Breuvi Chikmurdof
Breuvi Chikmurdof | |
|---|---|
| File:Breuvi.jpg The last photo of Chikmurdof speaking to Knights of Saint Luther operatives after the 2001 Otekian Unrest | |
| Born | July 9, NMR 2295 Irbet, Oteki |
| Died | January 19, NMR 2362 (age 66) |
| Nationality | Otekian |
| Known for | Leader of the Knights of Saint Luther |
Breuvi Chikmurdof was head of the Knights of Saint Luther, a right-wing Christian fundamentalist militant group aimed at ending Namorese rule over Oteki. Before his death, Chikmurdof one of the most wanted people in Namor alongside Yoskov Lhego, president of the Government-in-exile of the Republic of Oteki and leader of the Otekian Independence Movement, according to the Namorese Ministry of Public Security. Since the 2013 Otekian Unrest, Namorese authorities have raised Chikmurdof's bounty from P800,000 to P1,200,000. They have accused the Luziycan government of sheltering Chikmurdof and other Knights leaders, calling him a terrorist mastermind. Chikmurdof was listed as a wanted criminal by INTERPOL and many other organizations facilitating international police cooperation.
In January 19, NMR 2362, the Namorese Special Operations Unit (N-SOU), Namor's counter-terrorism agency, intercepted a van owned by the Knights of St. Luther and seated Chikmurdof as well as a few other militants. After a brief firefight Chikmurdof was found dead by the N-SOU; it is believed that he committed suicide moments before the Namorese seized the van. Chikmurdof's death was immediately announced by Namorese state media, and it led to a power vacuum between moderate and racial leaders within the Knights organization.
Biography
Chikmurdof was born 1955 (NMR 2295) in Irbet, Oteki, when it was under Namorese control. He was the son of a Christian pastor who advocated for Otekian independence, therefore Chikmurdof's radical ideology developed from his childhood, as his father would consistently tell him stories of Oteki's past glories, inciting him to abhor Namorese rule.
When he was eleven, rebels took over Oteki and established the Second Republic of Oteki. Chikmurdof signed up to be a mercenary soldier, and he helped Otekian artillerymen during the war against the Namorese. Chikmurdof distanced himself from Namorese people and Geads, as he saw them as savages. He also read the Bible over and over, and considered all of its ideas to be morally correct.
When the Namorese retook Oteki in 1970, Chikmurdof fled to Luziyca. His father had been executed by Liberation Army soldiers for helping out the separatists, therefore Chikmurdof felt that joining the Knights of Saint Luther and overthrow the Namorese through violence was his life mission. He took part in guerrilla warfare, as well as attacks on Namorese settlements. His knowledge of military strategy quickly made him popular among the Otekian nationalist camp, and his position in the Knights' leadership.
Chikmurdof succeeded late leader Peter Ashmaev as leader of the Knights in 1994, after the latter was assassinated by Namorese agents. He rigidly followed his predecessor's strong, anti-Namorese policy, as well as the "Oteki for Otekians and Otekians only" policy the Knights had for an independent Oteki if it is to emerge. He made his first public appearance in 1996 during the Third Namo-Luziycan War, in which Knights operatives helped out the Luziycan army. Chikmurdof, while announcing the Knights' assistance to the Luziycans, maintained that there is "no chance" of Namorese, Otekians and Geads living in peace. He was blacklisted by the Namorese government shortly after.
During the 2001 Otekian Unrest Chikmurdof led the Knights to attack Namorese border guards and government buildings, waging his "holy war" against the Namorese. The Namorese government raised his bounty, and Chikmurdof made less public appearances, fearing assassination. From time to time Chikmurdof made audio speeches threatening the Namorese to leave Oteki or suffer more attacks from the Knights.
June 28 Attacks
Namor reiterated its placement of Chikmurdof as the most wanted man in Namor after the Knights of Saint Luther successfully carried out an attack on the Aininian embassy in Namo and the Ethnic Minority Affairs Ministry building, leading to the deaths of hundreds of people. One day after the attacks were carried out, a spokesperson for the Knights claimed responsibility for the attacks. Although Chikmurdof did not appear in person to claim responsibility, it is widely believe that he had hand-written the speech the spokesperson would read out that day.
The Knights' involvement in the attacks led to international condemnation, which was followed by it being classified as a terrorist organization by many Esquarian governments. Namor also responded to the attacks with a "strike-hard" policy, in which it sent an increased number of security forces to Txotai to crack down on Otekian independence and its supporters. President-General Alicia Wolf called for Chikmurdof to be captured "dead or alive," and made it one of the biggest goals of her administration.
A voice recording by Breuvi Chikmurdof was released to the public by the Knights' publicity wing three months after the attacks, where Chikmurdof said that he was "hiding in the mountains somewhere, but with God's protection the Namorese will never capture me." He also called for a halt in "Namorese oppression of our brothers and sisters in Oteki" to prevent further attacks.
Death
Days before Chikmurdof's death, Namorese intelligence received data that a van without a license plate was roaming across the remote areas of Txotai, believed to be shipping and delivering weapons to Knights militants operating inside the region. It was believed that the van is heavily defended and armed because someone really important towards the organization was inside the van. Therefore, on January 19, NMR 2362, Chikmurdof was traveling on a van with eight other militants from the Knights of Saint Luther. The van was driving closer towards the Namo-Luziycan border when members of the Namorese counter-terrorism agency, the N-SOU, attacked the van. A firefight began between militants from the van and N-SOU operatives, but minutes later six out of the nine militants were shot dead, while the remaining three returned to the van, Chikmurdof being one of them. The Namorese surrounded the van, and moments before they forced everyone inside the van to surrender a gunshot was fired, believed to be the shot Chikmurdof himself fired to kill himself before the Namorese could get their hands on him. Shortly after, the two militants besides Chikmurdof surrendered to authorities, and turned Chikmurdof's body over to the N-SOU. The N-SOUs identified Chikmurdof through his beard and sly look, but they had to gather more evidence before actually confirming to superiors that they have captured Chimurdof's body.
News of Chikmurdof's death was first announced via Namorese state television, when a live press conference by the Public Security Ministry interrupted regular programming to announce Chikmurdof's death, as well as the fact that he had committed suicide before his body was turned over to authorities. Quickly, Chikmurdof's death became headline news throughout Namor. In Txotai, thousands of Namorese gathered in Freedom Square to celebrate Chikmurdof's death and congratulating the autonomous government of Txotai under Vang Lan. Similar rallies were held elsewhere in Namor.
Meanwhile, in Otekian exile communities across Luziyca, thousands of Otekians protested Chikmurdof's death at the hands of the Namorese, with many mourning and praising him as the "freedom fighter." A petition receiving thousands of signatures was submitted to the Lutheran Catholic Church, asking for Chikmudof's canonization, but was ultimately rejected. Extreme, pro-Chimurdof Knights militants called for retaliatory attacks that would "strike into the heart of Namor" to avenge Chikmurdof's death, but they were overrode by Jason Shumev, who would later separate from the extremist faction and establish the so-called "Otekian People's Association," which he views as a moderate organization.
Quotes
- "The question lies: can the Zahkava [Namorese], Geads and Otekians live together in peace and harmony in Oteki? Never. In order for our race to be free, everyone who isn't us and lives in our homeland must be destroyed. We can never live in peace if we are to abide by the words of The Lord."
- Speech, 1996
- "The Zakhava are destroying our Christian heritage. They have razed our churches, secularized our schools and made us Otekians adhere to the Zakhavas' dirty thought. How can we live like this any longer, how can we tolerate this? You do know that one day you will have to face God and be asked what you have done for your religion. So I say to you good Otekians: come to Holy War, give your children a Christian education, and resist the Zakhava until the very end."
- Response to 2001 Otekian Unrest
- "In order to correctly end the occupation which strives to oppress us, we must marry the rifle and kiss the bullet. If someone puts a hand on an Otekian, the Otekian should send him to his funeral."
- Conversation with fellow militants, circa. 2003
- "The Namorese have guns and tanks, and we only have The Lord. And that's what we all need."
- Audio recording, 2013
- "Whoever is decrying our actions in the 28th of June is not viewing the situation in full detail. You do not see how many Otekians who have died or been harassed by the Namorese occupation since 1950 and 1970. The number of Otekians who died way exceeds the number of people we killed in retaliation on the 28th of June. To accuse us of 'terrorism' and 'atrocities,' we can only say that we did what we had to do for the sake of saving the people of Oteki from further Namorese oppression, for the Namorese government is the true terrorist. They want to find me and capture me, dead or alive? Fine, let them, for I am hiding in the mountains somewhere, but with God's protection the Namorese will never capture me."
- Audio recording after the June 28 Attacks, September NMR 2355