By Rasahi Chathurangi Gamage in Ceylone Today, May 19, 2023
Vavuniya : Soldiers attached to the 4th Battalion of Women’s Corps engaged in a demonstration on Tuesday (16) against a transfer of a group of women soldiers, from Kokavil to Medawachchiya.
There are 129 soldiers working in the Kokavil camp. This group has been demanding that the transfer given to Vavuniya be cancelled and to assign them to another camp nearby.
A total of 104 female soldiers have been serving in the Kokavil camp from 2012. The protest was launched demanding the cancellation of the transfer and that they be given the opportunity to serve at the same Kokavil camp as they will face various problems and issues when transferred to Vavuniya.
Ambujani, a woman Army soldier, who commented on this matter, said since they have not received a response from the higher officials, they will continue to protest.
However, Army Spokesman Brigadier Ravi Herath said a demonstration was held opposite the 4th Women’s Corp in Kilinochchi, Kokavil, but no one participated in the protest.
He further said these soldiers are not military trained soldiers, but they were recruited from the Tamil community during the 2011/2012 period for specific projects.
He said the restructuring process of the Army continued after the end of the war and these female soldiers of this camp have also been assigned to another camp through this restructuring process.
He affirmed the army has launched an inquiry into this protest and according to the military law, no one in the Army can participate in protests and demonstrations.
Further emphasising, he said soldiers who find it difficult to adhere to this restructuring programme have the ability to perform duties in the nearby camps of their area. But they have not received proper information about this and have been deceived by false propaganda which led them to launch the protest. https://ceylontoday.lk/2023/05/18/women-soldiers-protest-transfers/
