Only a few days ago, I touched the subject of the Sentinels and their place as self proclaimed leaders of the Clans.
Barely had I finished uploading my statement to the grid feed, before I was firmly told that the Sentinels are certainly not the leaders of the Clans.
The trouble with the Clans as they exist at the moment is that they lack any kind of central body. The Council of Truth is no more, thus cutting off the only official link between the Clans and Omni-tek.
The Sentinels are the new masters of Tir. The capital city of the Clans. This is a fact and cannot be disupted.
They control the city uncontested. They control the governmental building. Simon Silverstone has proclaimed himself as being the liberator of Tir and the new leader of the Clans.
These are all factual statements. So let's look at the broader perspective.
The only recognised government in the Clan terrotories was the Council of Truth. In the Tir Accord they were recognised by Omni-tek as the ruling body. This didn't mean that all the clans recognised the council as such, however. Extremist clans, the Sentinels amongst them I believe, did not acknowledge the Council of Truth's authority. Indeed they thought of them as traitors for their collaboration with Omni-tek.
The accusations of the Council of Truth supporting the terrorist Dust Brigade sent the council into hiding. It's members locations unknown and with speculation that it's leader, Radimann has died.
Of course this meant the Tir Accord was no longer valid, since only one of the signing parties now existed. This of course, was where the ICC saw a pretense for sending its peacekeeping forces to Rubi-ka.
However Tir was not under ICC occupation for long as we all know. The Sentinels took the city by force. Expelling the ICC peacekeepers.
But was the operation a military coupe ((spelling, yes I know )) or simply an attack without political motives?
The continued presense of Sentinel forces and the proclamations from Silvetstone cleary indicate that it was the former rather than the latter.
The situation is made slightly fuzzy because of the fact that the Council of Truth was already gone. If the Council had still been there when the Sentinels invaded, the picture would have been much clearer. However, I find it hard for anyone to dispute that Silverstone deployed an army into the capital city and thereby installed himself as leader of the Clans.
Now. Like the Council of Truth, not every clan recognises Simon Silverstone as the leader of the Clans. In fact, probably only a minority think of him as their leader. However, a military dictatorship is not subject to democratic rules, and as long as he remains in Tir, uncontested, he must be seen as the only real leader of the Clans.
So where does that leave all the many clans, who do not share Silverstone's opinions? Well frankly, in the eyes of Omni-tek, it leaves them as people who might not exactly actively support the terrorist agenda of the Sentinels, but with their silent acceptance do nothing to topple this tyrant.
Now I am not expecting anyone to mobilise an army and overthrow the Sentinels. But at least a public protest against them would go a long way in demonstrating the Clans opposition to the criminal ways of Silverstone. Perhaps a formation of a council to try and rally the clans that oppose the Sentinels?
It should be apparent to everyone but the most naive that in the long run Omni-tek cannot accept the Clans being led by (with or without major support from the rest of the clans) a person such as Silverstone, who's highest goal in life is to bring Omni-tek to its knees by any means possible.
Therefore, for the sake of Rubi-ka. For the sake of peace. Do not sit idly and let this criminal tarnish and ruin what little goodwill for the Clans that still exist in Omni-tek.