Army Volunteers, a vital cog in country's development

By Dhaneshi Yatawara

Amidst views expressed by many sectors, the Sri Lanka Army still plays a leading role in national development. Before 2009, it was the responsibility of the Army's fighter regiments to defeat terrorism and they did it successfully. Following the victory it was the responsibility of the Army's non-fighting forces to extend their professional skills for the development in the post-war era.

Urban development and beautification programs

Construction work in progress at the new military headquarters at Akuregoda

A major part of the development work is shouldered by Army's volunteer forces as it is they who have civil engineers, technicians, masons, carpenters, plumbers in their organisation that formed the teams for construction work.

If the success of an organisation is measured in terms of its contribution to the society, then the volunteer force of the Sri Lanka Army reaches veritable heights with the leading contributions made by many of its members in the fight against terrorism and national development. Today they are the force involved in the urban development, mega construction works that we see around.

Today to man the demanding development work the Volunteer Forces are seeking more professionals from all segments of the society. A senior spokesperson of the Volunteer Force said that their institute is hoping to open up for enthusiastic citizens from all social segments and professions who wish to extend their service to the nation holding the prestige of volunteer forces.

From its beginnings in 1896, as a force of little over thousand personnel the Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force has today grown to fifty five battalions consisting of 1,100 Officers and 45,000 other ranks deployed in defensive and offensive operations. Ensuring the sovereignty and integrity of the country since 1983, more than 2,500 volunteer personnel were killed in action and over 1,100 were wounded.

Volunteer Force

The soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force and its volunteer military predecessor formations have for over a century showing their spirit of volunteering. While a regular soldier brings to the profession of arms a great degree of expertise, the volunteer soldier matches it with enthusiasm and a keen sense of duty.

The origins of the volunteer movement was in 1861 when the governor wrote to the war office for approval of such a movement.

The volunteer movement grew out of a civilian rifle club and was broad-based for infantry soldiering by a proclamation issued by the Lieutenant Governor (Sir John Douglas KCMG) in the government gazette of April 1, 1881 authorizing the formation of "the Ceylon Light Infantry Volunteers". Thirteen days later, Lieutenant Colonel John Scott Armitage was appointed as the Commanding Officer.

His Royal Highness Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (The Late King Edward VII) accepted the Honorary Colonelcy of the Regiment and permitted the use of his motto "Ich Dien" and his personal insignia to the Regiment.

In 1890, the then Governor of Ceylon, Sir Arthur Hamilton Gordon was appointed as the Honorary Lieutenant Colonel of the Regiment. In the earliest years, the Force was armed with the long Snider rifle. This was replaced in 1890 by the Martini - Henry and there was a further change in the same year when the entire Force was re-armed with Martini-Enfield rifles and carbines taking the service 303 cartridge.

The beginnings of the Ceylon Light Infantry Volunteers formed the underpinnings not only of the volunteer military movement in Sri Lanka but also of the Sri Lanka Army.

In 1910 the Ceylon Defence Force was formed under Ordinance No 8 of 1910 to provide good order and discipline of the local force in Ceylon and which comprised all volunteer units. The Commanding Officers of all volunteer units were responsible to Commandant of the Ceylon Defence Force. In 1949, the Army Act was passed on the 10th of October which resulted in several changes.

Distinguish service

With the proclamation of the Republic of Sri Lanka on 22nd May 1972, the nomenclature of the Ceylon Volunteer Force was (and its several units) changed accordingly to the Sri Lanka army Volunteer Force. With the upsurge of violence islandwide on 23rd July 1983, consequent to the killing of 13 Sri Lanka Army personnel in the North and the intransigent attitude of the LTTE towards a negotiated political settlement in 1994, the Volunteer Force has been called out for active duty and this situation existed long after that.

Deployment of Volunteer Units was mainly seen in the North and Eastern districts but there were several occasions when volunteer units also served in the South to counter anti - government activities of the militant JVP groups. A rapid expansion of the Volunteer Force was seen in this period.

Today headed by Major General Prasad Samarasinghe in commanding, the Sri Lanka Army Volunteers play a vital role in mega construction projects benefiting the country. Today in the Volunteer Force fifteen medical doctors, 88 civil and mechanical engineers, 20 legal officers, 19 accountants, ten agriculture officers, ten physiotherapists and 30 English instructors are serving. In addition seven University academics who joined the Volunteer Force are now serving in the Kotalawala Defence University. It is General Sir John Kotelawala who donated land of his Kandawela Estate to set up the Sir John Kotalawala Defence Academy for the training of young Officer Cadets, was also a gracious member of the Volunteer Force. Those who join the Volunteers become the members of an esteem line citizens starting from Sri Lanka First Prime Minister D.S. Senanayake who served in the Volunteer Artillery as an active member for many years.

Major E.A. Nugawela of the Ceylon Light Infantry Volunteers was the Minister for Education in the first Cabinet of independent Sri Lanka.

The first Commanding Officer of third Volunteer Battalion the Gemunu Watch, Colonel C.A. Dharmapala was a Member of Parliament and later became the Secretary of the Ministry of Defence and Security Advisor to the President during 1977-1979. Major Montague Jayawickrama, who was the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Plantations and Captain C.P.J. Senevirathne, who was the Labour Minister during 1977-1983 were active members of the second Volunteer Ceylon Light Infantry and Ceylon Cadet Corps respectively. General Ranjan Wijerathne who revived the Planters' Rifle Corps was the Deputy Minister of Defence during 1989-1992. General Anurudhdha Ratwatte, former deputy Defence Minister was a member of the second volunteers of the Sinha Regiment.

Key players

Almost all the urban development projects are presently handled by Army personnel and among them majority consist from the volunteers - mainly the Engineering Services Regiment, known as ESR. Constructions of the new port at Hambantota, beautification works around the parliament area, reconstruction works in Pettah are some of the major works of the Volunteers. Moreover, the pavement stretching along Bauddhaloka Mawatha is another picturesque area in the city from the road near Thunmulla Junction. Driving from Rajagiriya, the pavements with chairs along the Diyawanna Lake enriches the panoramic view of the city. In the construction of the new Defence headquarters in Akuregoda the ESR plays a major role.

According to the Commander of the Volunteer Force there is more work for the Volunteers. "Volunteers comprised professionals of various fields and that is our strength in providing a significant service," the Commander said. "I believe it is the time for Sri Lankans to join hands with us to rebuild the country,"" he added.