Whilst teaching English in Lucerne I met a man who worked for the Swiss Army. It was through him that I was able to visit the Swiss soldiers serving in Kosovo.
An old factory, with a huge white roof called Camp Casablanca, hides the troops and their equipment from the casual eye. It is here that the men train for the very serious possibility of having to control a riot or carry out armed patrols through the Serbian and Roma enclaves
Swisscoy - Anti Riot training
Originally intended as a temporary measure, Camp Casablanca has been in existence for 12 years and will be probably exist for a number of years to come. In 1999 and 2004 there existed a state of war. By 2006 the situation had improved. In 2008 Kosovo declared independence and in 2009 efforts were started to rebuild this ravaged land.