with exile if the Balak colonial administration didn't pay sufficient compensation, which was met with confusion, as the Balak administration was under the impression that they had done nothing wrong, as punishment by exile was done with the intent of the perpetrator ultimately dying anyway. The miscommunication stemmed from a lack of familiarity with Jutean culture and therefore the principle of not making oneself dirty by killing by one's own hands, even as a punishment for criminal activity; exile into havan "nature" to be stranded without resources, thereby letting it do all the work, thus served as an effective substitute for capital punishment within many Jutean communities. By killing Kaat a Netu themselves, the Balak administration had themselves committed an act of wrongdoing.

After several days with no progress and no compensation, Balak armed forces were banished from Loja a Haadi territory, effectively placing the supply center under control of the community.

Escalation

The banishment of Balak soldiers from their own supply center sparked widespread anger and concern among officials in Numudu. The colonial government sent the Loja a Haadi Community a list of demands, including the return of the supply base to Balak control. Community leader Toofa a Van's response was a thinly veiled threat; they reminded the Balak administration that the entire incident had occured outside of Numudu, and therefore asserted that the application of Balak law was invalid, effectively rendering the killing extrajudicial. In addition, they advised that Balakia should choose its next course of action wisely, lest the community cease to co-operate with them and grant them relatively free reign, or worse, raise the issue directly with the Community Leader of Jute. Toofa a Van's final word was that Balakia should stop pressing the issue, and that there would be no further negotiations unless suitable compensation was arranged for Kaat a Netu's death.

Zaratan sent a letter directly to Emperor Jimâşim I appealing for military assistance, but was met with a refusal to escalate the situation and endanger Balakia's relationship with Jute any further. The prospect of an armed confrontation with Nevira over Jutean sovereignty was also cited as a reason for his refusal to commit Imperial reinforcements. Defeated, Zaratan reported this to the colonial government, who re-entered negotiations with the Community near the lake.

Resolution

In the final negotiated settlement, the Balak administration agreed to send those responsible for the extrajudicial killing to work in the community gardens for a year as compensation to the Loja a Haadi Community, with the community in turn revoking their banishment of the army, thereby returning effective control of the supply center to Balakia. Zaratan was permitted to keep his position as judge, but lost his prestige due to the incident. He resigned a few years afterwards, retiring to Tuyo.

Aftermath and legacy

This section is empty.