Over 8,000 military deserters surrender during amnesty period in Sri Lanka

In total, 8,018 deserters surrender to military bases in one week long amnesty which started from February 5

COLOMBO: Over 8,000 officers who had deserted the military in recent years in Sri Lanka surrendered to the country's military bases during a general amnesty period declared by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa last week, the army said in a statement on Thursday.

In total, 8,018 deserters surrendered to the military bases in the one week long amnesty which started from February 5.

The amnesty was declared under the instructions of President Rajapaksa, to commemorate Sri Lanka's 72nd Independence Day which was celebrated on February 4.

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.

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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.