12
EESTI ELU reedel, 15. juulil 2022 — Friday, July 15, 2022
Nr. 28
Rhythmic Gymnastics Coach Effective: July 11, 2022 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
Teaching Russian children who and why to fight The Estonian Security Police (KAPO), already back in 2014, warned the public about Russia militarizing Russianspeaking children from abroad at summer camps. At that time, small groups of 13–14-year-olds from Estonia had been participating already for several years, being groomed not only ideologically but also trained for the battlefield. The aim was to strengthen the loyalty to Russia. It was likely that neither the parents nor the children were aware of the Kremlin’s politically-motivated intentions to indoctrinate youth from previously Sovietoccupied countries. The WWII victory in the ‘Glorious War for the Father land’ was the underlying motivator for the camps. They advertised military sports activity, where youngsters of Russian heritage, from the formerly captive nations, would develop a need to defend Russia with weapons as well as barehanded. With the attack on Eastern Ukraine’s Donbas and the annexation of Crimea, Russia quickly implemented a more intense ‘patriotic education’ program targeting the hearts and minds of those most vulnerable to ideological influence – children. By 2018, about 5000 from Russian-controlled eastern Ukraine had participated in military/sport camps, some located in Russia. They were also encouraged to join the armed forces. In the occupied Donetsk and Luhansk regions, the law compels not only schools but all organizations, churches and even families to “shape their children’s consciousnesses’ from early on. By 2018 some 48 groups in the Donetsk region alone had been registered as military-patriotic clubs. Within the membership, some 13,000 work in education. Besides marching and other military training, youth are taught knife throwing and weapons handling. Even in some nurseries, military-style clothing is worn and children exercise with soldiers. Simply put, these youngsters are being brought up in an atmosphere of hatred and hostility toward the state in which they were born.
This clearly violates inter national law as affirmed by the Geneva Convention and Optional Protocol on the Rights of a Child, which prohibits promotion of voluntary or in voluntary recruitment in state or non-governmental armed for mations in occupied territories. Russia is a signatory to these conventions. Promoted by the Kremlin, the Yunarmia (a combination of words ‘young’ and ‘army’) has been formed in the occupied territories, analogous to the military-patriotic movement in Russia. It recruits children from age eight and is controlled by the defence ministry. It eerily parallels Hitler’s Youth with ideological and political indoctrination directed by the security and military leadership, not the ministry of education. At school, teachers who don’t adjust are fired. References to Kyiv and Ukraine are deleted from textbooks. In fact, the head of the Foreign Intelligence Service is respon sible for reviewing history textbooks. The Russian education ministry has provided schools with a slide show for students in the last three grades promoting hatred of Ukraine and supporting Russia’s ‘mission of liberation’ there. It stresses that the invasion of Ukraine was not Putin’s personal decision, that the assault was a ‘special peacemaking operation’ and it instructs students to read an article entitled, “We have not forgiven. On the anniversary of the liquidation of the USSR’’. One must note that similar programs are used in Ukraine, but more subdued, not as per vasive, emphasizing the nation’s defence, with no jingoistic, aggressive undertone. Putin is openly grooming a generation of youth who are engaged with the war and will feel right at home in a revived totalitarian milieu. Putin needs the young for cannon fodder. Critics predict that the current pervasive and deep-rooted indoctrination programs will still survive Putin’s eventual departure. The illegitimate conquests of foreign territory and blatant violations of international law will persist because the
Carmel Kallemaa makes history at the Pan American Championships Carmel Kallemaa of Barrie won the individual AllAround Bronze medal for rhythmic gymnastics at the recent Pan American Cham pionships. The competition took place on July 7–9, 2022 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Kallemaa is the first Cana dian gymnast to win a medal in the All-Around competition. With her hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon routines she earned a total of 113.6 points. First place went to Evita Griskenas of USA with 115.8 points. Griskenas also competed at the Tokyo Olympics where she was awarded 12th place in All-Around. The silver medal was won by Brazilian gymnast Geovanna Santos who earned 12th place at the Tokyo Olympics in the team competition. The Pan Am Championships in rhythmic gymnastics took place at Carioca Hall in the Barra da Tijuca Olympic Park, where the 2016 Olympics
Marcus Kolga’s remarks at Hong Kong rally Friends, George Orwell creat ed a terrifying totalitarian world in his book 1984, where its authoritarian leaders wiped-out all free expression and brainwashed citizens into believing that “War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.” In states like Russia and China, Orwell’s oppressive authoritarian world has become a terrifying reality. What’s worse, is that Putin and Xi are on the march, aggressively imposing their terror and repression on others. In Ukraine, millions of innocent civilians have been forced to flee their homes over the past five months. Schools, hospitals and shopping malls are targeted by Russian bombs to exterminate as many Ukrainians civilians as mindset of the younger ge neration has been thus programmed. The current Russian leadership is obviously obsessed with grooming youngsters into battle-thirsty imperialists by Instilling a need in children for building a ‘Russian World’. LAAS LEIVAT
Kalev Estienne Rhythmic Gymnastics Centres is looking to hire an experienced Rhythmic Gymnastics Coach who will focus on the development of the National and Provincial stream athletes, as well as assist with other developmental athletes. We are the oldest Rhythmic Gymnastics Club in North America and have been training young women from recreational levels up to and including the Olympics, for over 65 years. Our club is competition based. We require a full time coach immediately. If you would like to apply please e-mail info@kalev.net or call (905) 889-7889 for more details, and submit a resumé. Terms of employment: Two-year full-time contract with work primarily in the evenings and weekends.
Basketball events were held. A total of 44 rhythmic gymnasts from Argentina, Bolivia, Brasil, Canada, Chili, Columbia, Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, United States of America, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico and Venezuela took part in the AllAround competition. When asked about her ex perience in Rio, Carmel replied, “I am extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to represent Canada in Rio de Janeiro, at the Pan American Championships. The competition was a great success for me and Canada! I received lots of positive feedback and I am very excited to get back in the gym and start working for the next competitions.”
Carmel Kallemaa came home with a total of three bronze medals, winning an additional two medals in the team competition and the clubs finals. Kallemaa trains in Toronto at the Glimmer Athletic Club and is coached by her mother, World Champion Janika Mölder, who founded the club in 2014. In addition to a busy training schedule and her postsecondary studies, this talented 24-year-old Canadian gymnast finds time to coach younger gymnasts at the club. Kallemaa, who was born in and received her initial training in Estonia, is currently preparing for the Commonwealth Games which will take place on August 4–6, 2022 in Birmingham, England.
possible. Systematic rape, torture and executions are used to crush the will of the Ukrainian people and snuff out their independence. Refugees, women and children are targeted. This bloody Russian menace threatens many of our allies in Europe – and it is working hand-in-hand with Beijing. China’s brutal repression in Hong Kong. It’s genocide against the Uyghur people, and in Tibet continue. The threat to Taiwan’s independence and its shining democracy continue to grow. Sadly, there are those in this country who call for the appeasement of these dark forces. They amplify authoritarian propaganda and are allowed to freely advance authoritarian interests in our country. Friends, this must end now. First, Canada must imme diately adopt legislation that requires those who operate in the murky shadows – on behalf of Beijing, Moscow and Tehran – to be exposed. A foreign influence registry law will expose the agents of malign authoritarian influence and protect us from their goal of exploiting and undermining our democracy. Second, we must use the Sergei Magnitsky Law to place
sanctions on officials in Hong Kong and Beijing who have engaged in human rights abuse. We need to ban their entry from Canada and seize their assets. This cannot wait. A new Canadian law was passed last week now allows Canada to sell off those assets, and use those funds to support the victims in Hong Kong, Tibet and the families of millions of Uyghurs. Threatening to seize and then sell the exotic cars, mansions and businesses owned by Chinese officials in Canada will most certainly motivate them to rethink their repressive behaviour. We must freeze, seize and sell those assets. Friends, if we wish to overcome and defeat this league of evil authoritarians we must continue to stand together, in solidarity against them. We must not let up. And we will never give in. On this sad anniversary we, the 4.5 million Canadians of Central and Eastern European heritage stand with you today, and everyday, for freedom and democracy in Hong Kong and everywhere where democracy and freedom are under attack. Freedom for Hong Kong, Tibet, East Turkistan and Ukraine!
