Baileneu Ma

Baileneu Ma, is a nation in central Avalonia with an area of 554,175km2. Baileneu Ma shares a land border with Terres Riveraines, Albaterra and Santa Magdalena, as well as coastlines with both the Tethys Ocean and Iapetus Ocean. With a tropical climate, forests, wetlands, savannah and montane environments span across the nation, resulting in high biodiversity and lots of endemic species. The capital and largest city is Masazi, located at the mouth of the Agarak River, and is home to 7.3 million people.

Initially comprised of two large cultural groups, the Western nomadic peoples of the Four Tribes that inhabited the wetlands and the Eastern Mound culture tribes that established small city states in the mountains. These groups were both enslaved and massacred by Modrovian colonials who first came to the nation in 1404, and established a formal colony in 1794, where Modrovian colonists became extremely wealthy through the trade of spices, diamonds, precious metals and expensive woods. Gaining independence from colonials in 1926, following a civil rights campaign by natives and the bankruptcy of Modrovia after the Grand Campaigns, the country had been depleted of it's mineral wealth by excessive exploitation from colonial companies and the country was in an economic depression for many years. Within the 20th Century, Baileneu Ma was ruled by two dictators, with the first being Sir William Roberson III, who came from a family of wealthy Modrovian land owners, who was later ousted by native freedom fighters and an Albaterran intervention. Following the intervention, an Albaterran dictator who ruled for 9 years until he was killed by a carbomb by The Red Brotherhood.

Ruled by a decentralized agrarian socialist government called the SWP, the majority of decision making is made by a parliament of governors (elected district leaders) known as the House of Communes. However, the actual power of the government is questionable as due to Sowan beliefs, there is deep-rooted distrust with political organisation. Because of this, decentralized local authorities are responsible for local collectivization and infrastructure planning. The official religion is Sowani, which led to many laws being created by the SWP to enforce its principles, such as a strict adherence to peace, which is why the nation has no official armed forces, instead relying on local militias that are funded by the government, although the Bailenese People's Army does receive the most funding from the government. Foreign relations are managed by embassies, ambassadors and the leader of Masazi constituency, L'ebbele, who is also the speaker in House of Communes.

Foundation
In the West of Baileneu Ma, 4 defined cultural groups of the Cheqquk (the largest in population), Ciqudd, Eza'qex and Bhandaaq became prominent through the Sidr and Nam ethnic groups that inhabited the swamps, bayous and rain forests. Having no concept of property and permanent settlement, nomadic groups migrated from region to region in relative peace for thousands of years. In 794 the four cultures became so dominant and nuanced that most of modern day Baileneu Ma was encompassed under the four groups, many isolated tribes became exposed to these cultures and quickly adapted to their pantheons and cultural norms and traditions. The over-abundance of foods in the dense vegetation meant that the need for organised agriculture and permanent settlement was not present within these tribes, with an estimated 90 fruits, 30 vegetables and 15 meats comprising the annual diet of a nomadic tribesman.

Sowan Discovery
Around 800~ AD, a nomadic tribe belonging to the Eza'qex cultural group stumbled upon a small, isolated tribe deep in the rainforest, who were devout worshipers of a monotheistic religion known as Sowani. As Sowani tolerates worship of other deities and pantheons, it quickly spread through nomadic groups, until it became the predominant religious view within the four tribes group, combined with folk religions from various different tribes.

City-State Period (1145-1404)
In the east, around 1145, Fukyian ethnic groups began to form permanent settlements, represented by large small adobe pueblo-style architecture built into the sides of mountains in forest clearings. Utilizing crop rotation and irrigation, these city states harvested maize, tomatoes, avocados and papaya and produced enough food to sustain communities of over 1000 people. Due to the natural barriers of the dense rain-forests, Fukyian Tribesmen remained largely unaware of the nomadic Sidr and Nam people to the west. Originally these settlements were primitive, which later developed into large among  tribes that lived in mountainous plateaus of Southeast Baileneu Ma, whilst in the and Northeast wetlands,  and  where the preferred housing structure.

Early Settlers
The first Modrovian settlers arrived on the east coast of the mainland in 1404 and began creating small ports and villages in order to bring new spices and luxury timbers back to Modrovia. The natives that lived along the coast were initially wary of the new traders and refused to interact with them, however, as generations passed the natives became more accustomed to the Modrovians and trade began to open up between them. Initially well crafted tools and alcohol from Heltic settlements was traded for exotic spices, timber and precious stones, however as Modrovian pioneers began to explore further into the region, large gold and silver deposits were found. This land was bought off local chieftains and was mined by large land-owning families that, this brought huge amounts of riches back to the colonial settlements and more and these small towns began to grow in wealth and influence. More and more Modrovians bought land off the locals and pushed out the natives further and further out, leading to growing resentment and division between the two groups, eventually culminating in small scale conflicts between them.

City State Colonial Wars
As Modrovian pioneers began to explore deeper into the eastern regions of Baileneu Ma, explorers stumbled upon a native city state known as "Ju'huk" in 1621. Amazed by the size of the cities they had discovered, trade relations flourished between colonial port towns and native city states, with excess crops from these cities being traded for furs, firearms and metals. However, when news of the enslavement and trickery of coastal, nomadic tribes in the east reached the chieftain of Ju'huk, Kbanzu Mu'bana, he became outraged by the manipulation of the colonials and led a coalition army from multiple city states to free the enslaved natives. Using spears, bows, muskets (bought from the Modrovians), macauhuitl, slings and primitive bronze swords, the army freed many of the enslaved natives, burnt and salted the crops of the colonials and razed plantation houses, completely devastating the Modrovian settlements. In response, an army of 6000 soldiers was dispatched from Hurdubja (the largest Heltic settlement in the region), armed with steel plated armor and the latest muskets in order to avenge the Modrovians killed in the raid. This army completely outclassed the armies of the city-states and many of these cities were completely pillaged, with the inhabitants being slaughtered, enslaved and evicted. Many of these evicted populations moved west and joined nomadic tribes, where they were welcomed in despite language barriers.

Liberation Process
Decolonization first began in the late 1890s, when the Heltic-dominated government in Nou Danus faced pressure from several Avalonian native countries such as Koryeo, Brigantica and Chezzetcook. This resulted in a policy known as the 'Liberation Act 97', where native parties were allowed to run against Heltic parties in presidential elections, and was the first of many political changes to end colonial control. The first native party to come to power was the 'Native Representation and Progress Coalition' in 1913, led by Kedhan Miztaw, which promised to develop the rural native regions through infrastructure projects and unify the nation under equality.

Period of Stagnation
Whilst Nou Danus stayed fairly stable and democratic for decades, the nation was plagued by poverty and economic depression, with attempts at modernization met with fierce resistant by the native and colonial traditionalists, with members of the Heltic colonial elite holding huge amounts of land and were vastly more wealthy than the natives, despite attempts from the government to redistribute the wealth. Much of the gold mines held by Portuguese aristocrats also went untaxed as they were protected by small private militias which threatened the impoverished nation with a potential civil war.

Robertson's Rule (1976-1982)
In 1976, Sir William Robertson III became the new president of the nation, coming from a family of rich land owners of Heltic colonial descent. It is thought that the election polls were rigged in his favor and his use of bribery and intimidation was a huge source of controversy at the time, however, his charm and charisma alongside his promises to bring wealth to the country were still very popular with the upper class in Nou Danus. During his rule he imposed several laws restricting the rights of native ethnic groups, such as the 'Native Legal Restriction Act' which prevented Sidr and Nam people from prosecuting Modrovians in a court. Between 1978 and 1982, the Nou Danusian Armed Forces underwent rapid expansion and modernization, following the nationalisation of Wygen Armory, where a new series of infantry equipment was adopted, including the VT-79 and the VR-79.

Robertson then became unpopular with the majority native population, with as policies appealing only to the colonial elite, human experimentation (see 20th Century Human Experimentation in Baileneu Ma) and persecution of native ethnicities by law enforcement, which led to mass protests against his rule. The largest of these demonstrations was held in 1979 where nineteen thousand people took part in protests outside the presidential palace, during the demonstration seven people set themselves on fire to protest his most recent law passed which preventing Sidr people from owning property. The mass civil unrest led to a huge military crackdown against the protesters, where roughly four hundred people died as a result of police and military personnel attempting to break apart the demonstrators, despite attempts to create a media blackout surrounding the protests from the government, footage of the brutality reached international news channels and there were calls across the globe for the resignation of Robertson.

Robertson was also unpopular with the Albaterran aristocracy, seizing land from the south-eastern settlements in order to gain state ownership of the prestigious gold mines. William Robertson and his colonial government hoped that by taking these gold mines, the failing economy could be revitalised, however, the Albaterrans fought back, waging a minor insurgency in these provinces. As more and more soldiers began to take over these areas, miners and families were forced to flee to Albaterra in order to escape persecution, with soldiers often capturing and killing those that ran. In some cases, skirmishes occured between Albaterran border guards and Danusian soldiers, although these fights rarely saw casualties and were largely overlooked by Albaterra. {something about a push into Albaterra}

This resulted in a declaration of war from Albaterra in November 12th 1986, where Albaterriano forces crushed the Nou Danusian Army provinces in Albaterra and proceeded to advance into Baileneu Ma. During the Albaterran-Nou Danusian War, the Albaterran Army fought alongside native partisan groups to overthrow Robertson and bring down his regime, as well as Zahavan and SiWallqanqan volunteers offering support. On June 15th, a detachment of the Albaterran invasion force captured Robertson and on June 17th a ceasefire was signed between the Nou Danusian Armed Forces and Leonardo H. Sapateiro, officially ending the war.

Oliveiran Rule (1986-1991)
Following the deposition of Sir William Robertson III, the Albaterran government created a new regime in Nou Danus, with Pedro Oliveira as the new president. The Albaterran Presidential Army also continued to occupy regions in the east of Nou Danus that contained the majority of the nation's gold mines and Portuguese population. This continued until an official treaty was signed on November 3rd 1985 between Oliveira and Sapateiro that gave the land to Albaterra. Much of the Danusian Colonial Armed Forces were also cut, leading to many of the newly purchased rifles being sold on the black market to terrorist organisations and other developing nations, as well as many highly trained soldiers becoming mercenaries after their dismissal from the army. Oliveira was despised by the majority of the population as he began to reform and create new laws that reflected on his Catholic beliefs, representing the will of a small minority. This led to his policy of 'Peaceful Conversion' in 1987, where religious leaders were kidnapped by his palace guard and tortured until the converted to Catholicism.This led to more civil unrest, particularly in Masazi, where an attempted assassination on Oliveira led to a police lock down of the city until the perpetrators were caught and publicly hung. Militant groups from various folk religions began to operate across the nation, lynching catholic priests and bishops and sabotaging local infrastructure, a few of these groups gained particular notoriety, such as the People's Popular Freedom Front, Sidr Liberation Army and the Fukyian Liberation Army (for a full list of insurgent groups during The BA Troubles, see here Militias of the Troubles). This led to increased paranoia from the Government and Oliveira imposing martial law in villages suspected of housing insurgents, however, the army would often act with extreme prejudice against the locals and there were many mass killings of natives. The Seronbana Temple Massacre is the most well-known incident, where members of Oliveira's Palace Guard stormed a Sowan temple and killed over six hundred people with chlorine gas on the 26th of January 1990. Oliveira's reign of terror continued for several years until he was killed by a car bomb outside his palace, planted by the Nam militant group The Red Brotherhood, on the 18th of August 1991.

An Age of Prosperity (1991-Present)
Following the collapse of Oliveira's regime in September of 1991, the SWP was voted in by a national election on the 25th of September, a collective of various left wing independence groups that fought against Albaterran and Heltic rule, promising to repeal the discriminative laws created by Robertson and Oliveira. On the 14th of March Nou Danus was renamed to Baileneu Ma after a national poll, taking the name of the Sowan kingdom that was believed to have ruled over the nation thousands of years ago, as well as adopting a new currency called the Bailenese Crown. The party offered compensation for those who had been badly affected by the former regime, as well as introducing a local collectivization scheme, where local representatives, mainly tribal chieftains, would be responsible for the distribution of resources in their area. The excess resources that were not needed were then given to the government to be redistributed to others in need, this policy was very effective as it made sure that everyone was fed and provided with the resources they needed. Several infrastructure policies were also enacted such as RUTran, leading to the creation of national roads and motorways to ensure that isolated regions could stay connected with the rest of the nation and enjoy the benefits of the collectivized resources. The abolition of the armed forces was also another popular decision made by the new government, instead giving power to local authorities through the creation of Municipal Militias, which helped build trust with a nation that was weary from the last two tyrants, as well as followed in the beliefs of Sowani. In the early 21st century the Sowan Workers Party began a policy of conservation, creating 63 new national parks and 104 conservation parks, as well as converting almost entirely to green energy, using hydroelectric power from the vast river networks that span across the nation. In 2002, Baileneu Ma was brought under international light following the events of the Bailenese Hostage Crisis, where Liao and the SWP co-ordinated a botched rescue attempt on a rich business man and his family, who were kidnapped by the nihilistic Apostles of Bathin death cult.

Politics & Government
Baileneu Ma is an agrarian socialist nation, led by the SWP made up of a House of Communes, a parliament of 675 governors, who are elected every 4 years and represent a district on a federal level. Due to the distrust in the government from the majority of the nation, the SWP avoids making internal decisions, instead giving power to local authorities to make decisions. Only one major party runs against the SWP, due to the popularity of the SWP and the religious teachings of Sowani, which instructs people to avoid involvement in politics and to instead look to God for guidance. The SWP is unwilling to get involved in international affairs, favoring an isolationist approach to global politics, however recently the nation joined ECOSEAS in order to guarantee the security of the region. The decentralized, federal nature of the government is often criticized in its inefficiency in global politics and it's lack of true law enforcement.

House of Communes
The House of Communes is the parliamentary chamber of Baileneu Ma, consisting of 675 seats, each one representing a District, where the SWP holds the majority (445) seats.

Economic Planning and Nationalization
Baileneu Ma has a mix of public (municipal and co-operative), private and nationalised businesses and services, offering tax penalties for foreign private companies and domestic companies with with 'x' in networth. Healthcare is free and is managed between state and municipal entities, with many agricultural businesses being co-operatively run. Other services such as electricity and water are also managed by a mix of public, private and national organisations depending on the region.

Constitution
The Constitution of Baileneu Ma was created by the SWP in 1991, with the concept tying in to a hybrid of representative-direct democracy, whereby citizens are represented by regional leaders, however, when the populace feels underrepresented by the chosen elected or if they break the constitution, it can use the rights of the constitution to give power back to the people in a violent or non-violent manner. All militias and law enforcement swear an oath to uphold the constitution and their allegiance to the constitution comes before their allegiance to the government.

Gun and Destructive Device Laws
Officially there are no gun laws in Baileneu Ma, as it is believed that everyone has the right to defend themselves with arms equivalent to that of the government in order to prevent tyranny. Due to the poverty of the nation it is difficult for most of the population to acquire firearms, instead militias are given a government budget to arm the local populace. There is however, a limit on where firearms can be transported, which can result in either a street warning, fines or 3 months of jail time, as well as restrictions on armed vehicle ownership, where personal ownership of an armed vehicle can result in up to 2 years in prison and an unlimited fine. Explosive devices and other destructive utensils are allowed in limited amounts, (depending on local/federal law), however, possession of large quantities can be tied to conspiracy for terrorism and murder. Despite having no federal laws on gun ownership, a bill was passed in the House of Communes that let some states pass civilian gun laws within local elections, the legislation was largely under one act, known as the Independent Firearms Restriction Act, which sought to create a licensing system, with universal background checks and a limit on firearms, where all gun owners must apply for a self-defense license.

LGBT and Sex Work Laws
Gay marriage and transgender rights are universal across the country following the creation of the constitution, where businesses cannot discriminate based on gender, sexual orientation or any other discriminative factors, the Portuguese People's Party however, argues strongly for the abolition of these laws, instead favoring a more traditionalist society. Contraception, abortion and sex reassignment surgery are all covered by NHS, however, cosmetic surgery, liposuction and other non-essential surgeries are not. Sex work is also legal in Baileneu Ma, except it is taxed with 65% sales tax, with avoidance of tax leading to 2 months of jail time and an unlimited fine.

Drug Laws
Drug Laws of Baileneu Ma

Religion & Government
The official religion of Baileneu Ma is Sowani, with many laws supporting its views, such as the outlawing of harmful pesticides and herbicides in accordance with Sowani teachings surrounding food cleanliness. However, the SWP has also been very careful not to isolate other religious groups and has started a religious studies course in schools to teach tolerance towards the many religions in Baileneu Ma. The SWP passed a series of laws from 2005-2011 that essentially outlawed hunting of animals and unsustainable deforestation as well as other practices such as mining and trawling that are deemed 'unsustainable', this is partly due to Sowan beliefs surrounding nature and wildlife. This caused a huge surge in illegal activity surrounding poaching and mining due Baileneu Ma's mineral wealth and its rare animals, to combat this local militias have now been tasked with dealing with these activities.

Tropical Disease Eradication Plan (TropDEP)
In 2003 the SWP began a five year project to reduce and eventually eradicate several tropical diseases such as, , , various strains of , and , which was done through a three part scheme consisting of Containment, Vaccination and Education. Containment involved the use of quarantines, travel bans and curfews to limit the spread of diseases from existing infected or endemic regions, drainage of stagnant pools to limit the range of mosquito-borne pathogens and the use of phyto-purification plants to reduce eutrophication to limit other vectors. The SWP also began a period of aggressive vaccination, utilizing the nationalized healthcare (NHS) to efficiently distribute various vaccines to rural areas, roughly ~85% of the population are vaccinated against endemic diseases, leading to a rapid decline in their prominence. Education was also a key part of the plan, with children being educating throughout primary and secondary schools on how to avoid contracting tropical diseases, medical schools were also improved to allow doctors in training to effectively diagnose and treat various pathogens. Overall, TropDEP was effective in severely limiting the spread and severity of various tropical diseases, causing a rapid decrease in infant mortality rates and an increase in life expectancy to 76.4.

TropDEP received lots of international praise following its effective containment and vaccination for the 2003 Marasmavirus epidemic, which saw related outbreaks in Tilenno and Fordorsia. However, the vaccine saw limited use in Baileneu Ma due to the high cost of production, so is instead only given to children in regions deemed high-risk to a potential outbreak.

Rural to Urban Transport Project (RUTran)
From 1999 to 2009 the SWP started RUTran to help aid rural regions in the connectivity with urban centers. Vast networks of motorways, national roads and interstates were created to help combat rural isolation, alongside extensive railway lines to allow for speedy transit from urban to rural areas. Monorails, trams and cable cars were also constructed in suburban and rural-urban fringe regions in order to increase the appeal of suburbanisation. The project was very expensive and lots of money was lost in bureaucratic processes over complications between different state jurisdictions, leading to much criticism of the federal nature of the government. The rural interstates also have no speed limit, instead using an advisory speed limit of 80km/h, with insurance only being offered to those driving at the advisory speed limit in order to ensure road safety to most drivers.

Electric First Car Initiative (EFC)
In 2014, the SWP announced the EFC initiative, a scheme that would vastly subsidize electric/hybrid cars for university students so that rural students can commute into urban areas to attend lectures and use university facilities. Using the semi-nationalized green vehicle company Astral, in 2016 it was decided that the just announced Supernova would be used due to it's long range, ergonomics and cheap retail price. The government subsidizes 40% of the total cost of the vehicle (not including insurance however), and for earlier Astral cars such as the Celestial and Moonlight, it is a 15% subsidization.

Green Rural Industrialization and Modernization Scheme (GRIMS)
GRIMS is an ongoing project started in 2016, consisting of rural industrialization in environmentally friendly ways through the creation of nationalized. This comprises of green energy plants, such as solar and wind farms, dams, wave/tidal stations and geothermal stations, as well as bio-fuel plants (comprising of ethanol refineries, alga culture facilities and bio-diesel refineries). This is part of the Green New Deal scheme enacted by the SWP in 1996, utilizing aspects of in order to ensure environmental and economic sustainability. The largest aspect of the project is the K'zzuk Algaculture Plant, built in 2016, which covers 3,220 acres of land and cost roughly $4.5 billion (partially payed for by ECOSEAS members such as Chezzetcook), whilst producing bio-butanol, bio-diesel and bio petrol. It is the largest producer of bio-fuels in Anterra, with 277,000 bpd of bio-diesel, 166,200 bpd of 166,200 bpd of bio-petrol and 110,800 bpd of bio-butanol. New research goes towards aviation bio-fuels in order to drastically reduce the environmental impacts of air travel.

Pan-Native Citizenship Act (PNCA)
This was a controversial government legislature that allows for ethnically native citizens across Avalonia to have citizenship in Baileneu Ma, and those with native ancestry from one of the native ethnic groups of Baileneu Ma must give evidence. This allows free travel of native ethnicities across Avalonia, and is what allowed so many refugees and economic migrants to travel from Santa Magdalena and Albaterra to Baileneu Ma.

ECOSEAS
In 2004 Baileneu Ma joined ECOSEAS, following a referendum in the nation, for the purposes of of economic growth and military protection against Albaterra. The SWP has also expressed its desires to encourage environmental conservation in other member states, in order to protect the nature of other Avalonian nations, as well as cutting down on carbon emissions to reduce their environmental impact. ECOSEAS has access to the various airfields and military bases owned by the Bailenese People's Army and other militias, to combat separatist and Albaterran threats. Baileneu Ma has also gained access to ECOSEAS members surplus and modern equipment exports at a reduced price, allowing the militias to expand their arsenals and have increased effectiveness at keeping law and order. Baileneu Ma did not accept the new currency, favoring its previous currency, the Bailenese Crown, as well as refusing direct investment from other nations, instead preferring the government to control the spending to avoid neo-colonialism from other nations.

Poaching and Illegal Mining
In 2015 the SWP tasked the Bailenese People's Army with stopping poaching and illegal mining activity in Baileneu Ma, which had become widespread following the environmental laws passed by the SWP. Baileneu Ma has vast precious metal deposits that were discovered in the early 21st century, which was largely untapped due to the environmental policies of the SWP, attracting international mining companies to the nation. Mining companies in Baileneu Ma often hired foreign in order to protect them against local militias, this resulted in frequent skirmishes between the PMCs and militias, often resulting in heavy civilian casualties, drawing the attention of the SWP, who increased the funding of these militias to combat the rising PMC threat. The high biodiversity of the nation also attracts poachers from across Anterra, who sell the trophies and skins of the rare animals as well as aspects of its body for use in medicine. Poaching is punishable by life sentence in Baileneu Ma, which led to militarized poachers in order to evade capture by local militias, often leading to violent confrontations between the two. Both of these growing problems were addressed by the SWP in 2015 during a press conference, where the party asked for the Bailenese People's Army to combat these threats. Since then there has been a steady decline in both, but they still remain a threat to the environmental goals of the nation.

Separatists
Baileneu Ma was plagued by separatist movements throughout its history as a free nation after the deposition of Pedro Oliveira and the collapse of his regime. Many of these separatist parties exist in the eastern provinces, in predominantly Portuguese areas, which demand unification with Albaterra or better political representation. The most powerful of these parties is the Portuguese People's Party, a Christian nationalist party, and is the only significant opposition party to the SWP. The PPR organizes rallies and protests across the nation in Portuguese areas in order to gain more support against the SWP and it is also suspected that they are linked to the violent break-away state, The Republic of Novo Patria. From 2016-2018 the region was a hotspot for skirmishes between local militias and separatists, resulting in over 10,000 deaths until a ceasefire was signed between local authorities and the leader of The Republic of Novo Patria, Henrique Monteiro, for one year. In recent months the conflict recommenced, this time attracting the attention of the Bailenese People's Army, which stationed 1200 soldiers in the region for peacekeeping purposes. However, the SWP granted the Macaque Autonomous Republic independence, following agreements between locals and the council due to it's peaceful, isolationist policies in 2018.

Albaterran Border Conflict
The border shared between Baileneu Ma and Albaterra has been a recent source of tension, as the Albaterriano police alongside the army have began running counter-smuggling operations in order to stop the flow of cannabis and psychedelics into Albaterra. This led to fierce resistance from the smugglers and the local militias, resulting in an even stronger armed presence from the Albaterran Presidential Army, with intensive security checks at the border, as well as secret service involvement in order to eliminate big smuggling cartels. In response to this, the smugglers have began using more complicated and violent methods in order to overcome these obstacles, such as drones and gliders, as well as using children who can slip past the border guards easier. In April 2018, tensions reached international levels when four teenagers were arrested by border security and imprisoned despite having not committed any crimes. This led to protests outside the border check from locals, calling for the release of the teenagers, and on the 17th of April, a member of The Red Brotherhood militant group threw a Molotov cocktail at Adriano Cardoso, a sergeant in the Albaterran Presidential Army, killing him. This led to a violent response from the Albaterriano authorities, who were reported to have used CS Gas for crowd control alongside high pressure water hoses to disrupt the protests. As the protests persisted and grew in size, the order was given to the border forces to break up the protests decisively, and so riot police charged the demonstrators, using batons and shields to beat and dishearten protesters. During this push by the police and army, Muztawa, a local religious and tribal leader, was beaten to death by Albaterran authorities, which led to a huge outcry by Bailenese citizens, calling for justice to brought. The protests further grew in size, attracting citizens from across the country to sizes of over 30,000, as well as drawing the attention of Bailenese extremist groups, such as The Red Brotherhood. This resulted in an attack from an unknown group on the 23rd of April, where four technicals mounting stormed the border, killing four policemen and injuring many more. This was accompanied by several other attacks on other border checkpoints across Albaterra, where suicide bombers detonated, killing 52 people. This led to heightened security across all border checkpoints, with members of the Albaterran Armed Forces patrolling the surrounding regions, tensions remained until the ringleaders were arrested and executed. Despite pressure from the Albaterran Government, the SWP never condemned the actions of the militant groups, instead condemning the Albaterran security forces for the death of Muztawa, stating it to be 'a prime example of neo-colonialism' and evidence that Albaterra is 'a fascist dictatorship'. Whilst the tensions are much lower, the occasional incident flares up, attracting international attention again, and the Albaterran Presidential Army still conducts counter-smuggling operations with limited success across the border.

Military
Despite Baileneu Ma having no official army, with local militias instead being used, the SWP funds the Bailenese People's Army the most, causing it to be the largest militia in the nation. The Bailenese People's Army has around 160,000 active personnel, whilst the total of number of active personnel in militias across the nation is estimated to be 730,000. Much of the equipment used by militias come from the former Nou Danus Armed Forces and was mostly designed by Wygen Armory. Militias have access to all kinds of weaponry such as planes, helicopters, boats and artillery, and each militia is partially funded by the SWP, tasked with defending the local area and enforcing the law. Following Baileneu Ma's admittance into ECOSEAS, militias have access to new weapons and vehicles from the various members of the pact, modernizing much of the obsolete equipment already in use within the militias and allowing them to perform at a much higher standard.

Manufacturing
The SWP is the largest shareholder of Astral car company, the majority of the company's workforce and factories are located within the country, but the majority of the resources are imported from other nations.

Agriculture
Agriculture is the main source of employment in Baileneu Ma, with crops such as rice, watercress and water spinach being the most common due to the large wetlands that span across the nation. Agroforestry has been used for thousands of years in the nation, particularly in the swamps and mangroves of coastal and central regions. Coconuts, mangoes, avocados, bananas, papaya, oranges & tangerines, starfruit, pineapples, figs, grapefruit and passion fruit are all commonly grown in agroforestry regions. More exotic fruits like wild mandarin, tamarind, custard apple and strawberry guava are grown on specific plantations regulated by local guidelines, alongside wine grapes which are used a cash-crop. Livestock agriculture is very uncommon in Baileneu Ma, as most of the population is vegetarian due to cultural and religious beliefs, as well as the heavily forested land makes it very difficult to control large quantities of animals.

Bailenese brandy and wine is a heavily sought after Anterran luxury, where grapes grow incredibly ripe in the subtropical climate, leading to sweeter and more alcoholic wines than wines from other Anterran nations. Much of this wine is distilled to create expensive brandies and cognac, where more exotic fruits such as cherries, raspberries, coconuts and dried mangoes are also used to create more exotic fruit brandies. Varsau, (strawberry guava wine) is a highly sought after drink in many nations, such as Agrana y Griegro, where it is seen as a luxurious desert wine due to it's light, sweet taste. Tobacco and cannabis are also grown as cash crops, with the Bailenese tobacco industry worth $170,000,000 producing 122,000 MT of tobacco a year, and the cannabis industry recently saw a boom after Yarova legalised medicinal cannabis, with the internal cannabis industry worth roughly $60 million. Borduva is the largest Bailenese tobacco company, exporting products to the global market, with Seratof, Gardarike, SiWallqanqa and Gradinska.

Lumber
Baileneu Ma offers various luxury woods such as Mahogany, Ebony and Dalbergia, which sell on the international market for high prices due to the good quality of the timber. These exports are responsible for 16% of the nation's exports and offer lots of employment to unskilled workers. Tupelo, Cypress and Oak trees are also a major part of Bailenese silviculture, typically grown in the swamp and bayou regions of the nation, as their hard, dense wood is used for construction across the world. Due to severe restrictions on tree farming, there are extreme limits on annual wood production for tree plantations, in order to encourage sustainability and to reduce the nation's carbon emissions.

Chemical Industries
Baileneu Ma has a very robust chemical manufacturing industry, owing to the abundance of plant biomass and liberal policies towards pharmaceutical drug development, attracting FDI from other Avalonian nations. The various chemical industries include: biofuel production and refinery, pharmaceutical development for domestic and foreign appliance, recreational drug production for members of the Central Avalonian Psychoactive Substances Act, military equipment (experimental explosives, chemical weapon, etc) and many other domestic chemical applications for light and heavy industry.

Bio fuels
Baileneu Ma makes 830,000 barrels of bio-fuels per day, where 28% (230,600) barrels are produced in K'zzuk Algaculture Plant. The bio-fuel industry is completely nationalized, however FDI is accepted in exchange for tariff free and discounted barrels. Favoring algae produced bio fuels due to it's size and cost effectiveness, Baileneu Ma also uses various crops too, such as wheat, sugar beet, maize, sugar cane, rapeseed, soybeans, palm oil and olive oil. The discovery of large quantities of algae species such as, , and  in the vast wetlands of the country, led to large investments from ECOSEAS and other Avalonian nations that already had their own second-gen bio-fuel infrastructure. Being the next generation of bio-fuel technology, the algaculture industries rapidly grew through trade and investment with over Avalonian nations, as Baileneu Ma experienced a small oil boom.

Pharmaceuticals
Large amounts of aspirin are made every year in Baileneu Ma and exported across the globe, alongside Cogran (diuretic from the Wasai tree), Quinine (malaria treatment) and Vincristine (Leukemia treatment). These are sold cheaply to nations with public health schemes. In recent years, Baileneu Ma has taken advantage of its progressive drug laws to create a plethora of medications to treat OCD, depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD, cluster headaches, diabetes, chronic pain, seizures, ADHD and Parkinson's, as well as addictions to alcohol, opioids, cocaine and barbiturates. Psilocin derivatives are typically used due to their low toxicity, with Effizapryn, Meprosyn and Ginapryn for treatment for OCD, depression and PTSD, with Aldacrozine being used for treatment of cluster headaches and bipolar disorder, and brodenozine for treatment of addiction and anxiety. Cannabinoids (natural and synthetic) are used in a host of different treatments, all though the export market for these products is limited due to conservative social positions in other Anterran nations. The NHS (BM) is the largest producer of pharmaceuticals, for both civilian and military use, combining synthetic, semi-synthetic and natural medications for use in Baileneu Ma and exports.

Military Equipment
Experimental plastic explosives are produced in limited quantities for domestic militias and other Avalonian militaries. These are marketed as sole explosives, such as the experimental Octanitrocubane, HNIW and FOX-7, as well as more conventional explosives such as HMX, RDX, PETN, TATB and HBT. Mixes are also offered, including PHOTEX, currently used by the Bailenese People's Army and the thermite explosive TIN-44, as well as recent production of rubberised explosives. Baileneu Ma also has a dark history of chemical weapons use, stemming from the Oliveira and Robertson regimes, with most of the agents being disposed of by the SWP or sold to foreign militaries, however, a small amount of undisclosed chemical weapons are produced and stockpiled for use in military training operations and export to ECOSEAS members.

Specialist and Consumer Chemicals
Biochemicals and semi-synthetic chemicals are also a large export of Baileneu Ma, such as methylamine, ammonia, citral, menthol and strictosidine. In recent years, this production has expanded to satisfy the large fertiliser industry in Siwallqanqa, as well as branching into other areas such as porphyrinogens and polyisoprenes, as well as lipids (fatty acids, prenol lipids and sterols.

Textiles and Fibers
Baileneu Ma is also a large exporter of textiles and precursor fibers, largely due to the abundance of flora in the nation that can be converted into cellulose fibers such as, as well as the widespread cultivation of industrial hemp. Some synthetic fibers are also made from biofuels, such as nylon and polyester, which are typically used in industrial applications. Domesticated Silver Cotton has also been domesticated and used in Baileneu Ma for thousands of years, having been selectively bred to live in hot wetlands. Despite making large quantities of textiles, most are not for domestic consumption, and are instead exported to other nations such as Iere for manufacturing.

Natural Tourism
Natural tourism brings in many international tourists who come to see the natural beauty of Baileneu Ma. The diversity in biomes of the nation offers a variety of different experiences, such as: mountain retreats, rainforest hikes and wetland kayaking and canoeing. Official statistics from the SWP state that the many national parks attract over 100,000 tourists a year, with Mt. Okanbayu being the most visited park in Baileneu Ma. Natural tourism continues to bring in lots of money due to conservation efforts from the government, that ensure that the natural beauty of the nation isn't compromised by human activity. Boagan royalty are frequent visitors to Baileneu Ma, enjoying the natural beauty and local customs, despite not getting any extra treatment beyond a security detail in Baileneu Ma.

Cecilia (future Queen of Boaga) notoriously disappeared for 17 days in 2013 deep in the Bailenese swamplands, living with fishermen in a semi-nomadic primitive lifestyle after shaking off her security detail. It is reported that during her time off the grid, she indulged in local customs of cannabis, peyote and ayahuasca consumption in religious ceremonies and in social settings, although this is denied outright by the Agranian royalty, as well as fishing for to add to her personal aquarium. On the 8th of July, Cecilia re-emerged in Masazi, having hitch-hiked across Baileneu Ma to return to the Agranian embassy after a manhunt was started on the 5th day by both Bailenese and Agranian authorities, the story remained in international news for weeks afterwards in one of the largest investigations of the 21st century. Agrana y Griegro allegedly threatened Baileneu Ma with invasion if Cecilia didn't re-emerge, leading to increasingly high tensions as both nations scrambled to find her deep in the jungle.

Religious Tourism
Baileneu Ma draws thousands of religious tourists from across the world who come to visit the many Sowan temples, the most well-known places of worship being Kubbari Temple and Attaranya Jumbar. Seronbana Temple, once a site of Sowan pilgrimage, is now a memorial site for the tragic massacre that occurred in 1991 that attracts Sowans internationally, who come to mourn the incident. Many other Sowans come to the nation to experience the spiritual services that are offered, such as soul cleansing, cannabis and psychedelics consumption and Kinnupe. A recent 'repatriation' scheme has been offered to Sowans across Anterra, where the SWP has dedicated land to housing religious immigrants and tourists in order to encourage Sowans to unite globally and return to the homeland.

Geography
Ecoregions of Baileneu Ma Much of Baileneu Ma is covered in tropical wetlands and rainforest, from the nation's hot and humid climate. Brackish mangroves and salt marshes are mainly found along the coast, with riverine marshes and fens spanning across the floodplains of the great Agarak river, whereas swamps and rainforest are typically found more inland in the western regions, where most of the human population is found. Within these wetlands, large fountain geysers, mineral springs and hot springs can be found, leading to large cultures of thermophilic bacteria and hardy algae such as. Small creeks, oxbow lakes, sloughs, bayous and baygalls run alongside the Agarak river, with vernal pools and tropical pocosins being found further out in the Agarak floodplains. Shrub swamps and backswamps act as a transitional zone between the submerged ecoregion and the floodplain ecoregion, with these three regions being highly diverse in both flora and fauna, hence its highly protective ecological status. The Central Avalonian Ecological Institute overlooks the protection and classification of Bailenese ecosytems.

Atolls, coral reefs, submarine volcanoes and high islands can be found in the Piraka Sea, formed from extinct or active volcanoes.

Terrestrial
Baileneu Ma has lots of terrestrial biodiversity, and many animals have special statuses due to religious and cultural significance, such as the, which is believed to be a sacred animal in some Sowani teachings. Some arboreal species of can also be found in Baileneu Ma, preferring the high altitude tropical rainforests over the wetlands. Numerous otter species can also be found inhabiting coastal and wetland regions, such as the, and the , which have a mutual relationship with ,  and , where both the mustelids and rodents act as guards, recognising their distress calls when predators are near.

Caneptids are a family of large mammals closely related to unique to the wetland and surrounding areas of Baileneu Ma. Comprised of 7 species and 2 genera, caneptids range from rodent to dog sized and are largely nocturnal, with omnivorous diets. The most common and renown species is the Striped Anekidus, which have been partially domesticated in Baileneu Ma, largely used as companions and guards for families. Some species of Caneptids are able to glide due to patagium, mainly used to escape predators and move from canopy to canopy during seasonal flooding. Other members of the Carnivora order such as the Bailenese Stink Badger, Barbarian Mongoose, Yellow Wolverine are also unique to Baileneu Ma, with some being introduced to other Avalonian nations such as Arbenz.

Aquatic
Baileneu Ma hosts a variety of fresh, brackish and salt water fish, owing to it's large wetland regions with vast ecological diversity. Fishing has always been the primary source of food for people in the western regions, due to the abundance of aquatic species, as well as a source of tourism in Baileneu Ma, where professional fishers from across Anterra come to compete.

Languages
The official languages of Baileneu Ma are Spanish and Ektete, with Spanish being the most widely spoken language and is taught in schools. Spanish was introduced as the official of Baileneu Ma whilst it was a colony of Agrana y Griegro and despite decolonisation it still remains widely used. Ektete was re-introduced following de-colonisation as a religious language, whilst not being used much in communication, it is still used today in religious ceremonies.

Ethnicity
There are many different ethnic groups in Baileneu Ma due to the natural barriers created by the dense rainforest that covers the nation, this led to many communities becoming isolated and it is thought that there are still tribes who live deep in the tropical forests who have not been discovered. The main ethnic groups in the nation include the native ethnicities of Sidr people (29% of the population) and Nam people (19% of the population), as well as Fukyian Tribesmen (12% of population) and 26% of the population who identify as mixed or other native ethnicities. 6% of the population identify as Modrovian or mixed colonial and 4% of the population are Portuguese or mixed Albaterriano, with another 4% identifying as other. Despite efforts from the SWP to encourage unity between the different ethnic groups, there still remains a large divide between the native ethnicities and the colonial ethnicities. In recent years, the SWP has taken in many asylum seekers and immigrants from Santa Magdalena and Albaterra, granting them full citizenship under the Pan-Native Citizenship Act, leading to a sizeable Raramuri and Muysca minority.

Religion and Culture
The majority religion in Baileneu Ma is Sowani, with Sowans making up 84% of the population, however, Sowani teachings also allow followers to practice other religions as long as the beliefs don't contradict Sowan principles. It is estimated that around 36% of the population follow Sowan-folk religion beliefs, whereas only 6% of the population solely follow folk religions. The next largest religion is Christianity, of which 8% of the population identify as Catholic or Tanets Solntsa, roughly 2% of the population are atheist or agnostic. Religion plays a large role in the lifestyle and culture of Bailenese citizens, with several national holidays centered around Sowan days of celebration with huge festivals held in urban centers, as well as a focus on obtaining spiritual knowledge rather than material wealth. There is a large focus on consumption of psychedelic plants in native cultures, with many farms dedicated to the cultivation of psychedelic mushrooms and herbs, such as, , as well as , this is due to the Sowan belief that the hallucinations and other effects caused by these plants bring the individual closer to God and allows them to communicate with them. Cannabis consumption and cultivation is also a major part native culture, believing that it inspires free thinking and liberates an individual of their mortal burdens and sins, it is often consumed in the form of P'elele too, this has caused a surge in smuggling to Albaterra, where there are extreme sentences on cannabis production imposed by the president. Mythology is another huge part of Bailenese culture, as written language was only introduced to the region once Modrovian settlers arrived, this meant that stories were passed down through generations as a major tradition spanning for for thousands of years. The oldest and most well-known myth is the Kingdom of Baileneu, which was ruled by a divine king for years until he was overthrown by an army sent by the Devil. This kingdom is the basis of the Sowani principles, as Sowans believe that by following the practices of the king then they too can reach his level of holiness. It is unsure if this story is true as there is no physical evidence to prove it, despite many trying to find the ruins of the city deep in the rainforest.

Folk
Folk music of Baileneu Ma consists of various instruments such as s, s, s, and s, although this varies massively by region, vocals include, ,  and. Ballads and traditional folk songs were the dominant musical custom for thousands of years until Modrovian settlers came and introduced the locals to, and  and. A form of emerged in the early 1920s among the natives who had experienced slavery, poverty and systematic racism, this later evolved into proto- and. Rocksteady was enjoyed by both native and colonial ethnicities in the cities, but in rural areas where life was much harder, and early  emerged, which often sung about poverty, oppression and Sowani which gained mainstream influence in the 1960s and 1970s.

Dance and Reggae
Dancehall underground culture led to the creation of, where more dance oriented reggae tunes would have a selector and a deejay, that would toast, rap or sing over the instrumental part of a song or dubplate. Dancehall then fused with electronic music as it became more popular in Avalonia to create, and later , which dominated the Bailenese music scene from the 1980s to 2000s. Jungle was so popular in Baileneu Ma that it evolved into many genres due to its underground and variable electronic sounds. The largest and most popular offshoot of jungle was, which still remains very popular today and took over many underground genres in other Avalonian nations in rave scenes. was a much darker alternative to drum & bass that sampled popular horror movies, gunshots and other dark/violent sounds alongside a faster tempo, pitch shifting and time stretching; borrowing much of its techno samples from proto-industrial sounds that were being experimented with in Arbenz during the late 90s. More experimental genres also evolved from jungle, such as, and  that were very different any genres heard in other nations, cementing Bailenese music as very unique and defined. Bailenese Garage was originally more experimental, however, it became more dance-oriented due to influence from house and D&B genres, this later evolved into and it's more unconventional sister. and Post-Jungle (also known as jglstep) emerged as a controversial take on Bailenese EDM, combining elements of garage, jungle, drum and bass, as well as dub to form a diverse group of music that blended melancholy nostalgia with future dread. Whilst some dubstep songs featured MCs similar to garage and grime, other subgenres drew on creating rich soundscapes through ambient pads, FM basslines and psychedelic 70s arpeggiators. These sounds were pushed in a variety of directions, spanning from indigenous samples from across Avalonia to deep and minimal drums with heavy subbass, for more information see 140 Music in Baileneu Ma. Post-Jungle drew upon the musical discourse created by dubstep and utilised the breakbeats, toasting MCs and classic 90s fx to create a hybrid of the two genres.

Stemming from Bailenese, became a prominent musical style in the 1970s after the emergence of the , alongside other musical genres such as ,  and. Each genre had a distinct sound, with Bailenese Rock borrowing heavily from its origins in blues, alongside Swamp Rock, although it also had discernible jazz influences; Agarak Rock made use of accordions and wash boards in a fashion and slow pace, whereas Bayou Blues was defined by steel guitars and limited vocals. Bailenese Rock was heavily dominated by Warren Pitts and The Midnight Fishers, who's fluid guitar, worn voice, early use of drum machines and unconventional mixes led to national popularity from the late 70s and global popularity after the liberalization of the country in the 90s, the band's biggest hit was  'River Runs Deep'  in 1978, followed by  'I'll Make Love to You (Any Old Time)'  in 1984 and  'Precious Memories'  in 1986. Originating from the western wetlands of the nation, the music typically centered around rural living, poverty, Sowani and swamp life, whilst never rivaling the musical dominance of reggae in Baileneu Ma, it was still very popular in the regions where it came from. In recent years, the genres became more influenced by and, leading to the re-emergence of Bailenese Revival Rock (known technically as 'Neo-Wetlands Revival') music, which uses a variety of electronic instruments such as  and  as well as acoustic instruments such as  and. Warren Pitts and The Midnight Fishers pioneered the genre with their album in 2010,, with  'You Got Something'  and  'Ride Me High'  receiving multiple awards. This genre reached world-wide notoriety after  'Magic Carpet Ride'  and  'The Other Song'  by Bamboo reached the top 20 charts in 2013, with other songs such as  'Mr. Spaceman'  by Bamboo,  'I Just Wasn't Made For These Times'  by The Interstellars and  'Wait Until Tomorrow'  by Moon Valves reaching moderate success in Avalonia.

Nomadic Cultures
The two largest ethnicities in Baileneu Ma, Sidr and Nam, both have cultural history in nomadic lifestyle, although many have abandoned this and formed permanent settlements in the 19th and 20th centuries. However, there is still an estimated 120,000 nomadic people that live fully/semi nomadic lives. These people are given specific reservations where they can roam peacefully without disturbing residents, although they are allowed to also use designated parks and greens in urban and suburban regions. Caravans, motorhomes and portable tents (gazebos, tipis, wigwams, etc) are the preferred way of lodging in temporary locations, however, some groups still use horse caravans when travelling. Under Williamson and Oliveira these groups were ostracized and persecuted as they didn't conform with Modrovian and Portuguese cultures, where they would be brutalized and arrested by law enforcement when travelling and settling, this has been reversed by the SWP, which seeks to protect the remaining nomadic people.

Dancehalls
Dancehall culture became prominent in the 1990s and early 2000s, where makeshift sound-systems would be housed in flatbed trucks in public spaces and in community halls and a selector plays, , , and  records. However, dancehall culture was around since the 1970s among youths, but it was often associated with criminal activity due to the high levels of drug abuse and raves at the dancehalls. Originally, and  was only played at dancehalls, however,,  and  vocal styles began to emerge as selectors would sing over instrumental tracks, which led to the evolution of  music in Baileneu Ma. These dancehalls can still be found in Baileneu Ma, where they play a variety of music from Baileneu Ma and Avalonia, these dancehalls have evolved into raves, which the authorities tolerate if they are small scale. Soundsystems would play at venues in these dancehalls, as well as in squatter settlements, releasing previously unheard dubplates as either a sole performance or as a 'soundsystem clash', where two rival soundsystem groups would play against each other in a competition.

Cuisine
Bailenese cuisine varies depending on the regions with three distinct cuisine groups based on geographical position due to high biodiversity of edible plants and animals. Coastal regions eat primarily seafood, consisting of crustaceans, seaweed and fish, this includes the following meals: Wetland cuisine consists of rice heavy dishes, such as: In the heartlands and the mountains, several other meatier dishes can be found such as: Curries are found throughout the nation, with local spices and cooking methods leading to a variety of different curries, most notably: Vindaloo, Jalfrezi, Bhuna, Dhaba, Dhansak, Pantia, Saag and Madras. The national dish is jerk chicken and rice and peas, with fried plantain and roti on the side, with the national dessert being. Bailenese Sodas, particularly Chunga Soda is very popular both within the country and in some foreign nations where it is exported to such as Siwallqanqa.

Tea is a very popular drink in Baileneu Ma, with, , and  being used as a refreshing and healthier alternative to alcoholic drinks. Tea has always been viewed as a social act, in the same way that casual drinking is in other parts of Anterra, where groups from 4-12 would enjoy tea prepared from a large teapot. The time and day, as well as the occasion dictates the tea being consumed, where black and yellow tea is typically drunk from midday until early afternoon, with green tea being drunk from mid-afternoon until night, whereas fermented tea is drunk in a religious way, during worship. Historically, tea made from various psychoactive substances were consumed in tea form as well, such as coca, cannabis, datura leaves, morning glory, blue lily, psychedelic mushrooms, psychoactive cacti and kanna, where the intoxicating effects were used as part of meditation and worship. Bailenese coffee is also sought after luxury, known for it's more relaxing effects compared to other coffees, alongside Bailenese yerba mate and guanara, where it is treated as a morning to afternoon social drink.

Education
Despite being relatively poor, Baileneu Ma maintains relatively good education infrastructure that is completely free (including university tuition), operating on a decentralised community-run basis for nursery/childcare and primary schools. Secondary and tertiary education is managed by a mix of municipal and federal (state and province) authorities, with quaternary education (universities and technical colleges) being run by a national board of directors. Baileneu Ma has an adult literacy rate of 94%, with 34% of the population having passed quaternary education and 69% for tertiary education. Bailenese universities are renown for their natural science degrees, encompassing biology (microbiology and phycology included), ecology, human & natural geography, geology and anthropology, as well as chemistry-related courses such as medicine, biochemistry and synthetic chemistry.