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Forgotten after World War II
By Marisa de Silva
Come ‘Poppy Day’ each year, we generously contribute towards a fund meant to “serve those who served”. Yet how many of us know that there are over 3000 non-pensioner, Sri Lankan veterans of World War II, who have to live on a paltry gratuity of Rs. 800 a month from the Royal Commonwealth Ex-servicemen’s League (RCEL) in UK.

The Ceylon War Veterans Association of World War II (CWVA) has over 3000 members, who served the British Government from 1939-1945. Soon after the demobilisation of the army, the British Government gave each military personnel a small gratuity calculated at SLR 1.33 per day, for each day served, explained President of the CWVA, H.G.P. Jayasekera.

Thereafter, since the formation of the Sri Lanka Ex-Servicemen’s Association (SLEA) by naval officers, the WW II veterans were paid Rs. 100 a month by the RCEL via the SLEA. By 2005 this had been gradually increased to Rs. 500.
The CWVA was formed as there was no specific association (affiliated to the SLEA) devoted to addressing the needs of army personnel. The CWVA came into being in August 1997, under the auspices of the RCEL, the SLEA and the State. It is governed by the SLEA law.

In desperation over what they saw as 60 years of inaction, the CWVA submitted a memorandum highlighting the plight of the war veterans of World War II to the Secretary General of the RCEL, Col. Bryan Nicholsen during his visit here, this March. However, the RCEL had responded that they could liase with one ex-servicemen’s association per country ( in this case the SLEA) and asked them to sort out their differences as there was nothing the RCEL could do, Mr. Jayasekera added.

Last year, the CWVA appealed to Prime Minister, Mahinda Rajapakse who held a meeting with them and appointed a special committee to look into their grievances.

Although Rs.1,250,000 is annually sent to the SLEA towards the welfare of the ex-servicemen, nothing substantial eventually trickles down to the CWVA, Mr. Jayasekera says. The SLEA also receives an additional Rs. 250,000 from the Sri Lankan government for the welfare of its members.

As a result of their countless appeals to the RCEL, the SLEA and the Lankan Government, their meagre allowance was upped to Rs. 800 from September this year, he added.

“We plead with the government to intercede on our behalf with the British government to revise and update the gratuity payment we receive, in concurrence with the present-day cost of living,” Mr. Jayasekera said.

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