Local Lib Dems Support Gurkha Campaign (Surrey Heath Liberal Democrats

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Local Lib Dems Support Gurkha Campaign

December 30, 2006 3:49 PM

Ex-Gurkha soldiers demonstrate in Liverpool for Equal Rights

Duncan Clark has spoken out in favour of Gurkha protesters calling for the right of retired Gurkhas to become citizens and to receive comparable pensions to other retired British soldiers.

On 14th December, Police estimate around 1,000 Gurkhas marched from Parliament Square to hand deliver a letter to the Prime Minister at Downing Street. The Gurkhas are protesting about the Government's failure to properly honour the right for retired Gurkhas to become citizens of the UK on retirement and to protest about the low pensions paid to retired Gurkhas.

The retired Gurkhas won a partial victory in 2004 when the Government accepted that those who retired from the army after 1997 could become citizens. However, since then the Government has put numerous 'unannounced' obstacles in their way.

The Gurkha Brigade has a long and distinguished history of service in the British Army. In the two World Wars the Gurkha Brigade suffered 43,000 casualties, and to date it has won 26 Victoria Crosses - 13 by Gurkhas and 13 by British Officers. However, the pensions granted to retired Gurkha soldiers is grossly different to that provided for non-Gurkhas:

A Gurkha Warrant Officer Class 2's monthly pension after 22 years in the British Army is £155.
A Non-Gurkha Warrant Officer Class 2's monthly pension after 22 years in the British Army is £949.

Gurkhas are enlisted as Nepalese citizens, they remain Nepalese citizens throughout their service and they are discharged in Nepal at the end of their service. Many people, including ex-Gurkhas, feel that this is a poor reward for at least 15 years service in the British Army. They believe that it is only fair that at the conclusion of their service, it should be the right of a Gurkha to stay as a citizen, if they choose, in the UK. The numbers involved are small - only 230 Gurkha's were enlisted to the British Army in 2003 for instance.

Gurkha leaders at 10 Downing Street, Westminster

Duncan Clark, Surrey Heath Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesperson said:" "The Gurkhas are held in the highest esteem and in great affection, both in this area as well as generally in Britain. It is an outrage they are being treated this way. If any group of people qualify for citizenship it is surely the Gurkhas and their families."

"Our members have between 15 and 30 years loyal service to the Crown. All we are asking for is the right to live as citizens in the country we were prepared to fight and die for" said, Bidur Pakrin, Vice Chairman of the Brigade of Gurkhas Welfare Society.

The Liberal Democrats are strongly backing the Gurkhas position that they should, if they wish, at the end of their service be allowed to stay, as citizens, in this country. The campaign has been growing for years, and the Liberal Democrats have consistently supported their claim for citizenship.

A new online petition to support the Gurkha's cause has been launched at the new E-petitions service at http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/gurkha/ which delivers the petition directly to Downing Street. Any supporter of the Gurkha's cause is asked to sign the petition.