Authorities have begun taking legal action against tri forces deserters who have failed to obtain legal discharge during the General Amnesty that ended on 31st December (2016), said Military Spokesman Brigadier Rohan Seneviratne. Tri forces personnel who are considered as Absent Without Official Leave (AWOL) were provided two opportunities during last year (2016) to seek legal discharge.

The Police and the Department of Immigration and Emigration have been instructed to take appropriate action against tri forces deserters and so far one officer and 170 other rank personnel have been arrested during the period from 31st (December 2016) midnight till 17thJanuary, said Brigadier Senaviratne. Authorities will continue to take swift action to arrest deserters and disciplinary action will be taken against them thereafter. The Defence Ministry had announced two General Amnesty periods last year for tri forces deserters to seek legal discharge and during the last amnesty period that was in effect from 01st to 31st December (2016) around nine thousand tri forces deserters including officers and other ranks produced themselves to their respective services seeking legal discharge.