General amnesty offered to army absentees

Following the approval of the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces and the Minister of Defence, President Maithripala Sirisena, has offered a general amnesty period for Army absentees, enabling them to receive their legal discharge from the Army within a day or two. 

This was announced on Wednesday (25) morning during a press briefing, held at the MoD Media Centre, led by Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe, Adjutant General, Brigadier Nirmal Dharmarathne, Director Personnel Administration, Army Headquarters and Brigadier K.J Jayaweera, acting Military Spokesman and Director Media, Army Headquarters. 

The general amnesty beginning on April 2 will continue till April 16, 2015 and absentees can directly reach respective Regimental Headquarters and receive their discharge under four categories. 

A media communiqué issued by the Army Headquarters in this connection specifies details as below:             

(Press Release)

ARMY ABSENTEES REQUESTED TO RECEIVE DISCHARGE UNDER NEW PROGRAMME DURING APRIL 2 - 16

Following the approval of the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces and the Minister of Defence, HE the President, the Commander of the Army on the directions of the Ministry of Defence, has instructed the Adjutant General’s Branch of the Army to offer one more round of general amnesty (April 2 - 16, 2015) to all Army absentees after implementing a more practical programme to delist and discharge them from service under four categories, effective from April 2, 2015. 

This newly-devised project accordingly facilitates the discharge of all officers / other rankers who are absent for more than 6 months by 1 March 2015 after repayment of their financial dues to the Army, if any. 

Considering practical necessities, discharge of those absentees is to be implemented under four categories as mentioned below;

Category No: 01

Those long-term absentees who do not owe any money to the Army or are not implicated in any legal matter, are eligible to receive direct discharge, irrespective of paraphernalia (Q items) issued to the subject or any other legal matters, involved in civil courts. 

Category No: 02

Those who have no legal obligations and are capable of settling their loans against remaining balance money in the Army Benevolent Fund, Suwa Sahana Fund and Compulsory Savings Fund or through the guarantors or relatives, can be discharged, irrespective of paraphernalia, issued to the subject or any other involvement  in legal issues in civil courts. 

Category No: 03

Under this category, those absentees without any legal issues or any loans that should be paid back to the Army or whose loans can be settled against their balances in the Army Benevolent Fund, Suwa Sahana Fund and Compulsory Savings Fund either from the guarantors or the relatives, are eligible to receive discharge from the Army. (In this category, loans less than Rs 50,000 to be recovered are not considered)

Category No: 04

Absentees who have been charged for indiscipline or accused of other malpractices or criminal acts could also receive discharge in accordance with existing Army legal procedures and regulations. 

However, all paraphernalia (‘Q’ items) issued to the absentees and any of their involvement in non-Army related civil court cases, would not be considered for all four categories specified above.   

Similarly, all those absent for more than six months from service but are still willing to rejoin, will also not be entertained under any circumstances. 

Under this new programme for delisting, absentees can directly reach their respective Regimental Headquarters either by communicating or in person and receive their discharge from service within days. Those intending to use the facility should carry the Army Identity Card (if available), National Identity Card, documents, related to injuries sustained in terrorist attacks. (Army Media)