The Sri Lankan government has announced that almost 60,000 deserters, who left the Sri Lankan Armed Forces after the armed conflict in 2009, are to have warrants issued for their arrest.
Some 65,000 deserters were reported to be at large in July 2009, just months after the brutal conflict had ended. In 2013, that number was said to have swelled to 71,458. Yet, 59,267 military personnel are still reported as deserters from the Army, Navy and Air Force.
The Ministry of Defence and Urban Development announced that though most of the deserters had left for personal reasons and that warrants would be issued at relevant police divisions. It went on to announce that in order to follow procedure, some of the deserting soldiers would be reinstated and then dismissed.
However later that month, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa went on to pardon some 1,900 soldiers during a Buddhist ritual.
We need your support
Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist. Tamil journalists are particularly at threat, with at least 41 media workers known to have been killed by the Sri Lankan state or its paramilitaries during and after the armed conflict.
Despite the risks, our team on the ground remain committed to providing detailed and accurate reporting of developments in the Tamil homeland, across the island and around the world, as well as providing expert analysis and insight from the Tamil point of view
We need your support in keeping our journalism going. Support our work today.
For more ways to donate visit https://donate.tamilguardian.com.
