By: Daiyu Tang
Officer Aubin was recently the subject of an article in the Observer that accused him of working for the Hathian gang known as the ‘Yuugen’. This article was based on information gathered by sources commissioned by the Observer and subject to review by the Observer’s editor, Daiyu Tang. The article further indicated that Officer Aubin may have been involved in the disappearance of his wife and, by extension, his children.
The Observer has been told (and has confirmed) that this article was based on fake evidence carefully placed to confuse and confound. The evidence was further aimed to lend credibility to allegations more broadly made against Officer Aubin by elevating them from the merely common to the awful and macabre.
The Observer is pleased to carry this apology to Officer Aubin. We note that none of the evidence received can be substantiated and that his wife is safe and well, as confirmed over the phone.
We condemn the vile forgery made by the Yuugen gang but we also condemn, and I personally apologise as your newspaper’s editor, for the fundamental error in our news reporting, which arose, shamefully, because I was focused on doing whatever I could to break or otherwise damage the Yuugen. By believing I’d found an asset of theirs inside the HPD I wanted to do anything I could to remove that pawn from their control. Suffice to say, Office Aubin is no pawn of the Yuugen and my incorrect belief system that Tori’s games could have somehow corrupted him to their side was wrong and was not scientific.
While opinion does have a place in a newspaper and sometimes there is also space for investigations without conclusive final answers, where these involve individuals they should be of the highest standard with every path examined before the weight of evidence is balanced. I did not do this and thus apologise unreservedly to Office Aubin.
The influence of our false reporting has negatively impacted Aubin’s status at the HPD and more broadly with those close to him. For this as well I offer my apologies.
The Observer will do better, I will do better. I’d like to say that in three years we’ve never had such a clear case of being misled, leading to harm. But one time is still too many times. We and I will do better and make sure that every insightful article, every investigation and every blow against the oppressors in this City that we strike for truth and justice is just that. Just and True. We let you down this time… I’ll do my best to ensure it won’t happen again.
A Personal Reflection
It has been a hard month or more investigating this and then finding out I was wrong and more than wrong, tricked and blinded by my desire to punish. It is not my place to do that, rage and anger against what was done to me, or more importantly what was done to the City should be dealt with properly by society. Society has rules and it was ever Tori’s ambition to remove rules and to have people break them. For my part in doing so, I am deeply sorry.
More personally, having spoken with both Officer Aubin and his wife, I realise that I hurt their family unit. Some of you, undoubtedly, have concerns or evidence that your own family may have been hurt, but for now, this is not my story to tell. Whatever further truth there might be is now muddied in the lies and errors above. Surely if new rumours reach me I will not be able to ignore them, but at least, at the very least, I will have learned to do better.
Wishing you a fantastic evening,
Your Editor, Daiyu.
