Video: An amnesty for army deserters

25 March 2015 08:48 am

Army deserters are to be granted an amnesty and given an opportunity to officially resign from service on reporting to their regiment between April 2 and 16, the Army said today.

Army’s Adjutant General Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe said deserters who had not reported to work for more than six months without authorised leave would be dismissed from service.

Maj. Gen. Hathurusinghe said there were 41,313 soldiers and 17 officers who had absented themselves without authorised leave.

“These army personnel would be separated into four categories and dismissed from service within a day,” he said.

Army Director, Brigadier Jayanath Jayaweera said the last time an official pardon was granted to deserters belonging to a few selected regiments in 2012.

“This time the pardon would be granted in those belonging to all regiments across the country,” he said. This would be the last olive branch extented by the army to deserters and after April 16 we will be streaming our efforts to arrest deserters.”  

Meanwhile, Personal Administration Director, Brigadier N.A. Darmaratne said that 14,928 army personnel listed as deserters had been arrested since 2013.(DS & KKK)