INTAKI PRIME – Following a year of highs and lows, the Intaki Prosperity Initiative (IPI) and its executor corp, the Intaki Liberation Front (ILF), are in the process of enacting new policies to clarify and strengthen operations in YC115, including what may be a controversial revision to IPI’s public stance on the pursuit of independence.
Through the first and second quarters of YC114, IPI pilots participated in over thirty combat and industrial operations within what they refer to as the “Intaki sovereignty”, a grouping of systems in the Placid region with Intaki at its core. “These activities were well-attended by member pilots and guests, which was encouraging,” said IPI diplomat Bataav en Gravonere. “This year we plan to return to that level of operation and make the most of recent ship specification changes.”
At the I-RED Tea and Press Conference in August, the Intaki Prosperity Initiative was recognized for its continuing efforts in Placid. President Eionell was in attendance to accept the honor.
Other highs included a complete overhaul of the joint ILF/IPI Galnet portal as well as an outpouring of public support, especially from Caldari groups, during two separate wars declared against IPI.
These wars—the first, a short-lived declaration made by Valkyr Industries on July 21; the second, a 60-day conflict started by Coreli Corporation and later continued by the Corelum Syndicate alliance—highlighted certain inadequacies within IPI, most specifically related to combat readiness. Industrial pilots especially were targeted during the Coreli conflict which forced them to move from IPI to other employers to be able to fulfill quotas and meet contract obligations.
“I knew these inadequacies existed when I was elected,” President Eionell said, speaking from her office aboard the Astral V-5 station in Intaki. Ms. Eionell also holds the ILF rank “Isha-Sainka”, which translates to Director of Combat Operations. “The patrols led by myself and those under my command early last year were an effort to increase our effectiveness. The wars had a way of laying out in black and white just how lacking our combat readiness actually was.”
Although groups like I-RED and WHG pitched in with field support when possible, public war records show none of IPI’s allies formally committed military assets to either conflict. IPI’s ROE and neutrality regarding the Empyrean War prevented the alliance from accepting offers of assistance from militia groups via the war panel. The alliance is currently exploring ways to ease restrictions on interactions with any friendly group involved in the Empyrean War without compromising their neutral position.
Meanwhile, IPI struggled to recall combat pilots from extended summer and autumn planetside leaves which left the alliance with unmanageable gaps in its ability to defend assets or strike offensively. In the end, while the Intaki Prosperity Initiative was able to score victories in the PR war, as both aggressors employed tactics the public labelled as “dishonorable”, the two-year-old alliance lost the ISK war based on assets destroyed. Their operations overall remained largely unaffected.
On this, President Eionell said, “It’s all well and good to have allies who support us publicly. But we can’t—and shouldn’t—rely on them to fight our battles for us. IPI needs to stand on its own two feet. Peace, like respect, must be earned. In an ideal world, peace could be earned through diplomatic means alone. New Eden, unfortunately, is not that ideal world, and peace won’t be granted simply because we talk about it. We must not abandon our diplomatic efforts…but we must also demonstrate that we can fight for and protect want we want.”
Just prior to the outbreak of the VKYR war in July, Intaki Liberation Front CEO Saxon Hawke unexpectedly vanished, leaving oversight of the corporation in the hands of President Eionell. When questioned about this, Mr. en Gravonere would only confirm, “The Suresha is currently unavailable.” There appears to be no word on Saxon Hawke’s whereabouts nor an expected date of return to duty.
President Eionell didn’t appear concerned about Hawke’s absence. “There’s a time for enlightenment and a time to get things done,” she said. “Right now, ILF and IPI both need to get things done.”
In addition to finalizing new training requirements for ILF combat and industrial pilots, updating the alliance’s ROE and formalizing its area of operations, President Eionell, along with the IPI Council, spent much of YC114 reviewing alliance membership. This resulted in the dismissal of a majority of member corporations which were deemed to be inactive or non-contributing. While this meant the alliance shrank from what would appear to outsiders to be a healthy 13 or so corporations to only three, it placed IPI in a position to start YC115 fresh. Both IPI and ILF are launching recruitment drives.
President Eionell revealed the alliance’s most drastic change in a brief statement today: “The general public has tended to see the Intaki Prosperity Initiative as a secessionist group because of ILF’s voice, despite the fact the alliance had no such stated mandate and was comprised of members with a variety of political beliefs. Having concluded our membership review, this is no longer the case. Each IPI corporation shares the same political aims so officially adopting the pursuit of independence for the Intaki sovereignty as an alliance goal is a logical step. This new stance will allow us to put forth a unified front.”
Analysts anticipate more Caldari groups will form closer ties to IPI, as many in the State can sympathize with IPI’s goal of secession. “An independent Intaki sovereignty means having no affiliation with any particular empire,” stated Mr. en Gravonere. “Nevertheless, we welcome the opportunity to forge new and stronger friendships with those willing to support our cause.”
How the public will react to this shift in political ideology, as well as the yet-to-be-determined changes in IPI’s Empyrean War philosophy, remains to be seen.
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Are you a capsuleer or clone soldier interested in creating a stable, secure, and independent Intaki sovereignty? Does combat and industry in lowsec interest you? If so, ILF is looking for members like you!