Declared general amnesty not applicable for commissioned tri-forces officers marked AWOL

The general amnesty period announced from 20 April to 20 May for members of the tri-forces who have been marked as Absent Without Official Leave (AWOL) is not applicable for Commissioned Officers who are marked as AWOL, the Ministry of Defence clarified.

In a press release published today (19), the ministry said the one-month general amnesty is valid only for the tri-forces personnel of Other Ranks, who have not reported for duty without leave on or before 31 December 2023.

During the said period, those who report will be legally discharged from their respective services.

However, the personnel mentioned below have been excluded from the general amnesty, taking into account the expenses incurred for the special training provided using public funds in the following sectors and the difficulties encountered in maintaining the operations in those sectors by their discharge.

Rates where General Amnesty does not apply in the Army

1. Public Health Inspector
2. Dental Therapist
3. Surgery Assistant
4. Draughtsman
5. Laboratory Technician
6. Nurse
7. Ophthalmologist
8. Surgery Room Technician
9. Pharmacist
10. Drug Combinatory
11. Physiotherapist
12. Rectifier and Preservation
13. Occupational Therapist
14. Electrophoresis Artist
15. Radiologist
16. Smart Devices
17. Carpentry

Rates where General Amnesty does not apply in the Navy

1. Artificers in all categories
2. Professional Medical / Professional Dental Sailors

Rates where General Amnesty does not apply in the Air Force

1. The personnel in the following rates under the Directorate of Aircraft Engineering who have not completed 12 years of service after completing advanced vocational training courses,

(a) Aircraft Airframe Technician
(b) Aircraft Engine Technician
(c) Aircraft Electrical and Avionics Technician
(d) Aircraft Safety Equipment Assistant

2. The following rates under the Directorate of Health Services

(a) Certified Nurse
(b) Electromagnetic Draughtsman
(c) Technician
(d) Pharmacist
(e) Medical Laboratory Technician
(f) Biomedical Technologist
(g) Air Force Medical Inspector
(h) Radiologist

3. Rates in Dental Service

(a) Certified Nurse
(b) Radiologist
(c) Surgery Room Technology
(d) Dental Assistant Specialties
(e) Dental Technician Specialties
(f) Dental Technician (I)
(g) Dental Therapist

In addition, the ministry noted that the absentees who are currently abroad can also obtain discharge without reporting to their respective Regiments conforming to the following criteria:

a. Those seeking discharge should not have any pending disciplinary actions taken against them apart from that of being AWOL.

b. Should not have travelled abroad by illegal means or should not have fraudulently prepared passports and other documents and have not travelled abroad.

c. This Amnesty does not apply to those who had gone AWOL and failed to return to the country after attending foreign courses funded by the government or courses offered to Tri-Forces by foreign institutes and those who had proceeded on diplomatic missions or any other requirements.

Further, Other Rank personnel who are currently abroad seeking discharge can do so through a representative with a Power of Attorney attested at the Embassy of Sri Lanka established in the concerned foreign state or attested before a qualified Attorney at Law/Notary Public or equivalent professional of the concerned state (Duly registered in the Registrar General’s Department of Sri Lanka) certified by the Embassy of Sri Lanka established in the respective foreign country or certified before a qualified Attorney at Law/Notary Public or similar professional in the respective country to obtain discharge from service during this general amnesty period.