The First Two Army Lady Officers Leave to Serve as UN Military Observers

The first two Sri Lanka Army female Officers selected to serve in the Central African Republic as Military Observers (MILOBS) in UN Peace Keeping Mission in Central Africa (MINUSCA) called at the Army Headquarters this morning (3) and received blessings of the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake on the eve of their departure for Central African Republic.

This one year long assignment as MILOBS in the MINUSCA makes history since this is the first time the Sri Lanka Army has been invited to send two lady Officers to serve this office.

Those two UN military observers, Major Dishanthi Mendis of the Sri Lanka Army General Service Corps (SLAGSC) and Major Nishanthi Liyanage of the Sri Lanka Army Women’s Corps (SLAWC) during their interaction with the Commander of the Army expressed their desire to serve the UN with commitment and dedication.

The Commander of the Army while giving a piece of advice explain that this would be a golden opportunity for them to display their professional standards as lady Officers. In the future, a few more lady Officers are also scheduled to leave as UN Observers, the Commander quipped.

Brigadier Aruna Muhandiram, Director Operation and Brigadier Dilrukshi Munasinghe, Colonel Commandant of the SLAWC were also associated with the Commander’s meet.

After Sri Lanka joined the United Nations Organization in 1955, the first UN mission of the Army was sent to Congo in the African continent. It was only a 16 member team and its mission commenced in 1960 and ended in 1962.