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Wednesday, 9th July 2008

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Gurkhas take protest to Westminster



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CROWDS of Gurkhas descended on Parliament yesterday to watch 50 veterans hand back their medals in protest at their "immoral discrimination".
The 50 retired Gurkhas gave their Long Service and Good Conduct medals to the Lib Dem leader, Nick Clegg, who will pass them on to Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister. Nepalese Gurkhas have been part of the British Army for nearly 200 years, but are unhappy that they receive lower pensions and that Gurkhas who retired before 1997 have no automatic right to remain in the UK.





The full article contains 93 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 19 March 2008 10:04 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: British armed forces
 
1

Guga II,

Rockall 20/03/2008 02:02:36
The treatment of the Gurkhas over the years by the YUK is a national disgrace. The have been given far lower pay and pensions, then told they are not wanted.

These men have fought and died for the YUK. They should be given equal treatment and should be allowed to stay here. We give better treatment to economic refugees who flood, illegally, into this country, and who, in most cases, are a total burden on the country.

Can the New Labour Sleaze and Corruption Party not try to get at least one thing right? Give the Gurkhas equal treatment, and the right to stay here if they so wish.
2

Tim C,

Southern England 20/03/2008 08:00:19
I am surprised that the Gurkhas were not arrested for holding an 'anti-war demonstration' and disturbing the peace of mind of all those MPs who continue to revel in the glory of war in Asia. Soldiers serve, but politicians self-serve.
"Perfidious Albion", the new Broon version.

3

Matelot,

Edinburgh 20/03/2008 08:42:24
How many of the Labour Party have served in the Forces and can show their Medals??.Having served along side the Gurkhas in Borneo in the 60s a lot of them said the would love to settle in the UK especially Scotland as one of the Regiments had done a display a the Edinburgh Tattoo and were giving a real warm welcome by all.So not only do they fight for the country but also entertain.So lets give them the treatment they deserve.
4

shivago8,

livingston 20/03/2008 10:08:06
BRITAIN,s NATIONAL DISGRACE.
The government allowed all the hooks and crooks and to be honest they dont know who is in this country and they deny these hero,s who fought for our country entry.
They filled the ranks up to show the deficiences in the armed forces due to new labours cull of the Scottish regiments.
I am ashamed to say that I am British
5

Jeff, Surrey,

20/03/2008 11:13:45
Shame on the UK and especially on the Labour Party.

The Ghurkhas have always and still provided us stalwart and superb service, yet we treat them as lesser beings than ourselves.

This is the height of discrimination yet our Government promotes this prejudice. Sickening.
6

BenTen,

20/03/2008 11:44:24
I was just checking the sky to see if there was a 'blue moon' after finding myself in total agreement with dragonhead...... We let the scum of the day into our country and yet cannot find room for men who have served with the greatest distinction....... SHAME, SHAME, SHAME
7

yockel,

20/03/2008 13:00:28
#1 Dragonhead, agree entirely but they knew the score when they signed up / competed ferociously to get a place.
If there was a quota system for getting into the UK put these chaps at the top of the list by all means.
Part from that they know how to cook a good curry better than any Bangladeshi.
8

sam the god,

20/03/2008 13:10:11
These men should be given the right to live in this country as they have served it but the way the system works is the social immigrants from the EEC and the illegal immigrants get to stay here and sponge off the taxpayer it says it all
9

Geoff,

sa 20/03/2008 15:19:11
The british Governments treatment of the Gurkhas is bl*ody disgraceful! It is clear even from the small sample on this forum not to mention when this subject has been aired previously that the vast majority of people in the UK are one hundred percent behind the Gurkhas . It never ceases to amaze me how out of touch or maybe how arrogant our politicians are in their actions around this issue. Another example of this callous disregard would be their policy on the Scottish regiments-a damaging,disdainful, counter productive excercise opposed even by the majority of people in England yet alone Scotland!
Nuff to make one a Nationalist!!Well,not quite maybe.
10

Lovepan,

England 20/03/2008 17:05:40
The Gurkhas do a great job and are massively appreciated by the forces. This can be seen by the employment of their wives (who work very hard in administrative jobs) in army establishments wherever they are based.

It is also one of the hardest regiments to become an officer in. Such highly valued troops should be treated equally by the government.

As for the regiment restructuring - Scottish, Welsh, Irish and English - that's a real shame, but even the Scots and others I serve with agree that the army is more effective now.

(btw the Black Watch etc still exist, just maybe not in name)
11

Biker,

Ayr 21/03/2008 10:10:40
Agree with you all. Well said.
12

Larry Hallatt,

Chesley Canada 12/04/2008 00:59:48
Many good comments.......if the politicians would only occasionally listen to the grass roots......democracy could flourish and maybe, we would evolve, as societies, based on the principle of common sense which is not very common today.

 

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