-several ranks turn themselves in
The army’s campaign to target absent without leave (AWOL) ranks has seen several turning themselves in and a number of them have since been court-martialled and sentenced, Chief of Staff Commodore Gary Best says.
Some ranks are serving their sentences in the army detention centre at Base Camp Ayanganna. However, Best said many of them would soon be transferred to the state prison since the army facility is for ranks facing disciplinary action while still in the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).
Last year, over 78 soldiers went AWOL. The GDF then published their names and photographs in the daily newspapers; asking them to report to the nearest military installation or police station. Many soldiers who absconded had sought employment in the informal and other work sectors.
Best told Stabroek News last week that generally, the deserters’ rate is too high and even when some ranks re-enter the service they do not stay for long. “Some soldiers who are AWOL have been picked up and court-martialled and some have turned themselves in and have been court-martialled and given various sentences,” Best said.
The Defence Act stipulates that “every person subject to military law under this act who absents himself without leave; or persuades or procures any person subject to service law to absent himself without leave shall on conviction by court-martial, be liable to imprisonment for two years or any less punishment provided by the act.”
Asked whether it has been the case that deserters had asked to be Struck off Strength (SOS) and this was not granted, Best said ranks have always used that explanation. “It has always been an excuse, which has not always proven to be true,” he said, explaining that if a soldier asked to be SOS before the statutory three years it cannot be granted. “They know this from the very moment they join the army,” he added.
On the question of what form of redress was available should a soldier’s request to be struck off strength not be granted, Best explained that the soldier could go to the defence board.
He explained that 99.9% of the time, once an officer is not contracted to the army, if he asks to leave his request is granted. Proper procedure would have to be applied in these instances, he added, including giving enough notice.
According to him, so far deserters have had no negative effect on the army neither had there been any effect on recruitment numbers.
AWOL officers face standard disciplinary action which involves court-martial and sentencing once found guilty of deliberate desertion which is an offence. Best explained too that in instances where the army sponsors ranks to pursue studies overseas in the hope that the new knowledge benefits the institution it would be a disadvantage if that officer, even before the time of his agreed engagement, asks to be SOS. “It’s like if the army trains a rank to be a pilot and other specialized training after some years you can’t decide that you want to go,” he said. The Chief of Staff also said granting the SOS request was a matter of discretion.
In March, a former soldier was taken from his place of work by three men in civilian clothing who told his family that he was needed for army business. Subsequent efforts to locate him at Camp Ayanganna had failed. The army later issued a press release stating that it had detained the man in keeping with regulations governing soldiers who are deserters.
The man’s family had raised concerns about the way he was apprehended, sparking widespread speculation about why many persons were absconding from the military without proper notification.
Questioned about this, Best said there was nothing unprofessional or improper about it. He said it was part of the powers of the military.
“When a soldier is absent it’s like as though a GDF arrest warrant is always out there for him, because he is a deserter. There’s no inconvenient stage in the process,” he said.
He added that the soldier would have to prove his innocence.
“If a deserter is going to get married we can arrest him in the church, either after or before he gets married,” he said.
Best urged that soldiers who have deserted report to any military base but said he could not promise that they would be spared due procedure.
He pointed out that though there has been amnesty in the past for absconders it was something he would not promise, at least not at this point. “We’re not thinking amnesty right now,” he said.
When the question about the army’s modus operandi in recapturing deserters was posed to Defence Board Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon last week, he had told this newspaper that he would prefer not to comment. He then said that as far as he knew the campaign to recapture deserters was successful.
Any member of the GDF who stays away from work for more than 21 days without any known reason is considered AWOL and could be subject to disciplinary action.
