Ministry of Defence - Sri Lanka

Subcommittee Report on disable War Hero pay issues in its final stages

September 18, 2019

A special press briefing was held at the MoD Media Centre in Kollupitiya, today (18 September) to inform the progress of the Subcommittee Report on the salaries and allowances paid to members of the Tri Forces and Police, disabled or died during the war till the age of 55, to be paid to the dependents of the deceased personnel for life time and continued to be paid to the disable personnel for life.

Speaking to the media, Military Spokesman and Director of the Media Centre, Major General Sumith Atapattu said that, a group of retired disable service personnel are on a protest for the past several days demanding that their salaries be continued after the age of 55.  The Subcommittee Report in this regard has been forwarded to the President through the President’s Secretary by the Secretary Defence on the 16th (September). The President has signed the documents and presented it to the Cabinet. The Cabinet has requested a period of one week and the matter shall be taken up at the next Cabinet Meeting.

The Secretary Defence, General (Retd) SHS Kottegoda, WWV RWP RSP VSV USP ndc and Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva have met these protestors and informed them of the progress being made on the Report.

The process has reached its final stages and a fair amount of time is required for the proper completion of the process. It is therefore requested that the War Heroes on protest peacefully discontinue their protests.