1,725 AWOL members of tri-forces seek legal discharge

12 December 2016 03:03 pm

A total of 1,725 tri-forces personnel including four officers, who are considered as Absent Without Official Leave (AWOL) have reported to their respective service centres seeking legal discharge as of December 10, the Defence Ministry said.

The Defence Ministry declared a month long general amnesty period from December 1 to tri-forces deserters to seek legal discharge.

Military Spokesman Brigadier Roshan Senevirathna said two officers and 1,492 other ranks of the army, 162 navy personnel and two officers and 67 other ranks of the air force have reported to their respective service centres seeking legal discharge.

“Out of these personnel, one officer and 1,185 other ranks of the army have obtained their legal discharge,” he said.

This is the second general amnesty offered to tri-forces deserters during this year. The first was in effect from June 13 to July 12.

Deserters who report to their respective service headquarters or regiments during this period will not be subjected to any punishment or detention. They can obtain their legal discharge after clearing all administrative requirements.

According to the ministry there are 174 officers and 42,506 soldiers of the army, 26 officers and 6,133 sailors of the navy and 37 officers and 2,806 airmen of the air force considered as deserters or AWOL.

Army deserters can report to their respective regimental headquarters while navy deserters can report to the nearest navy camp or preferably the Welisara navy camp, while air force deserters can report to their headquarters during working hours on week days to get their formalities done. (Darshana Sanjeewa)