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National Public Radio (NPR)
SHOW: Morning Edition 11:00 AM EST NPR
October 12, 2005 Wednesday
Patriot camps cause concern in former Soviet Republic [DP]
ANCHORS: RENEE MONTAGNE
REPORTERS: LAWRENCE SHEETS
In the former Soviet Republic of Georgia, thousands of young people
have been attending voluntary Patriot camps. The government says the
camps help to counter cynicism and hopelessness among young
Georgians, but the camps feature basic military training and they've
been criticized by Georgia's political opposition. NPR's Lawrence
Sheets reports.
Unidentified Man: (Foreign language spoken)
LAWRENCE SHEETS reporting:
Along the lush green mountainside, military officers in tan fatigues
bark out commands to young men and women dressed in orange and blue
uniforms and caps emblazoned with the word `Patriot.' The military
officers pass out loaded Kalashnikov rifle magazines to the 15- to
20-year-olds who stand at attention.
(Soundbite of a rifle)
SHEETS: Marika Bayurmanyan(ph), a university student from the capital
of Tbilisi, lies down in a firing trench.
What does it feel like when you're shooting a Kalashnikov?
Ms. MARIKA BAYURMANYAN (University Student): I don't know. I think
that's great.
SHEETS: A military trainer help Marika steady the weapon as she
unloads a hail of bullets at white targets about 80 yards away.
(Soundbite of gunfire)
SHEETS: Marika's one of more than 15,000 young people attending the
10-day Patriot camps this year. Next year the Georgian government
says 100,000 will attend. Sergeant Yorgi Tzeveteli(ph) says the
military aspect is secondary.
Sergeant YORGI TZEVETELI: (Through Translator) This training provides
the young people a basis for how to handle weapons. This is not
enough for them. The main principle is to raise their spirits as
patriots.
SHEETS: The government of President Mikhail Sakashvili says the camps
are needed to induce young Georgians with a sense of discipline and
national pride. Sakashvili recently spoke with several hundred young
patriots after they completed camp.
President MIKHAIL SAKASHVILI: (Through Translator) Two years ago, our
country was laughed at and ridiculed, above all by its own government
and president. Not only did they have no idea what governing a
country was about, but they did not have any self-respect and
dignity. They were not proud to be Georgian.
SHEETS: Another idea behind the camps is ethnic integration.
Relations between minorities and ethnic Georgians are not always
smooth. Marika Bayurmanyan, an Armenian herself, says the camps try
to break down those barriers.
Ms. BAYURMANYAN: Yeah, we have different nationalities and the
children, for example, Armenians or others--children are from all
parts of Georgia, and they learn how to communicate with each other,
with children from different parts of Georgia.
SHEETS: But critics, like opposition lawmaker Pata Zakarashvili(ph),
say the Georgian Patriot camps are just an updated version of the
Soviet Pioneer camps.
Mr. PATA ZAKARASHVILI (Opposition Lawmaker): (Through Translator)
This is dangerous. Sakashvili wants to instill these people with his
own ideology. He wants to mobilize the young people so that they
don't mobilize against him.
SHEETS: Zakarashvili says the weapons training in the Patriot camps
is part of a campaign by the government to encourage militant
attitudes and prepare people psychologically for new wars against
Georgia's two separatist regions, Abkhazia and South Ossetia. But
even the opposition admits the camps are popular. Many of the kids
are from poor backgrounds. Drug abuse, unemployment and street crime
have exploded in Georgia since the Soviet collapse. And many parents
are happy to keep their kids off the streets, if only for a couple of
weeks. Lawrence Sheets, NPR News, Bakuriani, Georgia.
SHOW: Morning Edition 11:00 AM EST NPR
October 12, 2005 Wednesday
Patriot camps cause concern in former Soviet Republic [DP]
ANCHORS: RENEE MONTAGNE
REPORTERS: LAWRENCE SHEETS
In the former Soviet Republic of Georgia, thousands of young people
have been attending voluntary Patriot camps. The government says the
camps help to counter cynicism and hopelessness among young
Georgians, but the camps feature basic military training and they've
been criticized by Georgia's political opposition. NPR's Lawrence
Sheets reports.
Unidentified Man: (Foreign language spoken)
LAWRENCE SHEETS reporting:
Along the lush green mountainside, military officers in tan fatigues
bark out commands to young men and women dressed in orange and blue
uniforms and caps emblazoned with the word `Patriot.' The military
officers pass out loaded Kalashnikov rifle magazines to the 15- to
20-year-olds who stand at attention.
(Soundbite of a rifle)
SHEETS: Marika Bayurmanyan(ph), a university student from the capital
of Tbilisi, lies down in a firing trench.
What does it feel like when you're shooting a Kalashnikov?
Ms. MARIKA BAYURMANYAN (University Student): I don't know. I think
that's great.
SHEETS: A military trainer help Marika steady the weapon as she
unloads a hail of bullets at white targets about 80 yards away.
(Soundbite of gunfire)
SHEETS: Marika's one of more than 15,000 young people attending the
10-day Patriot camps this year. Next year the Georgian government
says 100,000 will attend. Sergeant Yorgi Tzeveteli(ph) says the
military aspect is secondary.
Sergeant YORGI TZEVETELI: (Through Translator) This training provides
the young people a basis for how to handle weapons. This is not
enough for them. The main principle is to raise their spirits as
patriots.
SHEETS: The government of President Mikhail Sakashvili says the camps
are needed to induce young Georgians with a sense of discipline and
national pride. Sakashvili recently spoke with several hundred young
patriots after they completed camp.
President MIKHAIL SAKASHVILI: (Through Translator) Two years ago, our
country was laughed at and ridiculed, above all by its own government
and president. Not only did they have no idea what governing a
country was about, but they did not have any self-respect and
dignity. They were not proud to be Georgian.
SHEETS: Another idea behind the camps is ethnic integration.
Relations between minorities and ethnic Georgians are not always
smooth. Marika Bayurmanyan, an Armenian herself, says the camps try
to break down those barriers.
Ms. BAYURMANYAN: Yeah, we have different nationalities and the
children, for example, Armenians or others--children are from all
parts of Georgia, and they learn how to communicate with each other,
with children from different parts of Georgia.
SHEETS: But critics, like opposition lawmaker Pata Zakarashvili(ph),
say the Georgian Patriot camps are just an updated version of the
Soviet Pioneer camps.
Mr. PATA ZAKARASHVILI (Opposition Lawmaker): (Through Translator)
This is dangerous. Sakashvili wants to instill these people with his
own ideology. He wants to mobilize the young people so that they
don't mobilize against him.
SHEETS: Zakarashvili says the weapons training in the Patriot camps
is part of a campaign by the government to encourage militant
attitudes and prepare people psychologically for new wars against
Georgia's two separatist regions, Abkhazia and South Ossetia. But
even the opposition admits the camps are popular. Many of the kids
are from poor backgrounds. Drug abuse, unemployment and street crime
have exploded in Georgia since the Soviet collapse. And many parents
are happy to keep their kids off the streets, if only for a couple of
weeks. Lawrence Sheets, NPR News, Bakuriani, Georgia.