Partition of Southeast Coius
 | This article is incomplete because it is pending further input from participants, or it is a work-in-progress by one author. Please comment on this article's talk page to share your input, comments and questions. Note: To contribute to this article, you may need to seek help from the author(s) of this page. |
 Kachai refugees make their way south to Lavana. | |
| Date | 3 October 1940 |
|---|---|
| Location | Southeast Coius |
| Outcome | Partition of Estmerish Southeast Coius into independent states, the Republic of Dezevau, Republic of Lavana and Republic of Kabu, and refugee crises |
| Deaths | 3,000-10,000 |
The partition of Southeast Coius, sometimes also known as the partition of Dezevau, was the partition of the territories of the Estmere-administered Community of Nations Trust Territory of Southeast Coius. It took place from the 3rd of October 1940 to the 1st of January 1941, seeing the creation of the Republic of Dezevau, the Republic of Lavana, and territory granted to the Hacyinia Khanate.
Gaullica in the 19th century had transformed the former core of the Aguda Empire into what was de jure a number of small protectorates, but which de facto was a centralised, directly controlled colony, governed by the Bureau for Southeast Coius. Estmere was appointed the trust power for Gaullican Southeast Coius in 1935, after they defeated Gaullica in the Great War, inheriting the situation. It pursued a policy of decolonisation, but sought to leave behind friendly, stable regimes to protect its interests and guard against socialism. However, it had to contend with the various movements which had asserted themselves in Southeast Coius prior to and during its trusteeship.
The partition was largely negotiated between Estmere, the Lavanan nationalist movement, and the Dezevauni Section of the Workers' International. However, the terms of the partition were undermined almost from the beginning. The terms included the division of bullion reserves, the Southeast Coian Navy, rolling stock, cultural artifacts, industrial capital and such, but all parties engaged in significant covert removal. Terms providing for a period of free migration between the partitioned territories were generally observed. The parties agreed upon the borders which were drawn up, but it was widely expected that once the Estmerish departed, war would break out between Dezevau and Lavana; the borders were seen as only the starting line for such a war, and while Estmere wished to advantage anti-socialists, avoiding involvement in wars due to its colonial overextension was a higher priority.
The date of the partition was set formally to be the 1st of January 1941, but a provision allowing for discretion saw Estmere allow Lavanan independence early, on the 3rd of October 1940, though it continued negotiating with Hacyinia. Dezevau became formally independent at the later date. These dates have been adopted as the independence days of Lavana and Dezevau.
The partition saw the migration of between 1 and 2 million people, largely along ethnic lines, although many also migrated for political reasons, such as to avoid the socialist government in Dezevau, creating refugee crises in the newly constituted countries. Ethnic displacement was not a formal element of the partition, but it may have resulted from sectarian conflict and pressures related to the partition; in particular, many ethnic Dezevaunis were left south of the Dezevau-Lavana border. Although violence was rare, it is estimated up to 500 might have died as a result of violence and up to 10,000 from displacement (disease, accidents, etc.) The circumstances of the partition exacerbated an atmosphere of hostility and suspicion between Dezevau and Lavana; their relations did not ease until the establishment of the socialist People's Republic of Lavana in 1960, with the states now sharing close ties. Additionally the partition did not solve numerous territorial claims from Hacyinia in the region leaving it instead to the new Republic of Lavana to solve these issues out, which prompted Hacyinia to invade Lavana in the First Galshir War. There have been numerous subsequent conflicts between Hacyinia and Lavana up to this day. The Republic of Kabu likewise experienced dysfunctional governance and in just 25 days after independence had collapsed into Civil war, creating the socialist South Kabu, and the anti-socialist North Kabu.
Background
Nationalist sentiment in Southeast Coius had exploded following the Great War, and the return of defeated colonial troops, along with new reduced colonial garrisons from Estmere.
Rejection of "Dezevau"
Regions affected by partition
Atasu
Daonga
| Ethnicity | Population | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Dezevauni | 2,485,962 | 72% |
| Kachai | 690,545 | 20% |
| Oroqic | 103,582 | 3% |
| Others | 172,636 | 5% |
| Total Population | 3,452,725 | 100% |
The province of Daonga housed both the ruins and modern city of Dabadonga. The DSWI sought to formalize Dezevau, by holding the former Agudan capital. The province which was abnormally large, held considerable Kachai populations with a quarter of the population being non-Dezevauni, most of the Kachai population lived close to the sea in the city of Dezebenhua. The Bouvai Massif and Gezije Range provided attractive defensive positions for Lavanan troops to stop a Dezevauni attack, with defensible cities and the Siadng river to their south, as a secondary defense line. Partition of the province was considered to grant all lands south of the Siadng river and the coast of the province over to Lavana, although this would have placed modern Dabadonga in Lavanan hands, it was considered imprudent to grant the city to Dezevau as it would give it a bridgehead on the southern bank of the river.
Dezevau had expected the province to be split at the river, with the city granted to them. While Lavana had expected to occupy both the coast and the southern banks. Estmerish authorities stated that Dezevau would hold considerable advantage over Lavana should they be given a bridgehead over the river, and agreed that Dezevau could invade Lavana for control of the city as soon as independence. To provide Lavana with a buffer, it was decided to push the entire province into Lavana, to grant the defensible mountains to Lavana, along with preventing Dezevauni use of Dabadonga for Pan-Dezevauni propaganda. The large Dezevauni population would had allowed Lavana to further cement its claims as a multi-ethnic country.
Most of the violence of the partition that did not involve Hacyinia, occurred in Daonga province, with Lavana placing most of its armed forces into the province.