The “Kingdom of North Sudan”, a tiny piece of unclaimed territory between Egypt and Sudan, has once again been thrust into the spotlight despite being created almost a year ago.
Walt Disney Studios has recently announced the development of a new film, “The Princess of North Sudan,” a story based on actual events surrounding the creation of the micronation, which will be adapted for the screen by writer Stephany Folsom.
Bloggers, expecting the story to show respect for the African continent, are outraged by the fact that the African Princess in this tale turns out to be white.
It all began on June 16, 2014, when Jeremiah Heaton, of Virginia planted a flag in an unclaimed territory between Egypt and Sudan, naming it the “Kingdom of North Sudan.” The royal family of the kingdom consists of himself – the king – his wife and three children. The land, called Bir Tawil locally, consists of 800 square miles (1297 sq. kilometers) of arid desert.
Kingdom citizen service: http://t.co/xXg2fmAOTx via @YouTube
— North Sudan (@KingNorthSudan) 18 апреля 2015
The move was a response by a father to his six-year-old daughter’s wish to become a real princess.
Jeremiah Heaton decided to give Emily a real royal title, complete with land for her to rule over.
He searched the Internet for terra nullius, or unclaimed land, and received permission from Egyptian authorities to visit a plot of land between Egypt and Sudan.
Citizenship Application: http://t.co/RXENrEc0ek via @YouTube
— North Sudan (@KingNorthSudan) 24 апреля 2015
Locals call the area Bir Tawil, it is unclaimed by its neighbors after a discrepancy in borders drawn in 1899 and 1902.
Heaton and his family call it the “Kingdom of North Sudan,” ruled by King Heaton and Princess Emily after he planted a homemade blue flag on July 16, Emily’s seventh birthday.
“I wanted to show my kids I will literally go to the ends of the earth to make their wishes and dreams come true,” Heaton then said.
Since then, Heaton has been accused racism, colonialism and white supremacy.
Bloggers at the Daily Kos website are alarmed at how the whole process came about so easily.
“So, wanting to keep a promise to his daughter, Heaton decided he would make a flag and go plant it on some African soil. After all, that's all you have to do to own land and become African royalty, right? Be white, make a flag, plant it in the ground, call yourself a king, your daughter a princess, and it's all true. Right?” they question on their website.
“Wrong,” they answer to themselves.
“Jeremiah Heaton has confirmed not just how little he thinks of Africa, but how little Disney thinks of Africa. Never would a random white American try such a stunt anywhere else in the world, but in the motherland of the people America has so furiously oppressed for hundreds of years.”
“That in 2015, this still flies, so much so that the largest family entertainment brand in the world wanted the whole world to know about it, is downright disgusting. This entire film project should be canned, an apology for the gross insensitivity should be issued, and Jeremiah Heaton should be booted out and sent back home.”
“How in the hell did Disney think this story was worth telling to the world?” they question.
Become an official #Knight of the Kingdom of North Sudan http://t.co/mky6H25xxp And helps us end world hunger! pic.twitter.com/u4jpy659q6
— North Sudan (@KingNorthSudan) 15 мая 2015
Meanwhile, Jeremiah Heaton is now raising money online, announcing it to be “the world’s first Crowdfunded Nation” offering the chance to become a real knight, or have a street named after you, or even get your face on the money in his newfound kingdom of North Sudan.
So far, the website says, he has raised $6,920 from 84 people in 19 days.
However claiming land designated terra nullius isn’t first come, first served. To obtain real political authority, Heaton must receive legal recognition from Egypt, Sudan, the United Nations or other political groups.
