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EESTI ELU reedel, 2. juulil 2021 — Friday, July 2, 2021
Nr. 26
Jõekääru returns virtually for 2021, with a wider reach than ever
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
Estonian spy bought for pocket money He came cheap. It cost the Chinese only 17,000 euros in total to buy the secrets of Tarmo Kõuts (not to be con fused with the admiral of the same name), vice-chair of a scientific committee at NATO’s Undersea Research Centre. The first Estonian citizen to be caught spying for the Chinese, Kõuts received three years imprisonment and confis cation of the 17,000 euros in a sentence handed down this March. He had been arrested in September 2020. It must be noted that the prosecution had reached a plea bargain agreement with Kõuts. It would appear that the seem ingly light sentence would partially reflect the substantial value of information Kõuts was able to supply in return. In this respect, it’s also relevant that during the six month pretrial investigative period, Kõuts did not have a lawyer. In addition, although Kõuts had a security clearance on high level military secrets, both NATO and Estonian, the prose cution did not charge him with betraying classified information. On the basis of legislation passed in 2019, supporting or co-operating with foreign in telligence activities targeting Estonia became a criminal violation. Kõuts is the second individual to be thus convicted. Kõuts, as a civilian scientist, is the first non-government, non-military individual to be caught and convicted of a crime against the state. From 2006 to 2014 Kõuts was a civilian
member of the Scientific Coun cil of the Defense Ministry, and till 2016 the Estonian expert on NATO’s maritime scientific and technological commission. Tarmo Soomere, President of the Academy of Sciences (me dia speculation has him as a serious contender in the next presidential elections) com mented that the strength of a state is only as strong as the trustworthiness of its leadership and scientists. If a scholar is willing to sell his valuable knowledge to a third party, this would have wide, harmful implications. Kõuts had been supplying the military intelligence head quarters of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army with informa tion, not disclosed in the court proceedings, over three years, for 5666 euros per year. The Estonian Security Police (KAPO) indicated that Russia is not the only adversary that keeps Estonia alert. The Chinese are equally eager to weaken the national security of Estonia. KAPO has warned of this possibility and now the court decision confirms the problem. With respect to the compen sation that Kõuts received from the Chinese, KAPO indicated that it was the only motivating factor that influenced his ac tions. Money is a “traditional human weakness.” A forensic audit of Kõuts’ finances and spending showed what a mea ger amount it would take for a man to recklessly jeopardize his future. (to be continued) LAAS LEIVAT
Ehatare Retirement and Nursing Home has an opening for a part-time cook, experienced in cooking for a large amount of people. A recognized diploma in food services is required. Shift work in involved, including some weekends. Knowledge of Estonian food is preferred. Please contact Liisa Lambur-Neges if interested. Please reply by July 8th, 2021. Llambur-Neges@ehatare.ca
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Photo: Jõekääru
Vincent Teetsov For 69 years, volunteers and community leaders have brought Estonian culture to kids at Jõekääru Estonian Children’s Camp. Only the most serious of circumstances could have brought things to a standstill, such as when last summer’s programme was cancelled. And despite the Government of Ontario allowing summer camps to re-open, it was deter mined that the usual flying-in of counsellors and campers from Estonia could pose a risk to everyone’s health. Still, as I found out when speaking with Elli Kipper, Juhataja (Camp Director) of Jõekääru, and Monika RooseKolga, programming manager of Jõekääru and also the Principal of Toronto Eesti Kool, going through another year without some kind of Jõekääru camp experience was out of the question. Indeed, each visit to the camp is a vital part of Estonian-Canadian children growing up with their culture and making friends. The camp’s leadership want ed to make the best of what was possible, and so they decided to host a virtual camp this sum mer, announced on June 25th. Replicating the camp ex perience virtually will be a challenge. Elli expressed that the most difficult part is allow ing for natural conversations and friendships that kids would have in a classroom or camp setting. She notices this in her work as an Eesti Kool teacher, too. Monika echoes this senti ment, saying “It’s not the same as living, breathing, and being with each other for 24 hours a day for two weeks, four weeks, or five weeks. But this is what we’ve got and we’ll make the best of it.” Looking at what’s in store for this summer, Jõekääru are truly maximizing the learning opportunities and interpersonal connections between the camp and the global Estonian com munity. Elli explains how, in her Eesti Kool teaching, “This year,
I had students from Vancouver and California, who would never be able to come to Toronto... And in that same thread, the California kids were saying, ‘We want to do virtual laager!’” The kids are enthu siastic about this, to have fun and meet other kids. Logisti cally speaking, a virtual pro gramme makes it possible for camp attendees to take part as their schedules allow, for as little as just one hour, or throughout the three week programme. Beyond this summer, in creasing opportunities for kids to get together and see each other outside of Udora will be made possible by the addition of fiber-optic internet in camp buildings. This was looked into starting last year, so that kids from all over will always be able to log in and be a part of Jõekääru. And so, if there were to be an overarching theme for Jõekääru this year, it would be the sense of being together and apart at the same time. There’s a huge range of talents within the Estonian com munity that camp organizers knew could be shared by com munity members for program ming. However, more individuals volunteered than anticipated, so it was a pleasant surprise to see the virtual camp grow from an initial two weeks to three weeks. Elli says that the sessions on offer also cover the hands-on skills that people have de veloped throughout lockdowns. Over the course of three weeks, from Monday July 5th until Friday July 23rd, two vir tual sessions will happen each day, from Monday to Saturday. Session topics on the schedule sent out by Jõekääru include drama games and yoga with Kariina Järve, graphic design with Rasmus Rattas, and hip hop dancing with Elis Jaansoo. There will be cooking, art, and singing, and also activities to get your heart rate up. Things like folk dancing, or family fit ness and training with Markus Rosenberg, who has been help ing people improve their fitness through his company Fit Culture since 2015. Younger children can learn some Esto
nian words with the help of some friendly puppets, or relax and listen to bedtime stories. Monika is hopeful that once the momentum is going, people will want to keep attending ses sions. Elli says “I’m looking forward to seeing all the kids that come in and log on, seeing how excited they are...and just being a part of it, too, with them.” She sees the virtual camp as bringing positivity into the community. When asked whether prior knowledge was needed to take part in sessions, such as singing or folk dancing, Elli made it clear that “All of the instructors right now are making events that everybody can join. Even if kids have done folk dancing for a few years, they’ll still enjoy themselves, and also if they’re just learning folk dancing for the first time.” The camp want ed activities to be open to everybody, not intimidating, and engaging for parents as well. With regard to the Estonian language, the camp will con tinue to target the language abilities of youngsters. Estonian phrases and vocabulary will be brought practically into the ses sions, making it easier to learn, through context and visuals. So how can you access these activities? If you aren’t already receiving communications from Jõekääru, send an email to jkvirtual2021@ gmail.com to receive the single Zoom link that will work for all sessions. Sessions are complete ly free of charge. Daily email reminders will also go out, about each day’s instructors and their sessions. Whether it’s making art at the Osvald Timmas Kunsti Tare, exploring the natural setting around Jõekääru, or taking part in talgud (work days), the hope is that, by the end of July and getting into August, it will be possible for Jõekääru to involve families at the camp on a faceto-face basis. Still, the extra momentum created by rallying together virtually will positively affect Jõekääru in the coming years, too.
