Colombo: The Sri Lankan Army has
kick-started a nationwide hunt to apprehend deserters, amid
reports that they were linked to the recent wave of serious
crimes in the country, a media report has said.
Since November 2010, the army has arrested 8,765
deserters, including 32 officers, Major General Ubaya
Medawala, the army spokesman was quoted as saying by online
newspaper ColomboPage.
There are around 50,000 deserters, according to
official figures.
The military has decided to take action following
several investigations showing that a number of the army
deserters were linked to the the recent wave of serious
crimes.
Many Sri Lankans had deserted the army and the
security forces during the bloody three-decade ethnic
conflict, which ended in May 2009 after the military crushed
the Tamil Tiger rebels.
The LTTE waged a civil war for a separate state for
the Tamils of Sri Lanka, alleging discrimination against the
minority community at the hands of the majority Sinhalas.
PTI
