Nimeona hii makala na nikajiuliza je hali kama hii inawezekana hapa bongo au itakuwa ni uhaini?
Australian Micro-Nations: Rebels Begin Home Rule After Rejecting Local Council Authorities | World News | Sky News
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3:41pm UK, Sunday May 23, 2010
Ian Woods, Australia correspondent
Sky News has brokered peace talks in an international dispute, albeit a border row that has yet to attract the attention of the United Nations.
It involves a renegade Prince, a declaration of independence, and a local council in Australia. And if it sounds an odd state of affairs, welcome to the world of micro-nations.
Perhaps it has something to do with Australians' traditional disregard for authority, with the country becoming a hotbed for revolutions.
There are now so many mini-states which reject Aussie rule that a university recently organised a conference and invited representatives of such entities as The Empire of Atlantium and The Principality of Dubelbeka.
The oldest, the Principality of Hutt River in Western Australia, recently celebrated its 40th anniversary.
The fact that so many Australians want to do away with the monarchy, and no longer have Queen Elizabeth as their sovereign, does not seem to have deterred others from going into the royalty business.
Prince Paul of Wy, formerly known as Paul Delprat, established his Principality in a suburb of Sydney six years ago.
The population is five - the ruler, his wife Princess Sue, and their three children.
Foreign minister Jim Jackson greets the Mayor of Mosman Council
They declared independence after becoming fed up with bureaucracy at their local council which had denied them permission to build a new driveway at their secluded home.
Prince Paul has since acquired robes, several crowns and thrones, many of them rescued and refurbished from the local dump.
And he has become such a popular figure in the local community of Mosman that he has even been named as their Citizen of the Year - even though he insists he is not one of their citizens.
"I don't feel eccentric, I feel very logical and pragmatic," he told Sky News.
Princess Sue agrees: "I felt we had to do something to let people know that we'd been treated unfairly and we're not just going to go away."
Their stubbornness may be about to pay dividends with signs the council may be willing to accede to their demands.
In fact, when Sky News contacted Mosman Council for a comment, they immediately insisted they would send the Mayor to hold peace talks.
The Empire of Atlantium's banknotes hold currency in 100 countries
Councillor Anne Connon duly arrived in her robes, and was presented with a ceremonial key to the Principality, plus a glass of champagne.
There were earnest discussions in case such gifts could be seen to be influencing the planning application.
The Mayor denies her tolerance could encourage others to secede, telling Sky News: "As long as they pay their rates we don't mind."
Prince Paul denies he pays his rates - he merely offers a "grant" to support art in the community.
But clearly the council does not care as long as he hands over the money.
The Prince wants to have good relations with his larger, more powerful neighbour.
"Australia is one of the most tolerant countries in the world and it would only be a liberal democracy like Australia that would really welcome and tolerate the sort of oddities of which micro-nations are a part," he said.
His Imperial Majesty George II agreed. Three decades ago, George Cruikshank and two school-friends established the Empire of Atlantium.
It now claims to have 1,300 citizens from more than 100 countries, some of whom have purchased the empire's own banknotes, coins and stamps.
Atlantium has its own calendar and its main province, Aurora, is about twice the size of The Vatican, in the midst of the New South Wales bush.
Prince Paul of Wy's dreams have come alive on canvas
However, the Emperor makes do with a one bedroom apartment in Sydney.
"I'm very glad to say that I don't have any delusions of grandeur," he said. "I don't go about insisting people give me good seats in restaurants.
"However a lot of our citizens do take these things seriously because they do actually refer to me in writing and in person as 'Your Imperial Majesty' or 'Your Excellency' and they get a bit of a thrill out of the fact that there's this head of state that they can communicate directly with in this way."
He acknowledges Atlantium is not a sovereign state, but says "it's a vehicle at how a future world government could be constructed".
The Emperor has adopted a look which is reminiscent of an early 1980s Soviet republic.
But his attempts to turn his state into a tourist attraction are very much capitalist in nature.
He remains a benevolent dictator though, in comparison to some American micro-nations he has encountered which apparently "take themselves too seriously".
When Prince Paul of Wy isn't dealing with affairs of state, he runs the renowned Julian Ashton School of Art.
The prince is a fine artist whose work has appeared in the feature films Age Of Consent and Sirens.
It helps to explain why he has naked portraits of the actresses Helen Mirren and Elle McPherson in his living room.
Alongside them is a portrait of himself on horseback, riding across a beach where a dozen naked women are sunbathing.
You can see why fantasy royalty has its attractions.
Australian Micro-Nations: Rebels Begin Home Rule After Rejecting Local Council Authorities | World News | Sky News
Share5 Share Comments (3)
3:41pm UK, Sunday May 23, 2010
Ian Woods, Australia correspondent
Sky News has brokered peace talks in an international dispute, albeit a border row that has yet to attract the attention of the United Nations.
It involves a renegade Prince, a declaration of independence, and a local council in Australia. And if it sounds an odd state of affairs, welcome to the world of micro-nations.
Perhaps it has something to do with Australians' traditional disregard for authority, with the country becoming a hotbed for revolutions.
There are now so many mini-states which reject Aussie rule that a university recently organised a conference and invited representatives of such entities as The Empire of Atlantium and The Principality of Dubelbeka.
The oldest, the Principality of Hutt River in Western Australia, recently celebrated its 40th anniversary.
The fact that so many Australians want to do away with the monarchy, and no longer have Queen Elizabeth as their sovereign, does not seem to have deterred others from going into the royalty business.
Prince Paul of Wy, formerly known as Paul Delprat, established his Principality in a suburb of Sydney six years ago.
The population is five - the ruler, his wife Princess Sue, and their three children.
Foreign minister Jim Jackson greets the Mayor of Mosman Council
They declared independence after becoming fed up with bureaucracy at their local council which had denied them permission to build a new driveway at their secluded home.
Prince Paul has since acquired robes, several crowns and thrones, many of them rescued and refurbished from the local dump.
And he has become such a popular figure in the local community of Mosman that he has even been named as their Citizen of the Year - even though he insists he is not one of their citizens.
"I don't feel eccentric, I feel very logical and pragmatic," he told Sky News.
Princess Sue agrees: "I felt we had to do something to let people know that we'd been treated unfairly and we're not just going to go away."
Their stubbornness may be about to pay dividends with signs the council may be willing to accede to their demands.
In fact, when Sky News contacted Mosman Council for a comment, they immediately insisted they would send the Mayor to hold peace talks.
The Empire of Atlantium's banknotes hold currency in 100 countries
Councillor Anne Connon duly arrived in her robes, and was presented with a ceremonial key to the Principality, plus a glass of champagne.
There were earnest discussions in case such gifts could be seen to be influencing the planning application.
The Mayor denies her tolerance could encourage others to secede, telling Sky News: "As long as they pay their rates we don't mind."
Prince Paul denies he pays his rates - he merely offers a "grant" to support art in the community.
But clearly the council does not care as long as he hands over the money.
The Prince wants to have good relations with his larger, more powerful neighbour.
"Australia is one of the most tolerant countries in the world and it would only be a liberal democracy like Australia that would really welcome and tolerate the sort of oddities of which micro-nations are a part," he said.
His Imperial Majesty George II agreed. Three decades ago, George Cruikshank and two school-friends established the Empire of Atlantium.
It now claims to have 1,300 citizens from more than 100 countries, some of whom have purchased the empire's own banknotes, coins and stamps.
Atlantium has its own calendar and its main province, Aurora, is about twice the size of The Vatican, in the midst of the New South Wales bush.
Prince Paul of Wy's dreams have come alive on canvas
However, the Emperor makes do with a one bedroom apartment in Sydney.
"I'm very glad to say that I don't have any delusions of grandeur," he said. "I don't go about insisting people give me good seats in restaurants.
"However a lot of our citizens do take these things seriously because they do actually refer to me in writing and in person as 'Your Imperial Majesty' or 'Your Excellency' and they get a bit of a thrill out of the fact that there's this head of state that they can communicate directly with in this way."
He acknowledges Atlantium is not a sovereign state, but says "it's a vehicle at how a future world government could be constructed".
The Emperor has adopted a look which is reminiscent of an early 1980s Soviet republic.
But his attempts to turn his state into a tourist attraction are very much capitalist in nature.
He remains a benevolent dictator though, in comparison to some American micro-nations he has encountered which apparently "take themselves too seriously".
When Prince Paul of Wy isn't dealing with affairs of state, he runs the renowned Julian Ashton School of Art.
The prince is a fine artist whose work has appeared in the feature films Age Of Consent and Sirens.
It helps to explain why he has naked portraits of the actresses Helen Mirren and Elle McPherson in his living room.
Alongside them is a portrait of himself on horseback, riding across a beach where a dozen naked women are sunbathing.
You can see why fantasy royalty has its attractions.
