Gurkhas: Living in/settling in U.K. (merged)

[time expired]

Cameron, Puns plight has nothing to do with the British Army,in fact I will go out
on a limb here and say that the British Army is proud to have these great soldiers
serving with them and views them with nothing but admiration.The problem here
is some nameless,faceless bureaucrat, who ,never having served a day in his life
does not know or care about the significance of a VC.I think your referring to the
statements made by a Conservative member of Parliament who complained about some
black soldiers using the racial card for promotion or to cover up their incompetence.
This MP was a ex Colonel,CO of an Infantry Regt.in which 3 of his CSMs were black,
soldiers that he had promoted.However the socialist government and their supporting
media claimed he was a racist and the leader of the Conservative opposition,to his
eternal shame,refused to support him and he had to go.
                                          Regards 

 

[Greymatters]

I think a few museum staff are at fault here too, too concerned over 'ownership' and forgetting to respect the man who earned their precious exhibit in the first place.

 

[geo]

Greymatter,

given that the medal was in the UK and the Ghurka vet was in the mountains of Nepal, I can imagine the logistical headache if he wanted to have a look at the medal...

 

[niner domestic]

Since he'll be on his way quite soon to the UK, the museum will have to come up with another excuse for him not to be able to wear it.  (he asked if he could wear his medal again - not just see it)

 

[Strike]

Shared with all the usual disclaimers...

Gurkhas win British legal battle

From correspondents in London

October 01, 2008 05:18am
Article from: Agence France-Presse


FORMER Gurkha soldiers from Nepal won the right to settle in Britain today, in what their lawyers hailed as an "historic victory" for the veteran fighters.

Ending a two-year legal battle, the High Court in London ruled in their favour in a test case affecting some 2000 Gurkhas who retired from the British army before 1997.

"Today is a wonderful, terrific victory day for the Gurkhas of Nepal," said their lawyer, Martin Howe.

"It's a victory for common sense. It's a victory for fairness... It's a day that will go down in history for the Gurkhas."

Until now, only Gurkhas who retired after 1997, when their base was moved from Hong Kong to England, had the automatic right to settle in Britain.

All other foreign soldiers in the British army have a right to settle in Britain after four years of service anywhere in the world.

Around 200,000 Gurkhas fought for Britain in World Wars I and II, and about 3500 currently serve in the British army, including in Afghanistan and Iraq. More than 45,000 have died serving Britain.

Judge Nicholas Blake underlined the "moral debt of honour" and gratitude which Britain has to the Gurkhas for their long military service, wounds sustained in battle, conspicuous acts of bravery and loyalty to the crown.

Mr Howe said the case had seen "a torrential outpouring of affection and concern" from ordinary British people - and called on the government to allow the affected Gurkhas in immediately.

"We call today on our government to respect the views of the people of Britain, to respect this judgment fully and immediately allow the men and women affected by this judgment to come into this country," he said.

Subas Gurung, 47, a former staff sergeant in the Gurkha Transport Regiment, said outside court that the British government's stance was "very unfair".

"I'm very, very happy to hear the verdict," said the Gulf War veteran who was decorated with the British Empire Medal for his service peacekeeping in Cyprus in 1991.

"All the soldiers who retired before 1997 who were badly affected now can join with us which is very, very good news for me and people like me who are back in Nepal.

"We joined together, we worked together, we should be able to get the right treatment together as a group," he said.

He said: "The British people really supported this case. If they had not supported so well, this day probably would not have come.

"I would really like to thank the British public supporting us and recognising the value of the soldiers who have been in service over 200 years."

British actress Joanna Lumley, who has been a key supporter of the campaign, welcomed the judgment but called for a change in the law to cement it.

"It gives our country a chance to right a great wrong, and to wipe out a national shame that has stained us all," said the actress, whose father fought alongside the Gurkhas.

"It's not over yet. Until the laws are changed, fundamentally rewritten, it's not over yet."

The Gurkhas, who are renowned for their bravery and ferocious fighting skills, have also struggled for many years for pension rights equal to those of their British army counterparts.

Three Gurkhas who lost a court challenge on pensions in July are taking their case to the Court of Appeal in October.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24429387-23109,00.html#

 

[HItorMiss]

About bloody time..Those Gurkhas are some serious troops, brave and loyal to a fault. I had the pleasure of bing a brick commander with them on an exchange in 03-04 in Kabul. Some finer troops I have never served with!

All Gurkhas should have had that right but at least now it has been addressed.

 

[geo]

Excellent news - BZ to the brave Ghurkhas

I hope that someone thought to give the Gurkha pensions a second look....
Though the Gurkhas are paid Brit Army pay rates while they serve, they are paid Indian Army pension rates when they retired to Nepal.  I am certain that there is a considerable difference between UK and Indian pay rates - so I hope that they "FIX" this little item before it becomes a problem.

 

[R933ex]

Absolutely perfect. These guys have more then earned the right to retire to the UK!

 

[BernDawg]

Well it's about time.

http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/62668.0.html

And that's just one example.  It's the least they deserve.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Good to hear, given their sacrifices (from the Ghurka Welfare Trust web page):

.... For nearly 200 years the Gurkhas have helped to fight Britain's wars and keep the peace. They have won 13 Victoria Crosses and served in most of Britain's conflicts during that period. If there was a minute's silence for every Gurkha casualty from World War 2 alone, we would have to keep quiet for two weeks ....

Don't forget, though, that Ghurkas who joined before 1 July 1997 still aren't getting a full Brit military pension (i.e. any Ghurka who fought in the Falklands, as only one example) - I'm not going to get into the "where do you draw the line?" rules here, but the Ghurka Welfare Trust helps (and lets others help) here as well.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Well deserved!  This, from the BBC online:  "The family of a Kent-based Gurkha soldier who was killed in Afghanistan last year has won their fight against the threat of deportation.  Colour Sgt Krishnabahadur Dura, 36, died on 15 November 2008.  His widow Uma Dura had previously been told she only had the right to remain in the UK until 2012.  The Home Office has now granted Mrs Dura and the couple's two UK-born daughters indefinite leave to remain in the country.  Colour Sgt Dura, from Lamjung District, western Nepal, died when the Warrior vehicle in which he was travelling struck an explosive device in Helmand province <link to MoD statement>...."
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