Plans afoot to look after differently-abled ex-soldiers

By Dhaneshi Yatawara

There are 37,957 officers and soldiers who got disabled as a result of battle injuries during the past three decades, said Adjutant General of the Sri Lanka Army, Major General Jagath Dias. “Mind you, many other officers and soldiers got wounded in the humanitarian operation.

Yet, as they were categorised as minor wounds, they came back to service. They also have their difficulties,” he said in an interview with the Sunday Observer.

Responding to questions raised by the Sunday Observer based on news reports last week on a group of ex-servicemen filing a Court case against the authorities, Maj. Gen. Dias said, “We believe that there has been a mis-communication that led this group of ex-servicemen to take such a step. That is why we wanted to have a one-to-one discussion and let them know the structure in place to look after them.”

Excerpts of the interview:

Q: According to recent media reports, you held discussions with disabled war heroes about their grievances. Why did the Army take such a step?

A: It is always better to sort things out through dialogue. The established administrative network looking after war heroes did not warrant a dialogue. However, we came to know through the print media that a certain segment of these ex-servicemen have gone to Courts and filed a case against the authorities. They say that their entitlements are not paid.

By that time, we had already completed our report and recommendations on the welfare of the war heroes and war veterans.

It was my responsibility to produce this report. Earlier this year, my staff and I completed the final report, considering changes in numbers and medical conditions of the officers and soldiers. We believe that there has been a mis-communication that led to this group of ex-servicemen taking such a step.

That is why we wanted to have a one-to-one discussion and let them know the structure in place to look after them, and make them aware of what we have done as an organised institute.

Q: Do you believe that the established structure in the Army administration is strong enough to look after war heroes?

A: We have a well-established system within the Army to look after battle casualties which functions well. War heroes' welfare is a special concern and even President Mahinda Rajapaksa often inquires from us about it. Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the Army Commander constantly monitor the welfare measures for war heroes. At any discussion related to the tri-services, the welfare of the war heroes and war veterans tops the list.

We have done the administrative work to provide the service. Yet, this is a very time-consuming procedure. When paying entitlements, each officer or soldier has to be considered as an individual case. Each one is different from the other. Evaluations cannot be done in groups. It has to be taken case by case. Even in the same medical category, individual cases are very different from each other.

Over time, the medical categorisation can change too. In certain people, the wounds heal and their condition can improve. Yet, in certain cases, depending on the severity of the wounds, the person's health can deteriorate. Such cases need to be re-evaluated and re-categorised to pay them the entitlements that suit the needs of the new situation.

Medical categorisation is the job of a doctor. A medical team handles this job. Based on that, the Army staff carry out their work to pay the war heroes' entitlements.

To date, all officers and soldiers with some sort of disability have already gone through this process and paying entitlements is in progress. This includes the group of 292 ex-servicemen who have gone to Courts.

As soldiers, we always believe it is our duty to look after our brethren who made sacrifices to safeguard the motherland.

Q: Is this the first time Army faced a Court Case of this nature?

A: In recent history, to my knowledge, this is the first time a group of ex-servicemen, in an organised manner, have filed a Court case against the Army.

Q: Why do you think this happened? Is it the increased number of disabled soldiers after the last phase of operations depending on the Army that could have made some of them feel less prioritised?

A: No, no. There is nothing like that. This is mainly due to a misunderstanding. As I told you earlier, payments and entitlements for these people were already under way.

Q: You mentioned medical categorisation as the basis in listing entitlements for the war heroes. Who handles that?

A: It is the job of a specialist - a medical doctor. These soldiers have to go through the medical expert's examination. It is only after receiving the complete reports from medical experts that administrative work starts in allocating entitlements, compensations and payments.

Q: What is the procedure in deciding entitlements for war heroes?

A: When a solider gets wounded, he is first sent for medical treatment and then for rehabilitation if necessary. Then, through his battalion, he reaches the first administrative level which is his regiment. The unit the soldier belongs to has a board of inquiry and that is the beginning of the administrative process. Then the result is sent to the Regimental Centre.

Then the soldier's requirement for compensation is sent to the Directorate of Medical Services and he should go for a medical examination. With the medical reports and categorisation, the soldier's case is sent to the Director Legal's office.

Then the reports go to the Pay and Pension Directorate.

Since the medical condition of these soldiers can change over time, medical examinations are open for any of them at any time. If the soldier faces a change in his health, he can again come to medical experts for re-examination through his regiment. Even those who return to service face health complications due to their wounds and they can also get examined by the medical experts.

Based on the re-categorisation, the soldiers’ situations are re-evaluated and compensation and entitlements are paid accordingly. This is a continuous process. This is all based on rules and regulations imposed by the Government. The Cabinet Paper approved on July 28, 1982 states the entire procedure.

Q: What is the total number of Army personnel with disabilities depending on these entitlements?

A: There are 37,957 officers and soldiers who were disabled during the past three decades. This includes 1,298 Army officers and 36,659 Other Rankers. They all performed their duties above their abilities and with gratitude, we look after them.

Some of the soldiers among these numbers are totally disabled. They are the ones who are looked after at the Abhimansala, Ranaviru Sevana and Mihindu Seth Medura. Many other officers and soldiers got wounded in the humanitarian operation, yet, as they were categorised as minor wounds, they came back to service. They also have their difficulties.

Q: During the humanitarian operation, Sri Lanka's Forces drew out their

entire strength to save the country from terrorism. Was there a significant increase in the number of wounded within those three to four years, compared to the two-and-a-half decades that had passed?

A: Definitely, there was a great increase during that short period. During the humanitarian operation, 311 officers and 18,120 Other Rankers got wounded and now live with permanent disabilities.

They are included in the above mentioned total.

Of the three Forces, it was the Army which had the highest number of persons and infantrymen fighting the enemy face-to-face. Out of that, around 80 percent was represented by the Infantry. They went in to the enemy lines to break the barricades and defence lines.

The humanitarian operation is the biggest rescue mission that we had conducted. And for that, the entire strength of the Army was engaged, unlike in the past. So the casualty numbers were greater.

Q: We see and hear of donations and assistance given to war heroes through Seva Vanitha Units, by well-wishers and other organisations. This is in addition to the entitlements they receive from the Army. Are these support measures implemented according to the same categorisations you mentioned earlier? A: Yes. This is one of the best things that happen for the betterment of these war heroes. I think the Sri Lanka Army is one of the few military organisations in the world which looks after their war heroes with such a high level of care. They are given priority. In fact, war heroes are looked after at three levels. First, by the Regiment and the Regiment Seva Vanitha Units have separate programs to look after them. Donations and support from well-wishers and other organisations are streamlined to them.

The second tier is at the Army level. The Army Seva Vanitha Unit is totally involved in this. We also have a special directorate to look after war veterans, called the Directorate of Veterans Affairs.

This is totally dedicated to serve war veterans. It provides not only houses and money, if the soldiers do not have land, that is also provided. Recently also, we handed over land for war heroes which we had received from a well-wisher from Payagala. Scholarships are given to war heroes' children to support their studies. These activities happen continuously.