110.05.15Fourth District Statement on Malkalen Attack

Following the disaster in Malkalen today, Fourth District transport vessels loaded with relief supplies and combat vessels providing security support have been routed to the system. CAPT Svetlana Scarlet, Reserve Chief of Diplomatic Staff, spoke to the press from the Ishukone Watch station in the system coordinating the relief effort shortly after deliver a load of medical supplies.

"Ladies and gentlemen, today is a dark day for the State, perhaps the darkest since the bombardment of Caldari Prime a century ago. Today's horrific attack against the Ishukone corporate headquarters has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives already, and many more are missing or gravely wounded. Among the missing is Otro Gariushi, one of the State's greatest leaders and a man who opened his arms in the spirit of peace, only to be stabbed in the back by a man he thought – we all thought – was someone who believed in the same ideals.

"However, the greatest casualty of this vicious assault was not those hundreds of thousands of men and women, nor the economic might of the Ishukone Corporation that now finds itself paralyzed. The greatest loss today was the death of hope. Whether Admiral Noir's attack was the act of a single madman or the work of an insidious conspiracy against the people of the Caldari State, it matters little. The fact of the matter is that the Federation is to blame for this incident; they allowed this to happen, they promised us peace and brought death to our doorstep.

"Every Caldari man, woman and child feels the loss, the anger. We have watched as fires and explosions consume the station, watched the desperate relief efforts of Ishukone personnel and those pod pilots who answered their call. As the immediate tragedy begins to end, we are left with a decision to make; what are we in the State to do now, when confronted with this staggering blow against the very fabric of our nation? What actions must we take against the Federation, which has stabbed us in the back yet again, when we only wish to live in peace?

"The Federation has burned the last of the good will we can afford to extend to them. While peace is a laudable goal, the goal we should all work toward, the Federation has proven, once again, that is it an unreliable partner in this enterprise. We must take action to defend the State, its people, and our way of life. We must prevent the Federation and its allies from endangering any more lives with their negligence and recklessness. The Fourth District implores the Chief Executive Panel to lock down our border with the Federation immediately. We pledge our full support to the Caldari Navy and promise to devote any and all resources necessary in order to carry out this mission."

CAPT Scarlet refused to answer any further questions, saying that she did not have time during the current crisis, and directed further questions to the Fourth District's diplomatic office.