Liberation Day

Liberation Day is a holiday on Betazed commemorating the liberation of Betazed from the Dominion occupation during the Dominion War from 2374-2375.

History

After the defeat of Starfleet's forces in 2374 and the capture of the planet by the Dominion, the new occupying forces allowed the continuation of the Betazed government, although behind the scenes, the Dominon quickly removed any politicians who dared defy their new masters.

Just as in battle, the Dominion were ruthless against opposition to their governance. They ruled with a velvet glove in one hand and an iron fist in the other. Those among the pacifist population who weren't satisfied to live their lives as new citizens of the Dominion were required to make difficult decisions. If they joined the resistance movement, their family members who may not have known about their activities would be equally punished. Whole families were wiped out. Still, the Betazoids resisted, ultimately using their telepathic powers offensively as part of their resistance against the occupying Dominion forces until the Federation Alliance was finally able to free the planet in 2375.

Each year hence, a day of remembrance both for the victims of the occupation as well as the heroes of the resistance has been observed.

Customs

Liberation Day stands out among the holidays of the Betazed calendar in that it is unusually nationalistic, and in recent years after the attack on Ohmallera in 2388, somewhat more political as a movement to assert Betazed's autonomy and perhaps even complete departure from the greater Federation had grown.