Kalahari Demilitarized Zone

Kalahari Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)
Saraibian: منطقة كالهاري منزوعة السلاح
Onza Template:Country data Saraibia
<imgur w="300">rwO0C2w.png</imgur> Parts of the DMZ are fenced and regularly patrolled by the Onzaian military.
Type	DMZ
Length	250 kilometres (160 mi)
Site information
Open to the public	No, access only by special permission
Condition	Fully manned and operational
Site history
Built by	Onza
In use	17 March 1986 (1986-03-17) – present

The Kalahari Demilitarized Zone, otherwise known as the Onzaian-Saraibian Demilitarized Zone, or simply, the DMZ, refers to the stretch of land from the westernmost edge of the Kalahari Desert that is fenced and regularly-patrolled by Onzaian armed forces to the easternmost end of the Kalahari Desert, which is considered by both nations "no-man's land."

The political borders of both nations are generally defined by a simple line in the middle of the hills that run vertically up to the coast in the Kalahari Desert. However, the edges of the roughly 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) DMZ are treated as maximum points by both governments, and have rarely been crossed by forces of either nation. The land within the DMZ is uninhabited, demilitarized, and riddled with mines. The Onzaian border of the DMZ is heavily militarized by Onzaian defense forces as well as JTO coalition forces, while the Saraibian border is heavily patrolled by varying militia groups.

History

Following the Saraibian hijacking of Fly Emirates Flight 213 in 1985, then-President Abubakar Ganizani called for an immediate meeting with Saraibian leaders. The Onzaian delegation demanded a commitment from the Saraibian government to hunt down the terrorists in the nation believed to be the masterminds behind the attacks, but the government refused, citing the inefficacy of such a hunt.

The Onzaian delegation initially withdrew under Ganizani's administration, but President Kayin Ayodele requested another diplomatic meeting -- this time to seek permission to demilitarize the Kalahari Desert. Both parties agreed to the zone's establishment, though the agreement soured relations between both nations considerably.

In May 1986, construction began on a fence that spanned the length of the Onzaian edge of the Kalahari Desert. The few gates that allow passage into the desert are heavily defended and manned by border outposts that prevent travelers from crossing.

All along the fence, the Onzaian military, as well as JTO coalition forces patrol, ensuring that nobody comes near the fence. The fence is electrified in some places, and is barbed at the time all throughout. Several other additions, such as bollards to prevent vehicles from ramming through the fence, have been added throughout the border's history to counter various incidents where the border was crossed.

Only a handful of individuals have successfully crossed the DMZ. Due to the tumultuous nature of the Kalahari Desert, the vast majority of travelers die from weather conditions or get lost before they make it to the other side. The few who have successfully crossed were Saraibian refugees attempting to flee into Onza.

Throughout the 1990s, the Onzaian military controversially laid a number of mines throughout the Kalahari Desert. While initially part of a controlled exercise, the military lost track of the mines planted, and many remain live and active. While none of these mines have been detonated by would-be migrants, they are a concern to international human rights groups, and many groups have lobbied the government to make an effort to disarm the mines.

Due to increasing tensions between the two nations, Onzaian forces have resumed conducting live-fire exercises beyond the Onzaian fence, though never over the Saraibian political border.

Incidents

File:Kalahari DMZ Outpost.png

A January 1996 attack left the I-19 border checkpoint damaged.

Attempts to cross the DMZ are exceptionally rare, primarily due to the deadly environmental conditions of the Kalahari Desert being common knowledge. However, a few incidents have occured:

• December 1986: 32 armed Saraibian men attempt to cross into Onza in the hopes of establishing a base of operations in the desert. 28 are killed by Onzaian soldiers in a skirmish, two are captured, and two are unaccounted for. 12 Onzaian troops were also killed. The Saraibian government denies responsibility for the soldiers.
• February 1987: Two unarmed Saraibian citizens attempt to cross into Onza, but die after getting lost in the desert.
• March 1987: A group of 14 Saraibian citizens attempt to cross into Onza at night. 4 die from conditions and an apparent encounter with a snake. The remaining migrants return to Saraibia.
• May 1987: A Saraibian man attempts to cross into Onza, but returns after he is fired upon by Onzaian forces. It was later determined that he was unarmed.
• June 1987: A truck with several assault weapons in the back is found abandoned in the desert and seized by Onzaian forces.
• August 1987: A family of three dies after attempting to cross into Onza.
• October 1987: Onzaian militants fire upon a group of Saraibian militants, killing three and sending the others fleeing.
• December 1987: A truck apparently attempts to ram the fence along the border, but the driver is killed by Onzaian militants before the collision.
• February 1988: Three Onzaian citizens die after attempting to cross the border into Saraibia.
• March 1988: An Onzaian citizen is arrested after returning from an apparent attempt to cross into Saraibia.
• July 1988: A group of Saraibian citizens are fired upon by Onzaian militants, causing them to turn back.
• November 1988: Two Onzaian soldiers die in the desert after apparently getting lost.
• February 1989: A Saraibian woman is found dead in the desert after an attempt to cross into Onza.
• March 1989: Onzaian soldiers capture two Saraibian men and imprison them.
• March 1990: Onzaian soldiers begin venturing out to conduct live exercises in the desert, including planting mines.
• July 1990: Onzaian soldiers fire upon a group of men attempting to cross the border at night. One is wounded and found dead later, while the others apparently escape.
• April 1991: A group of Saraibian refugees camping in the desert is discovered by Onzaian soldiers and told to return to Saraibia. This is the last major incident in the DMZ for some time.
• March 1994: A motorcade of trucks is spotted in the desert and fired upon by Onzaian soldiers. The group turns around and returns to Saraibia.
• January 1996: A Saraibian truck successfully rams through the defenses at the I-19 border outpost. The driver is killed in a gunfight.
• January 1998: An Onzaian search party finds the remains of nearly 80 bodies, 68 of which were later determined to be Saraibian, while 11 of the remaining were Onzaian. One could not be identified. The government reports that these bodies likely accumulated over the years as Onzaian forces stopped making ventures into the desert.
• August 2003: Seven Saraibian migrants are found dead in the desert.
• July 2009: Onzaian military forces discover tire tracks in the desert, but are unable to determine the source.
• March 2010: President Xolani Kojo orders the controlled detonation of some 112 mines in the desert.
• May 2014: Onzaian military forces fire upon persons detected using thermal imagery, though no shots hit them.
• September 2016: An Onzaian citizen is caught riding a dirtbike around in the desert and is arrested.
• November 2017: Onzaian forces conduct a missile test in the desert, but delay in claiming responsibility.

Transportation

A single highway in Onza, I-19, runs to a border checkpoint right at the Onzaian side of the DMZ. Several signs are posted towards the end of the road indicating that the driver is nearing the Kalahari DMZ and should turn around. Some Onzaians actually live along this highway, just a couple of kilometers from the border fence itself.

Since the zone's inception, the area has been treated as a no-fly zone. No aircraft have attempted to cross the DMZ, though in recent years, Onzaian forces have installed plans to prevent citizens from flying personal drones into the area.

A zone that extends two kilometers off the coast of the DMZ is restricted. Onzaian civilian vessels are not allowed to sail into this zone, although some have done it anyways. Saraibia generally ignores this zone, though Onzaian naval vessels have been known to scope the area out to ensure compliance with the prohibition of sailing there.