Estonia’s historic first to open a mission

Photo: AFP / Scanpix

Lieutenant Colonel Sten Allik – first ever, and perhaps the last ever Estonian contingent chief in Central African Republic – does not think the crisis has turned especially bad, lately.

«On the one hand, some conflict areas have quieted down somewhat,» said the man, yesterday. «Now that the operation is expanding and the units are spreading out to a wider area, an impression is created as if there are more conflicts now. In reality, this is just the operation spreading out.»

«Which will not mean that there’s great peace on earth, there – should that be so, why go there?» added LTC Allik.

As explained by policy planning department deputy head Erkki Tori, at Ministry of Defence, the launch of Estonians is currently delayed by the official start of the EU mission: «That ought to happen in near future, as several preconditions – the structure, the initial contributions by countries etc – are settled, more or less.»

«Once the mission is on, the countries may start moving their troops into the operation area. At the moment, Estonia is preparing logistical details; probably, the contingent will reach the destination in several stages, in the middle of March,» continued Mr Tori.

Thanks to speedy arrangements in Estonia, the task awaiting LTC Allik and his contingent is rather remarkable. «Never ever have we entered in the first days of a mission, as now with EUFOR,» admits the LTC Allik. «True: the French are there, but with their national mission only.»

According to LTC Allik, CAF is a tough logistical nut to crack, due to arriving among the first – and Estonia experienced rather at supporting the Afghani mission, in another direction altogether. The  infantry, headed for EUFOR on its own, needs support that the staff officers or the instructors serving in Mali do not need: for instance, they go with four armoured vehicles, and a medical man of their own.

Warrant Officer Margus Hoop, in charge of logistics for the operation, is rather confident. He admits he was with interest following news regarding the CAR mission – will Estonia opt to send soldiers, will they have any support.

Once it became clear that Estonia was sending a unit, a place vacant for a logistician, WO Hoop promptly asked his boss at the Defence Forces’ logistics centre if he could go. «They said that considering my background they’d be happy to send me – write and application,» he recalls.

«The last service was with the Kuperjanov infantry battalion, where I was supporting an entire battalion, in 2010, as rear company warrant officer – close to a thousand men,» describes WO Hoop. «Missions experience dates back to service in Afghanistan twice, in national support element – in 2009, and again in 2011.»

WA Hoop’s interest towards the CAR mission is explained by his desire to see a new environment and obtain fresh cooperation experience. «Thanks to Afghanistan, I have a strong cooperation experience with Englishmen and Americans,» says he. «It will be very interesting to see how another very large European army will function, logistically; what will be its trouble and joy spots; what we can learn from there and bring back home to Estonia.»

Admitting that, with his over-eagerness, at times, in Afghanistan, he earned some disapproving glares from the Brits, the warrant officer believes he’s ready to conquer new cultural differences. «In the big picture, my preparation is good enough, and my skin thick enough by now, so I will not be jumping at just anything or getting gloomy – should a door be slammed, I’ll enter by window,» vows the man. «I will be getting all my answers and stuff, to support the Estonian unit.»

When it comes to the equipment, WO Hoop says the CAR stuff is not much different from Afghani stuff: «Afghanistan also being the so-called green zone, the elements are more-or-less the same: the same kinds of beds, mosquito nets.»

LTC Allik things the soldier routines of the two missions aren’t much different either. One thing he stresses to his men is: be careful, think how the locals may interpret your behaviour and gestures. «The way we express ourselves may be interpreted altogether different, just as we often interpret them wrong,» says he.

Just for the sake of the locals, the unit includes three French language interpreters. LTC Allik comes into play as the fourth man speaking French – having studied military doctrine and political science in France.

As told reporters in Brussels, yesterday, by EUFOR CAR chief, the French Major General Philippe Pontiès, three countries have conclusively confirmed their participation at the mission in CAR. According to his spokesperson Maria Lyra Traversa, troops-creation i.e. searching of soldiers for the EU mission, ideally of a thousand men, is still in process. «The dates, basically, will not change,» Ms Traversa told Postimees, regarding the start of the mission.

Probable participants

Even though, as stated yesterday by chief of EUFOR CAR, only three states have with finality confirmed sending their troops to Central African Republic, the mission will with high likelihood be including ten or more other countries as well. Underneath, find the ones who have made some public promise:

Estonia: infantry platoon (up to 55 servicemen)

Georgia: infantry company

Spain: will contribute

Lithuania: a plane and a 10 member crew

Latvia: up to 50 servicemen

Poland: 140–150 servicemen, air transport

Portugal: will contribute

France: up to 500 soldiers

Sweden: air transport

Romania: 50 servicemen

Germany: considers logistical support

Finland: about 30 servicemen

Great Britain: logistical support