Mark Of The Destiny - Chapter 291

Suyin took a deep breath and moved on to reading…

Years back, things started when Patriarch Wang was the president of Cheyna. Once he had sent military help to a small country called Owhana, which was fighting against Tamis’s militant groups over a uranium rich piece of border.

Through intelligence, President Wang got to know Tamis had planned to make nuclear weapons and supply it to the terrorist organisations not only for monetary purposes but to destabilise the countries fighting against terrorism.

President Wang brought the issue in limelight internationally and supported Owahana.

Tamis declined Cheyna’s claims when being confronted, and cited the conflict with Owhana as a matter between the two nations over undecided territory, and no third country should intervene. Later, he secretly funded a terrorist group and get them to attack Cheyna to distract them from supporting Owhana.

In 1992, the bomb attacks in West Cheyna killed over 600 civilians and 100 cops. After an investigation, the intelligence cited evidence against the involvement of a terrorist group training near Tan Valley in El Sandrios as the chief suspects.

Cheyna issued a declaration demanding El Sandrios to hand over the three prime suspects of the terrorist group. When Tamis refused, citing lack of substantial evidence, and absence of any terrorist group in Tan Valley, Cheyna issued a ban on trade despite billions of dollars invested by companies in El Sandrios and called its citizens and diplomats back.

After making sure all its citizens were back in the country, President Wang sent fighter planes to strike Tamis’s militant training facilities (which were also used in terrorist training) hidden in the Tan valley.

It destroyed hundreds of camps, killed thousands and some civilians as well. Above that, Cheyna presented an irrefutable evidence about the existence of training facilities. As a result, United Nations imposed economic sanction against El Sandrios which had deep repercussions over the country’s economy.

Cheyna’s strong retaliation and international pressure resulted in a gradual diminution of Tamis’s support for terrorism and anti-Cheynian statements. He stayed low for a few years, maintaining that he knew nothing about who perpetrated the bombing, and El Sandrios had nothing to do with it.

By 2000, El Sandrios was already in ruins because of the ill-conceived policies, falling oil prices, and the sanctions imposed by UN and other nations. The mask of Tamis’ family fell away. They enriched themselves at the expense of the country, dragging the nation to the point where the masses got into a fight over a day’s meal.

Frustrated by the continuing decline of his economy, increasing debt, non-payment of loan to IMF, failed cooperative or bilateral aid agreements with other nations, and rebellion from masses forced him to think over to save his power.

He needed to reintegrate with the global leaders and bring his falling economy on track by getting outside investment. And for that, he had to amend his relations with Cheyna first.

Then at the turn of events when Wang Huang took over as the President’s position in 2003, Tamis and his eldest son initiated peace talks. He even surrendered the members of the terrorist organisation involved in the bombing of 1992 clearing his stance on terrorism.

Why not? He was also facing the insurgency from the same terrorist organisations whom he funded. As a solution, he pretended to be deeply affected by terrorism and positioned himself as a potential partner against it.

But….

Though every country wants peace with other nations. Wang Huang didn’t give a face to Tamis. He was clear on his stance of not resuming any relations with El Sandrios. Not until Tamis was in power. It would have been an affront to the families of the victims who died in the bomb attack. No matter what, El Sandrios was culpable of a mass murder of innocent people.

Cheyna’s attitude didn’t go down well with Tamis. A group of five terrorists hijacked a Cheyna airlines plane from Owahana to Cheyna, consisting of 194 Cheyna citizens and 26 foreigners. They demanded to return the three terrorists handed over by Tamis and a ransom of one billion dollars for the lives of the passengers.

Meanwhile, Wang Huang was discussing the possibilities with his ministers and crisis management team, the flight captain made a smart move and raised concern of fuel to the terrorist leader and made an emergency landing in a small city in Cheyna.

He hoped the SQUAT and dragon team of the military will raid the aircraft. However, the hijackers got suspicious of the time it was taking to refuel, and killed a passenger, threatening flight captain to kill one every minute if he didn’t take off. With a gun to his head, the pilot took the helpless decision and took off.

The hijackers forced him to take the aircraft to El Sandrios. But…. The aircraft was turned away by El Sandrios air space at the orders of Tamis citing its Cheyna’s crisis and he can’t allow a hijacked plane to land in his country, risking his own citizens.  Rubbish! Cheyna had rejected Tamis’ peace proposal a year back, and he was getting back at them.

The pilot was forced to keep the aircraft in air near El Sandrios, hoping government to negotiate and give them the permission to land somewhere.

Wang Huang found himself in the firing line from the relatives of the hostages and the many other nations to save 26 foreigners. Out of option, Wang Huang phone called Tamis, and promised to have peace talk to improve the relations of the two nations if he lets the aircraft to land.

Tamis in an attempt to improve his reputation agreed to co-operate. He even assumed the role of mediator between Cheyna government and hijackers. Not so miraculously, he got the hijackers to bring down their demand for money to three hundred million dollars and release all the women and children while Wang Huang’s government was bringing the three terrorists to them.

Wang Huang was a defeated man at that time. He agreed. Lives of 220 passengers values more than the lives of three terrorists.

The hijackers released only 29 women and 12 children instead of all the women and children they had agreed.

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