Finland

Mon

Jan

2016

A conscientious objector reflects on receiving cards on Prisoners for Peace day

New translation available

Submitted by hannah

International Prisoners for Peace Day has been celebrated on December 1st for years. The purpose of the day is to provoke conversation and commemorate peace prisoners with...

Fri

Jan

Defence forces survey: Appetite for national defence and conscription has declined

Submitted by gdghirardi on Fri, 01/01/2021 - 21:02

The Finnish Constitution stipulates every male Finnish citizen is obligated to participate in national defence. Image: Niko Mannonen / Yle

Uutiset -

Finns’ support for conscription and national defence has decreased, according to a survey by The Advisory Board of Defence Information (MTS).

Just over half (52 percent) of respondents believe Finland’s defence system should be based on mandatory conscription for men, and voluntary conscription for women. The figure is considerably lower than in previous years.

The Finnish Constitution stipulates that every male Finnish citizen is obligated to participate in national defence. All Finnish men aged between 18 and 60 are liable to complete military service, and women can opt to do it on a voluntary basis.

Military service has to be completed as armed or unarmed military service, or non-military (civil) service.

Almost a quarter of respondents preferred a conscription that would apply to both men and women. The idea of voluntary conscription for both sexes, or a professional army got much less support.

Wed

Nov

Youth militarisation in Finland

Submitted by antimili-youth on Wed, 22/11/2017 - 15:53

Tuuli Vuori from Aseistakieltäytyjäliitto AKL (the Union of Conscientious Objectors, Finland) tells us about their counter-recruitment work in #Finland and calls everyone to join the action during the International Week of Action Against the Militarisation of Youth.

Youth militarisation in Finland

Tue

Jan

Petition to End Finnish Conscription and Imprisonment of Conscientious Objectors

Submitted by hannah on Tue, 13/01/2015 - 15:43

Sign the petition

Call of action for Avaaz network to end conscription in Finland and in support of freedom for conscientious objectors.

Finland is one of the last remaining countries in Europe that still has conscription. Finnish society and national culture are very militaristic and conscription is upheld primarily because of militaristic values and traditions. Even the armed forces admit they don't need all the conscripts and the size of reserve forces was cut by about 1/3, from 350 000 to 230 000 active reserve troops [Ministry of Defence, Finnish Army].

Tue

Sep

Subvertisers' gallery

In this gallery we're collecting examples of the military's messages being 'improved' / changed by those who want to undermine their attempts to make war sounds good!

Some people call this billboard improvement, some people call it graffiti, some call it subvertising. Whatever you call it - we think it's a good idea!

Also see this video of an action in Belgium to alter the army's messages on Valentine's day...http://antimili-youth.net/videos/2014/09/make-love-not-war

Fri

Mar

Quotes from WRI's Countering the Militarisation of Youth conference: Resistance

Submitted by hannah on Fri, 07/03/2014 - 14:33

I as Director of the Vocational Training Centre for former Child Soldiers implemented programmes for UNICEF including how to get children who were caught up in the war back into the mainstream of life – to get them back into school or vocational activities...Reduce or eliminate all sort of inequalities and violence will be reduced. If there is no violence, there would be no need for child soldiers... - Domino Frank Suleiman, Liberia

Fri

Mar

Quotes from WRI's Countering the Militarisation of Youth conference: Recruitment, and The military in public and private space

Submitted by hannah on Fri, 07/03/2014 - 14:28

Recruitment

The way that I ended up joining the military was that when I was a senior in high school I intended to go to college but I didn't have any way to pay for it...I talked to an army recruiter [about an army scholarship] and he made it sound really good...Any time between signing the contract and going to basic training, you can change your mind and there won't be any consequences. Of course, the recruiters won't tell you that – they'll threaten legal consequences etc... - Kelly Dougherty, USA

Languages

Countering Military Recruitment

WRI's new booklet, Countering Military Recruitment: Learning the lessons of counter-recruitment campaigns internationally, is out now. The booklet includes examples of campaigning against youth militarisation across different countries with the contribution of grassroot activists.

You can order a paperback version here.