World : IN BRIEF : SOVIET UNION : Troops Organize Watchdog Group

About 200 Soviet soldiers and sailors met in Moscow and formed an unsanctioned organization to fight military corruption and ensure that “the army is not used against the people.” The founding of Shchit (Shield) went ahead despite heavy opposition from high-ranking officers, a spokesman said. He said that the group wants to ensure that the military is not used as it was in Tbilisi in April, when troops fired on demonstrators in the Georgian capital. Shield organizers will try to officially register their group but may encounter serious opposition from authorities.