Despite risks, no cancellations for crisis management duty in Afghanistan

Applications for peacekeeping work plummet

print this

None of the 60 personnel slated for crisis management deployment in Afghanistan in August and September have cancelled their decision to go. Training for the group is underway at the Pori Brigade. However, the service contract is not signed until the end of the training.
      The Finnish forces currently in Afghanistan have increasingly found themselves facing hostile fire recently.
      Lieutenant-Colonel Tommi Härkönen says, nevertheless, that he is going “with a positive and confident mind. I am sure that I speak for the others. We have received good training, and we have very good equipment.”
      In a survey by the Finnish Officers’ Union, those who are being deployed say that they are going in good spirit. There has been discussion of the possibility that Finns might become involved in combat, which does give food for thought, Härkönen admits.
     
Nevertheless, the number of personnel applying for crisis management duty has fallen sharply from the early 1990s. For instance, in January-May of 1991, more than 10,000 people had applied for peacekeeping duty. This year only 1,030 had submitted applications during the same period.
      In addition to the other applicants, about 200-300 conscripts are trained for international crisis management duties at the Pori Brigade.
      Nevertheless, the annual decline in applications for peacekeeping has been about 30 per cent in recent years.
      The nature of peacekeeping work has also changed considerably. In Afghanistan, for instance, the peacekeepers are seen as being parties to the conflict.
     
At the Officers’ Union, Mikko Valtanen, who has a thorough knowledge of the terms of international service, says that many feel that there is no point in taking part in crisis management activities. One reason is that the pay level for work at home has increased more than for crisis management tasks.
      “Insurance coverage also needs more attention.”
      Valtanen predicts that it will be increasingly difficult to find people willing to serve in Afghanistan.
      Nevertheless, sufficient numbers of Finnish volunteers have been found for duty in Afghanistan. However, the Defence Forces would like to see more applicants, especially professionals with special skills, such as computer experts and doctors.
      Officers’ Union chairman Harri Westerlund notes that work in Finland and participation in crisis management can bring in nearly the same amount of pay.
      “Operations abroad have become more challenging.” There is a greater possibility now of facing real bullets and explosions.
     
One possible way to make service abroad more attractive, in the view of Westerlund, would be to free those taking part in it of the obligation to pay municipal taxes.
      Many peacekeepers have availed themselves of the possibility to buy a car tax-free while abroad. However, those serving in Afghanistan are not able to benefit from the tax break as easily as those deployed to Kosovo, for instance.
      Westerlund says that organising the possibility of a car benefit for those serving in Afghanistan could be another incentive for service there.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Finnish forces take fire again in Afghanistan (5.8.2009)
  Finnish peacekeepers engaged in yet another exchange of fire in Afghanistan (31.7.2009)
  Parliament approves additional forces to Afghanistan (9.3.2009)
  New US strategy has Finland reconsidering goals in Afghanistan (6.2.2009)

Helsingin Sanomat