Finnish peacekeepers leaving Bosnia during political crisis

Finland provided hundreds of millions in aid to Balkans

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Men are packing their bags in a former hotel in a small village. The Finnish men are waiting in Donja Skakava to go home to their girlfriends and wives. The departure is on Saturday this week, when the main contingent of the force of Finnish peacekeepers are scheduled to withdraw from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
      Finland announced the withdrawal of its forces from the EUFOR Althea operation in January.
     
Twelve Finnish peacekeepers comprising the service unit have been staying at the hotel. The actual field work has been handled from the so-called LOT buildings located in the midst of the local community. the Finns have had three such houses in the northeast of Bosnia, in Bijeljina, Brcko, and Gradacac.
      In the final stages, Finland has had about 40 peacekeepers in Bosnia. When the main force leaves, four will remain behind.
     
Bosnia and Herzegovina was embroiled in a bloody civil war from 1992 to 1995, at the time of the dissolution of Yugoslavia. During the war, extensive ethnic cleansing, and ruthless war crimes were seen.
      International pressure forced the sides of the conflict to sign the Dayton Peace Agreement in December 1995. As a result of the war, the country is ethnically divided among the Bosnian Serbs, Croats, and Muslims.
      The bitterness from the fighting continues to be reflected in Bosnian politics. In the past three years, political tensions have escalated, and there are reports that the number of weapons in private hands has increased, with more Bosnians fearing new violence.
     
Nevertheless, Antti Castrén, the commander of the Finnish forces, there is no reason to fear violence.
      “The risk of armed clashes has been seen as negligible, and the security situation is good. The military aims have been achieved.”
      A glance at the surroundings confirms the situation: people live normal lives, houses are being built, children walk to school and back home without worry.
     
The EUFOR operation in Bosnia was the first military crisis management operation of the European Union. Most of the countries involved have decided to keep their forces in Bosnia because of the tense political situation.
      Finland’s decision to leave the country goes against the overall trend, and poses challenges to the operation itself.
      “I proposed for consideration that Finland might follow the general policy line of EUROR and stay in the country. However, the decision to pull out was made, and now we naturally support it in every way”, Castrén says.
      In addition to Finland, Sweden, Belgium, and most recently France, have brought their peacekeepers home.
     
Finland’s desire to leave is linked with its desire to free up resources for peacekeeping operations in Afghanistan and Chad, for instance.
     
The highest political power in Bosnian politics is in the hands of a special representative named by the International community.
      “The operation will probably continue in its current composition until the office of the special representative is closed”, Castrén says. This would mean about one more year.
      After that, the crisis management operation is to be turned into an EU support and training operation involving about 200 people. Currently there are more than 2,000 peacekeepers in the EUFOR effort.
      Finland has provided about EUR 130 million in aid to Bosnia over the past 14 years. Approximately EUR 61.6 million has been spent on the EUFOR Althea operation alone, and before that, the Finns have taken part in operations in the area led by NATO and the UN.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Finnish peacekeepers to stay in Chad after assurances on fuel (26.5.2009)
  Expert says Finnish peacekeeping is overrated (25.5.2009)

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