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“Hide Son, Commissar Is Coming!”

July 28, 2010
Koba Liklikadze, radio Freedom

I’ve been writing so much about the expected amendment of the Law of Reserve Service that somebody might consider me either an apologist or its sworn enemy.

In actuality – it’s none of those. My approach is simple and pragmatic: since the country has a small professional army, it also needs small and mobile military reserve that will replace the army when necessary. In simple words, this is called the active reserve. Though, the currently operating law in Georgia also envisages the willful reserve gathering of students and the universal – for certain categories of citizens who have gone through the military service and are accounted for the reserve.

Georgia at first took the course of universal reserve and by the request of Mikheil Saakashvili, since 2005, almost all categories of citizens got called to the military gatherings: MPs, members of city councils, representatives of the administrative organs, fire brigade members, Officials of the finance organs, students and lastly, the market sellers. Apparently, all this was followed by a big fuzz and PR, but with low quality, without system. The battalions prepared in a conveyer way could not fulfill their military objectives. Was there any military goals or organization in the war, this is a separate topic, but it was considered that the existing form of reserve didn’t work. Everybody was talking about it.

And after that this happens: For two years the military reserve gatherings are halted and active work is going for creating new, optimal system that requires relevant amendment.

There were meeting, consultations, seminars and presentations held with Georgian and foreign experts… Even a group of MPs was sent to America to get acquainted with their experience, but, as it’s found out, the obligatory military reserve was chosen. “Every man, and if necessary, every woman” – stated President of Georgia with an imperative tone at the end of the last year and ended the discussion.

Universal calling of every man, (not woman) is a decided thing. Every healthy man between the ages 27-40 should expect 45 day calling to the reserve military camps. This was decided by the Defense Ministry, the initiator of the amendment and the group of MPs from the majority – Lasha Tordia, Zviad Kukava and Samson Qutateladze.

The project of amendment is not available for the public and to say it honestly, neither the public is active in making the legal entity accountable. So, let me awaken the public thought with these questions:

-    Are the human rights foreseen in case of activation of obligatory military reserve? Specifically, will the pacifists have a right to choose alternative reserve service without the gun?

-    Will one more amendment be made to the law of military reserve according to which the Georgian citizens studying or working abroad will be called to the obligatory reserve service?

-    Which citizen categories will be availed the privilege of adjournment except for those who are rejected because of their health state?

-    Or the easiest: let’s say a person self-employed in some commercial center, market, distribution company or seasonal job is called to 45 day reserve. Will the state issue any compensation so his family doesn’t dies starving?

-    What resources is the state going to use for organizing the obligatory reserve and generally, how many potential reservists are registered to the mobilization services?

-    According to unconfirmed information, 200-450 thousand citizens aged 27-40 live in Georgia. If this is so, is there the relevant amount of bullets, guns, uniforms and instructors?

-    And lastly, where it’s obligatory, it’s forceful. Force already depraved and stripped of its value the obligatory reserve service in Georgia. Many remember the raids of policemen in the metro stations and streets for catching disobedient youth of paramilitary age, the jails filled with deserters and the desperate scream of parents: “hide, son, the commissar is coming!”

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