|
|
 |
 |
| Sunday, 09 March 2003 |
 |
|
 |
News |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Fear losing skilled personnel : Navy, Air Force defer deserter amnesty by Ramani Kangaraarachchi The Army's decision to pardon its deserters by issuing discharge certificates has not found favour with either the Air Force or the Navy, both of which Sunday Observer reliably learns have rejected the option as unfeasible and unviable. The Army recently decided to stop its hunt for deserters and instead issue discharge certificates after recovering the dues. A Cabinet memorandum in this regard was approved and the Army was awaiting instructions from the Ministry of Defence to implement the decision. However, the Ministry it is learnt, was waiting for the Air Force and the Navy to come up with a similar proposal, before giving the final go-ahead. But, the Sunday Observer reliably learns that both Commanders of the Air Force and the Navy are against the idea of pardoning the deserters, due to technical reasons. The Air Force at present has about 3000 deserters and the Navy only about 500. This is a sharp contrast to the Army which has a list of 58000 deserters. Air Vice Marshal Donald Perera said that the Air Force is a technical organisation which recruits personnel with higher educational qualification and gives them extensive technical training locally and abroad and allowing the deserters to go scot-free would encourage other servicemen also to follow suit and cause problems to the Air Force. He said the Air Force deserters should be dealt with according to the Air Force regulations. The Air Force Commander it is learnt has already submitted his report to the Defence Ministry, elaborating his views in this regard. The Ministry, it is learnt, has accepted it. Navy chief Vice Admiral Daya Sandagiri is also faced with the similar problem as that of the Air Force Commander, with regard to Navy deserters who are also technicians. Admiral Sandagiri said that the Navy is also opposed to issuing discharge certificates to the deserters. But he pointed out that in 2001 an opportunity of this nature was given to naval deserters on the recommendation of the Defence Ministry but only around 150 had come forward to accept the offer. Admiral Sandagiri said the Navy intends to deal with deserters as per the existing Navy regulations. However, the situation with the Army is different as thousands of its deserters are allegedly involved in crimes and robberies in the country. "We hope that at least 30000 deserters will report under this scheme, Major General Ivan Dasanayake, Adjutant General of the Army said. Army Commander Lt. General Lionel Balagalle said that although the Ministry has given the OK to his proposals certain clarifications have to be obtained with regard to the whole process such as reporting places, how to recover the dues etc. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
