UK NEWS

‘BETRAYED’ GURKHAS IN MARCH FOR JUSTICE

CAMPAIGN: 2,000-strong army will march on Parliament

Wednesday March 19,2008

By Martyn Brown

Comment Speech Bubble Have your say(9)

A 2,000-STRONG army of Gurkhas will march on Parliament today as the brave soldiers step up pressure on the Government for a fairer pensions deal.

The troops, some retired and others still serving, will hand over their medals at the climax of a long, hard-fought campaign to secure equal rights with British forces.

The Nepalese soldiers, whose regiments have fought in the British Army during bloody conflicts in the Falklands, Afghanistan and Iraq, were told last year their pensions would be brought into line with those of the rest of the armed forces.

They were also informed they could transfer into the armed forces’ pension scheme and that their retirement income would increase fivefold.

The deal, however, is not available to 22,000 Gurkhas who retired before July 1997 when the unit was moved to Britain from its base in Hong Kong.

The Gurkhas say there is a discrepancy in how years of service were valued. Time spent in the Army before July 1997 was calculated “in a disadvantageous way.”

Bidur Pakhrin, vice-chairman of the British Gurkha Welfare Society, said the Ministry of Defence is using the 1997 date to create a smokescreen.

He added: “We are seeking the same pension payments for those who retired before and after July 2007. The 1997 date is just a date of convenience for the Government.”

Ministers say that extending the deal to those affected by the 1997 cut-off point would cost hundreds of millions and carry implications for workers in other sectors.

The MoD insists that circumstances were different before July 1997 and the pensions were for retirement in Nepal.

The Gurkhas, renowned for their fierce fighting ability, have fought in the British Army for nearly 200 years and are proud of their history of distinguished service in the First and Second World Wars and many other campaigns, including the Falklands.

But thousands of retired soldiers who fall the wrong side of the cut-off point now live in poverty on small pensions.

Former Gurkha Padan Limbu, who served and fought for Britain for 18 years, claims the British Army left him homeless. Mr Limbu, 39, can barely stand after a training injury but claims he was ordered out of his Army billet, discharged and handed £100 to start a new life.

He says he was “tricked” into signing release forms and faces life on a pension of only £130-a-month. A backbench bid to make it easier for retired Gurkha soldiers to settle in Britain was launched in the House of Lords yesterday by the Liberal Democrat defence spokesman Lord Lee of Trafford.

His Immigration (Discharged Gurkhas) Bill, which had a formal first reading, would amend the immigration rules to make it easier for Gurkhas to live in Britain after leaving the Army.

A CALL TO ALL BRITISH ARMED FORCES

02.04.08, 12:05am

ANYTHING that smacks of Britishness... Loyalty, Service to Country, Service to The Queen, National flags, The Proms.. and especially "The Ghurkas"--a group of men that evoke such powerful feelings from the "True British" etc etc.. is loathed by, and is to be stamped out by New Labour, according to their Marxist doctrine. The entire ethic of post Cold War globalisation, indeed, is profoundly anti-national. The multinational corporation, like Marx’s worker, “has no country”: the modern international corporate executive is more at home in an airport departure lounge or a Hilton hotel than in a village pub. The last thing you want when trying to dismantle Queen and Country, are a bunch of fearsome Ghurka warriors stalking their traitorous leaders..

The BNP would guarantee that the Gurkhas and their families would be given leave to remain in Britain.

Real Racism in action thanks to New Labour:

http://www.bnp.org.uk/2008/02/29/real-rascism-in-action/

• Posted by: NoisySiamese • Report Comment

THE GURKHAS - GOD BLESS THEM.

19.03.08, 10:17pm

Their bravery is legendary. I remember my Dad talking about them in World War II.

I remember seeing them on parade. Shameful it is when they are forced to march on Parliament for what is rightfully theirs: a fair pension in grateful thanks for their remarkable services.

Good luck Gurkhas.

• Posted by: Rothaymere • Report Comment

YOU CAN DONATE.......

19.03.08, 1:22pm

To the Gurkha Welfare Trust here:
http://www.gwt.org.uk/contact.html

FYI, I just sent 'em 50 quid.

• Posted by: NoisySiamese • Report Comment

COULD THEY COUNT ON THEM FOR THE VOTE?

19.03.08, 12:54pm

Why has this government let in so many undesireables into this country,people we did and do not want, now costing us a fortune to get rid of them.
The Gurkhas have fought bravely alongside us and still are , yet they apparently are not being welcomed compared to those who this government bends to
their every demand and who in return do not like us and have blown us up,killing and injuring people going about their daily lives.
There is something wrong here with the priorities but then the EU hasn't given its instructions for us to welcome Gurkhas whom I am sure we would prefer

• Posted by: Maggie • Report Comment

YES

19.03.08, 12:33pm

These are exactly the 'immigrants' we do want in Britain - admirable, quiet, non-pushy people who have shown their loyalty by fighting for Queen and country. But who does this poxy government invite instead? - benefit spongers who inwardly hate this country and its traditional Christian values. HOW CAN OUR LEADERS GET IT SO WRONG EVERY TIME?

• Posted by: PatV • Report Comment

ONLY ONE PARTY NOW STANDS FOR THE GURKHAS

19.03.08, 12:20pm

There is only ONE political party that is backing the Gurkhas 100%... and that is the British National Party. This is probably a surprise to some of you, so go and take a look at WHY they are backing these men 100%

http://www.bnp.org.uk/2008/03/19/gurkhas-in-march-for-justice/

Interestingly, the Express seem to be pretty much a lone voice out there by reporting on this march that is taking place today.. it is being virtually ignored right now by the other media.

• Posted by: NoisySiamese • Report Comment