We discussed the Haruun Kal Crisis before in a previous post. It was a mission that Mace Windu was sent to in the Shatterpoint Novel. It is actually Mace Windu's homeworld. He comes from a race of force sensitive colored folks. It's indigenous people are called Korunnai or uplanders. It translates to "above the clouds." They reside in the jungle thus their force sensitivity. They pretty much live in hostile rainforest and have to rely on the force to survive.
The city dwellers and offworlders are called Balawai or downfolk. There has been a series of conflicts between both groups. As the Balawai try to take up more and more land, uprooting the Korunnai. Right before the onset of the Clone Wars, the fighting has intensified. The Upland Liberation Front (ULF) was formed to fight off the Balawi. The Republic has pretty much ignored the conflict in Haruun Kal until the Separatist eyed it. Depa Billaba, a former padawan of Mace Windu and a member of the council was sent to help the ULF fight against the Separatists and the Balawai. She cuts off contact with Coruscant and is assumed that she has turned to the dark side. Windu is sent to recover her.
It's a good book, but this is no review. There are several things that need to be discussed. First, we learn that Mace Windu feels no solidarity whatsoever with his people. He is an uplander and one of the only few remaining members of the clan Windu. As a matter of fact, the only other surviving member runs the ULF. He refuses to take sides even though his people are suffering. I find this to be a flaw Jedi's are trained for. Several Jedi come from warrior races but feel no solidarity to them. Of course, a jedi is supposed to have no attachments. Yet this is unrealistic and unhuman.
The conflict reminds me of what is going in Africa. Arab muslims and their African agents are swooping and taking the resources, as are their European counterparts. I must mention the Africans who are doing it to their own people. The conflicts are devastating the people. There is a scene in Shatterpoint that reminds me of the stories I hear from people who have survived those conflicts. It's frightening and disheartening.
The Republic is a bureaucracy. They cannot handle every problem that comes their way. It becomes understandable to see several systems join the Separatists since they feel that the Republic has ignored their problems. The conflict on Haruun Kal is reminiscent of several conflicts in developing countries where the outcome does not help the people who need it the most. The republic may not have done much, but the Jedi could have. I don't mean go in there doing aggressive negotiations but trying to peace it all out.
What do you guys think....?
3 comments:
You can't serve anyone without empathy...I think the problem was the tried to serve something man-made (the Republic) and not the people who made up the Republic itself.
you hit the nail on the head by calling the republic a big bureaucracy. Not only is it big but its badly run because the small stuff is being missed or is being trivialized. Voices arent being heard in the senate. Thats why some of those planets went over to the separatists
They ping on this Jedi flaw (loyalty, attachments, emotions) pretty heavily in the new Star Wars novel. It's odd because when someone is selected to be a Jedi it is an honor and families (tribes & etc..) are full of pride with such an accomplishment for one of thier own to be chosen. But when they become Jedi thier loved ones are no longer recognized.
The situation with Mace's affinity towards his people and what's going on in Africa is a good comparison.
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