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EESTI ELU neljapäeval, 9. aprillil 2020 — Thursday, April 9, 2020
Keep calm and carry on
English-language supplement to the Estonian weekly “EESTI ELU” Tartu College Publications Founding Chairman: Elmar Tampõld Editor: Laas Leivat 3 Madison Avenue, Toronto, ON M5R 2S2 T: 416-733-4550 • F: 416-733-0944 • E-mail: editor@eestielu.ca Digital: www.eestielu.ca
Disinformation thrives amid the fight against Corona It was China in early April that supplied Estonia with 2.6 million items of personal pro tection equipment for the battle against the Covid 19 pandemic. However the Russian media reported it like this: “Russian plane brought Chinese masks, gowns and gloves to Estonia”, was posted on eadaily.com; “Russian pilots helped the Bal tic states in their fight against the Corona virus”, published by Rossiiskaja Gazeta; “Russian plane brings humanitarian aid to Estonia from China”, appeared on anti-maidan.com; then “Rus sia brings masks and gloves to Estonia, when the USA brings rockets” on vpk-news.ru. From a misleading headline to a lie, it was a full transition from Russian planes and pilots helping, to Russia actually supplying the aid and the USA supplying arms. Many other news portals and outlets repeat ed the slanted and simply false story, with pictures of the Russian transport planes decked out with the Russian flag. Photos of Estonian foreign minister Urmas Reinsalu and government affairs minister Jaak Aab meeting the plane accompanied the stories. Clas sical propaganda but still cre dible to many at home and abroad. The true facts were missing. Russia did not transport or supply humanitarian aid. The items were purchased by the Estonian government and the Russian plane belong to the Volga-Dnepr transportation com pany, willing to move the supplies at reasonable cost and fulfilling an extended contract with Estonia’s on-line retailer, Hansapost. This ‘fake news’ echoes the Kremlin’s similar efforts at dis torting and outright fabricating other stories, applauding Rus sia’s humanitarian assistance to Iran, Italy and the USA. Tout ing the Kremlin’s charitable initiatives is Putin’s way of breaking out of diplomatic iso lation. The Kremlin is also exploit ing another event about one week ago, when a shipment of Russian medical supplies ar rived by plane in New York. Trump and Putin had agreed
during a phone conversation that Russia would sell ventila tors and masks, apparently sharing the cost 50-50, with half of the bill being covered by Russia’s Direct Investment Fund. Not surprisingly Trump did not mention that the US in fact paid for part of the batch but stated how magnanimous Putin had been to make such a kind gesture. A substantial propagan da coup for the Kremlin’s ‘hu manitarian aid’ narrative that it is using with abandon. It was a US State Department official however who mentioned that the deal involved a payment, but at a discount price. Officials are also reluctant to make commentary about Rus sia’s shipment of medical equipment accompanied by Russian military experts in nuclear/biological/chemical de fense to the northern Italian own of Bergamo. Not only did the Russian specialists have a working relationship with Rus sian military intelligence, the supplies provided were 80 percent unusable under the pandemic conditions. But the Kremlin made sure it gained considerable plus points in the process. Many US officials felt that it would be inappropriate to point out the violation of US trade sanctions still in force against Russia during the pandemic. You don’t bite the hand that helps you, or at least appears to help. However, critics of the deal have serious concerns about Washington becoming dependent on a major adversary who is consistently attempting to undermine the country’s democratic processes. Using the pandemic as a use ful launching pad for its pro paganda and disinformation barrage has given the Kremlin substantial international advan tage. Russia emerges as a source of charitable largesse and hu manitarian compassion, which is acknowledged by Trump himself who stated that the kind deed took only a friendly call to Putin. His victory number one: We’re not such bad guys after all! The trade sanctions against Russia are based mainly on its illegal takeover and annexation of Crimea and its continuing
This official slogan of the British government was uti lized to great positive effect in WW II, especially during the Blitz. It was created to quell panic, allay fear. Both reac tions are natural to humans. But catchphrases such as this, when combined with the famous British stiff upper lip and inspiring political leader ship, kept the people, if not grounded, then from danger ous overreaction. Alas, in North America we initially saw none of the above, espe cially leader ship during the present pandemic. Thankfully the situation in Canada is much improved but one won ders what if? What if steps were taken earlier? Steps that have been taken recently are truly necessary. Now we need individual under standing. Mind-boggling to consider that people actually travelled abroad during March break. What were they think ing? Closing the border – not only with the USA but not allowing travel to the island provinces – served no purpose as the COVID-19 is now being spread through community con tact, not travel. Yet closed they need to remain, in that sense the right call, but too late. Part of the problem was the compla cency of our elected leaders. The Prime Minister being abroad, the Premier telling people to enjoy themselves. The imposition of sensible rules of behaviour such as the initially poorly formed term social distancing, now rightly physical, should have come intuitively, not mandated. And how can it be enforced? The PM and mayor using threaten ing words have not been of use when addressing an already concerned, anxious if not out right scared populace. As always it is the minority, the nervous Nellies that has an effect on the majority with a snowball effect. The fear factor results in irratio nal behaviour. Social media is a major hindrance. Did we not learn anything from SARS? Blatantly, the Chinese sure did not and they shoulder the blame for the pan demic. They will never be called to task though, which also boggles the mind. The importance of govern ment intervention as with the above catchphrase cannot be overemphasized. The Brits
aggression against Ukraine. By ignoring the enforcement of these sanctions, albeit for an emergency, a decision that few are willing to challenge, the USA has itself signaled Mos cow that pragmatism, rather than principle, rule in their rela tionship. Putin can easily inter pret this as an indirect legitimi zation of Russia’s international incursions. Victory number two! (to be continued) LAAS LEIVAT
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EANC-EKN Joint Statement about COVID-19 Disinformation April 4, 2020 The COVID-19 virus, also known as the corona virus, has caused great disruptions in all of our lives. Businesses have closed, many have lost jobs, major cities are still, while we are staying at home to prevent the spread of the virus. The numbers of people infected, and the rate of deaths are increasing daily. Burdens on hospitals and health care providers exceed anything seen before. During such a critical and unprecedented time, rumors and disin formation can quickly arise and be disseminated. The Estonian American National Council (EANC) and The Estonian Central Council in Canada (EKN) therefore advise all Estonians living in North America and beyond, to follow the instructions of government health officials and ex perts with regards to the COVID-19 pandemic. Disinformation about treatments for COVID-19 is being widely disseminated, possibly including in our Estonian com munities, that could lead to serious health consequences and could put our communities at risk should these be thought as credible. Any claims about alternative treatments, miracle cures or any other methods to cure or prevent COVID-19, other than those officially published by your governments, should be viewed skeptically as they could pose a serious risk to your health. Please follow the instructions of your local government, and practice physical distancing. But most of all, avoid non- essential travel and stay home as much as possible. Infor mation is changing constantly, so please check frequently for the latest updates. For instance, the White House has just announced that it advises the wearing of face masks in high density locations. In the United States, visit the US Center for Disease Control COVID-19 website: https://www.cdc.gov and https://www. coronavirus.gov/, as well as official websites for the state in which you live. In Canada, please visit the Government of Canada’s COVID-19 website: https://www.canada.ca/en/government/ publicservice/covid-19/prevention-preparedness.html To volunteer in Canada to help deliver critical items, food and prescriptions to individuals affected by COVID-19 here: https://eestielu.com/et/organisatsioonid/253-ekn/ 10381-volunteers-needed-to-support-those-affected-by-covid19-in-our-community We Estonians have lived through tough and difficult times before, and will do so again. Please keep safe!
MARJU RINK-ABEL President
avoided panic; here hoarding is only one example of a poorly informed populace. Selfish and irrational, this behaviour will only increase pressure on so ciety. The Brits actually ate better during the war than before. Vegetables were never a big part of the diet, now they needed to be. Rationing was accepted as necessary. Less meat meant healthier meals. Just look at the Americans, where obesity is a growing, par don the pun, concern. Meat in some form is eaten daily. In Toronto we already have rationing in the form of limits on purchase of certain items. A Brit laughed when we discussed the idiotic toilet paper shortage. Bathroom tissue was unknown during the war and even after in the countryside. A square of newspaper, such as many of us saw in occupied Estonia on a nail in the loo had to make do. Unless one was wise enough to have some in one’s pocket. Hard to believe the theft of
KAIRI TAUL HEMINGWAY President
toilet paper from public wash rooms. Again, what are people thinking? And now it is a perishable – milk. Turns out people are freezing it, although later it will have icy clumps. Why not be rational, keep purchases to the weekly usual so that all can have access as was the case before the pan demic? Profiting from crisis has always been a human trait. Black markets are the common result. But when lives are at stake it is utterly offensive to gouge, cor ner the market and resell with obscene profit hygienic, sani tary and disinfecting products. As well as face masks, some of which are not effective in pro tecting the wearer, only others. Hoarding and profiting is not only unconscionable but also immoral during a pandemic. And the final question mark concerns the definition of essential. Businesses that have not been deemed as such have (Continued on page 8)
