Intergalactic Summit

From the beginning rescue operations conducted by the Disciples of Ston, the question of how to handle possible criminals has always been a concern. As an organization, we oppose the death penalty and cannot knowingly hand an individual over to any entity that may use capital punishment on that individual. Out of this concern was developed our Detention Center. This center is currently located in our Korama office. When we first opened the center, we openly and publicly invited Concord to visit our facilities and perhaps help us find some final disposition of the detainees that would not violate our core values. This was to no avail.

In the course of time, we have receive a fair amount of criticism and questioning regarding the detaining of non-capsuleer slave traders and non-capsuleer militants. These we rescue from time to time or receive from other pilots aware of our facilities and basic values. We take these criticisms and questions as seriously as possible without compromising our stand against the death penalty. We have refused simply to hand over individuals to capsuleer entities. There is no reason for us to trust that our values would be honored. Throughout this time, we have not stopped looking for a better solution.

Recently we began an effort to communicate with the DED. This effort has culminated in DSTON asking permission to open a detention facility in one of their administrative centers. We have a desire to be closer to their oversight and to better make ourselves accountable in this matter. This, particularly because it involves non-capsuleers. We have obtained authorization to open a detention center in Yulai at a DED station there. This takes us of partisan space with regard to this arm of our organization.

It is anticipated that the staff and infrastructure of our Korama Center will be moved and re-established in Yulai as soon as is practically possible. While there may be sentimental reasons to retain our office in Korama, once the move is made, there is no pratical purpose for an administrative presence there. At that time, the Korama office will be closed and the new Detention Center will be located in Yulai.

We would like to publicly thank the House of Records Corporation and the Caldari government for the hospitality they have provided from the beginning of our organization. It has been much appreciated and Korama is our oldest office location. We also thank the DED for granting us access to establish our detention program in their facility.

Further announcement will be made when the transition is complete.

Dear Ms. Mai,

We understand this perspective and this sentiment. We may not completely satisfy your concerns but I hope we can explain ourselves and at a minimum assure you that we are seeing to the safety and humanity of ALL the people we rescue, including slavers and slaver hounds.

Slaver hounds are amazing and intelligent creatures. We take those we rescue to our Vocational Training Center where they are retrained as service dogs for a number of purposes. We train cadaver dogs and a subset of the same to help locate the injured or trapped. We train seeing eye dogs. We train drug sniffing dogs for law enforcement. We are proud to say that we have yet to see a need to euthanize any of these remarkable creatures. We find that they are as suitable for service as they are as guard dogs. We have trained or are training over 300 former slaver hounds that we have rescued.

Fear. That is the best description of the slavers we rescue once they are over the trauma of the death can experience. No, they are not afraid of us. By that time we have provided medical care, food, clothing, and shelter. What they fear is being returned to the Empire. Why would they fear that? Without exception, the slavers we have rescued have all found themselves in a death can at a border crossing because the pilot they hired to illegally transport them and the slaves in their possession dumped them at the border. It is common knowledge that many slavers trade slaves across sovereignty borders in areas where slavery is illegal. The slave markets in State, Federation, and Republic Territories can be quite lucrative.

Such activity is an official embarrassment to the Amarr authorities. The slavers know this. They also know that the penalties for being caught are usually one of two: death or disciplinary enslavement (often generational). Many slavers have told us that they would rather be listed as dead or missing than to have their loved ones suffer for their actions. Slavers would rather live in our detention center where they find meaningful work, education, and rehabilitation than die as a penalty for being caught breaking customs laws. Not one rescued slaver has yet to request transfer to Amarr custody. Most consider themselves lucky to be rescued by DSTON and not by either the Republic or the Empire. One thing slavers are not is naive about reality.

Our opposition to both the death penalty and slavery places us in a difficult situation. We are not in a place to put these slavers on trial. However, we are in a place to protect them from death and/or generational slavery. We understand that we will be criticized for doing this probably from all sides of the issue. We are open to finding better ways to handle the situation that do not compromise our values.

I will take specific issue with one thing you say; that slavers are "no less" victims in these cases. The slavers involved knew the risks of illegal slave trade across borders, but did it anyway. They chose to risk their own lives and the lives of the slaves they were transporting. They chose to risk trusting unscrupulous capsuleer pilots. Even the slavers themselves understand this.

There are a few Corporate news items that I need to report as part of my administrative duties.

The Disciples of Ston have closed our Korama Office. We have relocated our Detention Center and its administration to Yulai VIII, Moon XII DED Logistic Support.

Our Matriculation Center in Khanid Prime has just received 1000 Matriculants of mixed nationality and ethnicity. These are former slaves from various locations from within the Khanid Kingdom and have come to use through the agency of NUVOS. We thank Edaine Numenor for his efforts to secure the freedom of these. This begins a work in Khanid space that we hope will expand over time.

This now I report with grief. It was reported by Malcom Khross to Ston Momaki and then forwarded to me that one of our members, Manwe Todako engaged in an angry tirade against these pilots: Evelyn Meiyi, Ilsenae Alexandros, and Malcolm Khross. These accusations were accompanied by a transcript of the incident and confirmed as accurate by Mr. Todako. In the process of examining the evidence, we have determined that Manwe violated corporate policies regarding language use and decorum when engaging in public discourse. Mitigating factors aside, the evidence is incontrovertible and clear. For a Disciple of Ston, there is no mitigation regarding these things. No provocation, fatigue, or situational factors shall be considered sufficient mitigation to release any Disciple from culpability in such matters.

No one in our organization has worked harder or taken more risk or spent more personal resources to the cause of freeing slaves and repatriating the same than Manwe Todako. There is no one I know with more passion for the cause than Manwe. It is for this reason that these actions are of such grief to both Ston and myself. DSTON cannot afford to compromise the principles of peace and non-violence and this encompasses all action including verbal discourse. Since Manwe is the second most senior member of DSTON much is expected of his behavior.

Ultimately, he has let us all down including himself, and more importantly, the matriculants he is helping to repatriate. It is my sad duty to enact the following disciplinary action:
1. Effective immediately, Manwe Todako is removed from the role of Director.
2. Effective immediately, Manwe Todako is stripped of the title “Steward.”
3. These actions will remain in effect for a minimum of 60 days at which time further review will be made.
4. During this time he is suspended from his current duties as director of Repatriation Operations.
5. Manwe’s continuation as a member of the Disciples of Ston is contingent upon a public apology to these pilots: Evelyn Meiyi, Ilsenae Alexandros, and Malcolm Khross. This shall be done in the Disciples of Ston IGS forum thread and must appear within 7 days of this notice.

A personal note: The self-same passion that has garnered my utmost respect and admiration for this man who has labored long and hard for those we serve here at DSTON has also proven to be a weakness in need of temper and control. Though these disciplines seem hard, we reaffirm our love for this brother and we want to walk with him through this trial. Manwe, our hearts are with you, not against you.

(I'm being a bit pedantic, I know but -- 'formally' means 'as part of formal proceedings'. The word you're looking for is 'Formerly'.)

While I certainly do not agree with the Disciples' actions on a personal level (insofar as the slaves they rescue have not been legally emancipated by either the Kingdom or the Empire), I do applaud their rescue efforts. No slave should ever be subject to such an undignified and drawn-out death sentence as mass suffocation; the persons responsible for such punishment are unworthy to claim the title of Holder.

In regard to Captain Todako's conduct, I will only say that I hope he chooses his words more carefully in the future.

Todako,

We are all flawed, you no moreso than I. That you have the wisdom to govern yourself and refrain from the use of weapons places you far and above many others, there is honor in such clarity and integrity.

During these sixty days, I would request a private conversation with you either in person or over comms, I believe we have much we could learn from one another and experience to share. If you would honor this request, I will be grateful.

In the meantime, may your time of reflection bring you greater wisdom and control so that you emerge from this storm stronger than you entered it.

Bright stars and clear horizons.

All praise be to STON

Saw the thread up today and thought maybe I would give an update.

With 60 days suspension from The Disciples of Ston rapidly approaching ¾ + completion, I thought it appropriate at this time to explain what I have been doing during this time. When I joined the Disciples, I was coming out of a time of great anger and uncertainty in my life. I had escaped slavery within the Caldari State where I had been illegally sold by my former Amarrian master to a new Caldari master. After my escape, I harbored deep anger and resentment not just against those who enslaved me, but unjustly, against the cultures they represented.

I began training and was going to focus on a business career when I met Ston Momaki on a trip that took me through the Piekura system. I found his antics on local channels to be intriguing and highly engaging. Pilots became enraged when their greed and violence were exposed. They became more so when he refused to engage in violence. He told me that violence was not the key. I had always been worried about the issue of violence in my own life and was very unsure I could separate my anger from the use of deadly force. I saw in a pacifistic philosophy a solution to my anger. I was wrong.

I know of no truer pacifist than Ston Momaki. He really believes it. I maintain the utmost respect for him for that conviction. But, I embraced pacifism for the wrong reason. Rather than confronting my anger, I tried to protect myself from it by laying down my weapons and refusing to use them. The anger did not go away. I had a fear of power because I was convinced that my anger would corrupt it and evil would result. So, I never finished my training or education. I never attempted to learn self-control or proper use of force.

So, during these days away, I have gone back to school and finished my advanced training. I have met terrible teachers who have no values and care nothing of restraint and self-control. I have met quality educators and good mentors. I have also had the privilege of learning under a brother Vherokior mentor and man of exceptional value. In my advanced military training, I was encouraged to see the value of utilizing power with restraint and self-discipline. In the process, I learned that part of my anger stemmed from the powerlessness of slavery. Power was not the enemy, powerlessness was. My continuing education has helped me deal with my anger through self-control and discipline. True pacifism has to be embraced via conviction, not fear as was my case. I may always have a short fuse, and I will need to watch that carefully, but I also have new tools to help me cope.

I want to thank Artgert Ardreas for the lessons I have learned under your tutelage. I was very good to learn from someone within my heritage and tribe. I would also like to thank the Sisters of Eve for their encouragement to look at the use of power holistically. I also want to help a couple pilots I have met along the way that helped me learned how to fly in a fleet for a common purpose. I appreciate you guys.

Most of all, I want to thank Ston Momaki for helping me begin this journey. I respect your convictions. I cannot rejoin the Disciples of Ston, because in the completion of my training, I have violated the prohibition against violence. But, I intend to assist the Disciples whenever I can and however I can. In fact, I feel ready to help again with repatriation efforts as a private contractor. I know you need covert op pilots in this endeavor. Say the word; I am available to help.

It's good to hear you are doing well. Seems like time has flown by fast since the begenning of your time away.

Aye, nothing much but the usual capsulear chestbeating has been happening. And some events that you could probably see that have occured. Some bad, and some good.

Ston and his people represent the best of what humanity has to offer. I fear that their cause will be at loggerheads eventually, because at some point force will be required to end all oppression, but for the foreseeable future his approach has produced remarkable yields. The Intaki people are with Ston.

DSTON is encouraged to report that we have received some material assistance in establishing readiness at our Khanid location. NUVOS has given and delivered 20 metric tons of wheat. A Hamrite religious community has donated 180 metric tons of clothing. This donation in itself is far more than we need for one center so we will be dividing it up among our other centers as well. They have also indicated further donations of medicine and skilled workers from their community have volunteered to relocate to Khanid Prime. We are overwhelmed by this.

Yesterday, I completed the transfer of several of our employees to the Khanid Prime center. These volunteers have already eagerly begun work. The Khanid center will probably be our busiest Development office center due to the multi-cultural nature of the work there. We have also received offers to help in the repatriation work once it has begun.

As of this time, we have not received any notification as to the number of new residents that will be joining us there. The Pilot in question has been communicating with Mr. Momaki and has requested to remain anonymous. I am usure if they will come in gradually or all at once at the end of the two weeks. We will wait and see.