Order Only: Neutrality Negotiations
Jul. 28th, 2015 11:12 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alt_poppyAll. I also have some progress to report--this, on the admittedly fraught conversations regarding St Mungo's neutrality. I've represented the Order; Cornelius Jugson's represented the post-Protectorate government; Socrates Kosta and Armenius Fletcher have represented the St Mungo's administration; and we've managed to bring Osiris Sinclair (New London, Bath, Hogsmeade, etc.) and Eurydice Scripps (Bristol, Leeds, Edinburgh) to the table, representing the morticians' guild.
We've inked and signed a treaty of neutrality that reiterates the Healers' Oath to treat all patients to the utmost of our abilities, and further promises that no Healers affiliated with the Order or with St Mungo's will breach any patient's privacy by alerting authorities of an opposing side of that person's presence within a hospital, infirmary, or triage centre in our (the Order's or St M's) control. Additionally, there are promises that Coroners affiliated with the Order or with St M's will release bodies to next of kin without prejudice and without any collaboration with hostile parties, which might lead to entrapment of bereaved families seeking to collect remains. The independent morticians have likewise subscribed to these promises.
It's been a difficult undertaking, and the result is far from a perfect document. I feel certain you will all immediately see that it does not and cannot ensure anyone's safety should one find oneself transported to St Mungo's (or should one be forced to deal with a mortician in New London or elsewhere for whatever reason). I suppose that makes it all sound absurd.
And yet it was not a wasted effort.
The talks did produce some positive results. My contacts within St M's tell me that Kosta and Fletcher appear increasingly under pressure from without and that their command within the hospital is slipping. I can report that they appeared to have orders directly from Rowle and Lestrange to take these negotiations with due seriousness, which hints at the state of things outside the hospital. (For that matter, the choice of Jugson to represent the government is also a signal; they could have sent an underling, but they sent a Councilwizard.) And I'm told that Fletcher and Kosta are at least giving lip service to enshrining the articles of the treaty in hospital protocol.
One happy revelation from our people on the inside: we have more friends at St Mungo's than we knew, and it's their impression, in fact, that the numbers have now turned in our favour.
That's hearsay, of course. And the sort of thing one wishes to hear, at that. But it's hopeful.
We've inked and signed a treaty of neutrality that reiterates the Healers' Oath to treat all patients to the utmost of our abilities, and further promises that no Healers affiliated with the Order or with St Mungo's will breach any patient's privacy by alerting authorities of an opposing side of that person's presence within a hospital, infirmary, or triage centre in our (the Order's or St M's) control. Additionally, there are promises that Coroners affiliated with the Order or with St M's will release bodies to next of kin without prejudice and without any collaboration with hostile parties, which might lead to entrapment of bereaved families seeking to collect remains. The independent morticians have likewise subscribed to these promises.
It's been a difficult undertaking, and the result is far from a perfect document. I feel certain you will all immediately see that it does not and cannot ensure anyone's safety should one find oneself transported to St Mungo's (or should one be forced to deal with a mortician in New London or elsewhere for whatever reason). I suppose that makes it all sound absurd.
And yet it was not a wasted effort.
The talks did produce some positive results. My contacts within St M's tell me that Kosta and Fletcher appear increasingly under pressure from without and that their command within the hospital is slipping. I can report that they appeared to have orders directly from Rowle and Lestrange to take these negotiations with due seriousness, which hints at the state of things outside the hospital. (For that matter, the choice of Jugson to represent the government is also a signal; they could have sent an underling, but they sent a Councilwizard.) And I'm told that Fletcher and Kosta are at least giving lip service to enshrining the articles of the treaty in hospital protocol.
One happy revelation from our people on the inside: we have more friends at St Mungo's than we knew, and it's their impression, in fact, that the numbers have now turned in our favour.
That's hearsay, of course. And the sort of thing one wishes to hear, at that. But it's hopeful.
no subject
Date: 2015-07-29 05:26 am (UTC)Still -- it's progress.
I wonder what they're thinking, to agree to it. Because with the one reading, I can almost believe they believe things are going badly enough for them that they might need that treaty in place, and then I squint at it again and think, no, they're just that damn overconfident.
no subject
Date: 2015-07-29 07:25 am (UTC)And yet, I do believe they saw the need. They've had people in our hands, and of course we've treated everyone with equal care, but we've also taken people from field triage tents into custody and still have them prisoner today. Thankfully the matter of prisoner exchange was not any part of my brief. I doubt we could have got this agreement if it had been. Can't say I'm surprised there's no report on that front yet.
no subject
Date: 2015-07-30 06:30 pm (UTC)I know it must have been immensely difficult to hammer out. My family and I are grateful.