Sri Lankan army nets record deserters

By Dilrukshi Handunnetti

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AA) - The Sri Lankan military this month rounded up some 546 deserters “within a single day” who didn’t report back during a general amnesty which encouraged soldiers to return without having to face punishment, said the military Monday.

While desertions have been regular among army, navy and air force personnel, the highest number of deserters have traditionally been from the Sri Lankan Army, said a top military source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the press.

At present, the military is said to be pursuing some 43,000 deserters who failed to return despite an amnesty, according to AFP, which quoted Sri Lanka’s military spokesman Brigadier Roshan Seneviratne, who referred to the Feb. 9 mass arrests as being “the largest ever” within a single day.

The amnesty came to an end in December 2016 and those arrested for desertion have to now face a court martial. Those who return during an amnesty are allowed to get legally discharged, including early retirement.

The Sri Lankan military waged a bloody war against Liberation Tigers of Tamil Tigers (LTTE) and defeated it in May 2009. Over 100,000 lives were lost during the war, including an estimated 25,000 military personnel.

Though recognized as a formidable army with experience and expertise, the island’s military has nevertheless faced significant number of desertions taking place throughout the years of war as well as peacetime.

A top military source told Anadolu Agency that now that the grace period is over, those who failed to surrender are being actively pursued.

Some 9,000 soldiers and officers have reportedly made use of the amnesty and returned to the barracks.

The island’s army, navy, and air force have a combined strength of nearly 300,000 personnel, and despite a legacy of winning a ruthless war against the Liberation Tigers, the military has had to contend with large numbers of desertions throughout.

Former army spokesman Brigadier Jayanath Jayaweera earlier went on record attributing family pressure as the main reason for soldiers’ failure to return to the ranks.

A former military officer who spoke to Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity said though family pressure remained a key reason, the scaling-down of risk allowance was a key contributor to the disenchantment.

“In peacetime, the priorities are different. Military personnel are being used for construction work and dengue control programs, all of which affect their morale. Overall, the glory of the war years have waned and the soldiers are required to engage in what they consider non-military work,” he said.