The group which is called ‘Society of aggrieved disabled army war heroes” said yesterday at a press conference that a group of soldiers who were disabled during the war have been made to retire as any other lay person which denies them the benefits enjoyed by disabled soldiers.

According to the secretary of the society Priyantha Jayaweera about 1,500 war heroes from the Army have been subjected to this plight. Jayaweera said when a soldier is disabled in the war he is directed to the Medical Board for an assessment as to the soldier’s earning power.

“The pension is decided according to the disabled soldier’s earning capacity. However, after 1998 when new officials were appointed to the Medical Board, the disabled soldiers were not sent to the Medical Board. Instead they had to go through rehabilitation which means they had to enroll for certain courses. After 22 years of service, when the humanitarian mission concluded, we were made to retire not as disabled war heroes” he said.

He charged that even though their service certificate indicates that they are disabled they are not entitled to any benefit like other soldiers. He said that their pension and allowances are also not in proportion for the damage they suffered in the war. Jayaweera urged the government to withdraw the present circular which has denied them to retire as disabled soldiers and to replace it with the earlier circular which will make them the opportunity to enjoy the entitled benefits.

Source: Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka