-The Georgian government lies

Citizens of bombed-out town furious at officials

GORI: - We have lost the war, but this is also a loss for Europe. It is clear that the Russians are having their will, says Gori citizen Vasily Geldeshvili to VG.

By Kristian Krohg-Sørensen, 10 August 2008

He is one of the very few who still have not fled the Georgian town of Gori now as even military forces pull out and rumours about a coming Russian invasion are strong.

The few remaining soldiers patrol the streets heavily armed.

“There is no-one left in this place. No soldiers, no people. Only one shop is still open, and the shelves are getting empty”, says Vasily, while standing in line in front of the shop. The doors are closed, and goods are being sold through a small window. Vasily has no doubt that the Russians will enter Gori.

“They will capture not only Gori, but Tbilisi and other Georgian cities as well. That’s why I don’t bother fleeing my town. I was born here, and this is where I’ll stay. I’ve got nothing to lose”, he says.

Lies from the government

The remaining citizens in Gori are visibly shaken by the events of the recent days. The anger against the Russian bombs, which have claimed civilian lives, is mixed with an anger against the Georgian government.

“On the radio, they tell people that our forces are in control in South Ossetia, that our side has the initiative and that there is no shortage on food and resources. The government is lying, we don’t have anything here anymore. We’ve obviously lost the war. They should have understood that their actions in South Ossetia would lead to this”, says Kakha Gurdadze, another man standing in line in front of the shop.

He has also chosen to stay behind in Gori.
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“We have lost, but this is Europe’s loss too. It is clear that the Russians are having their will”, says Vasily.

Ghost town

On the main square of the Georgian industrial town, a humungous statue of Stalin watches over empty streets and closed shops. Gori, Stalin’s birthplace, is located just a few kilometers from the border to secessionist state South Ossetia, which is now under Russian control.

The havoc from yesterday’s bombing raid is clearly visible: the charred ruins of two buildings are close to the town centre. Broken glass and other debris is scattered in the streets.

Some of those still remaining here walk the pavements carrying heavy bags and suitcases – hoping to get a lift to the capital Tbilisi.

Norwegian radio programme "EKKO" on NRK P2

Instead of a detailed translation of the programme (which is conducted in Norwegian), what follows is a summary describing the content.

The report starts after eight minutes within the programme. It is recorded on location at the Kunstkamera in St. Petersburg, Russia, as a report for EKKO, a daily programme about science an society sent on NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation) channel 2.
In the report, I and colleague Torkild Jemterud talk about the Gottorp Globe, an immense mechanical globe built in Germany in 1703 and brought to Russia in 1713-14 on czar Peter I's request. Weighing 3,5 tonnes and measuring three metres in diameter, transporting the globe across Eastern Europe was a meticulous process, in which several workers paid with their lives. Upon arrival in St. Petersburg, the globe was installed in the tower of the Kunstkamera, a characteristic building which can rightfully be described as the cradle of Russian science. We talk about how Peter I - the Great - was obsessed with science and modernisation, and how the globe must have been perceived as a technological wonder of its time. An English-language guide, Evgeina Butenko, at times explains details about the globe, which on the outside is decorated with a large world map (updated every time new land was explored) and on the inside an accurate map of the stars. There is room for twelve people within the globe, where they could sit down and enjoy the artwork while the globe was rotating on the mechanical axis. We discuss the impact Peter's modernisation of science and challenging religious dogmas had on the state and society of his time, and how Kunstkamera became a symbol for the czar's ambitions to let Western-inspired science rock the traditions of orthodox, autochratic Russia.