BS: Justice for the Gurkhas/Bravest of the Brave

Subject: RE: BS: Justice for the Gurkhas/Bravest of the Brave
From: Jean(eanjay)
Date: 09 Oct 08 - 09:00 AM

Having joined Joanna Lumley's campaign I have received this email. Sorry I cannot link it but I hope that people will read it all.

Thank you so much for signing the Gurkha Justice petition, and joining our campaign.

Already, over 33,000 people have signed: an extraordinary response in support of an extraordinary group of people. We've had great coverage for the campaign in the media across the world, and with excellent support from our UK papers.

We must be clear. We're not looking for a Government "review" of cases of ex-Gurkhas. We're not looking at a slight amendment in the law, a way of getting around the High Court's terrific judgement last week.

We demand the full, fundamental change in law that will allow all retired Gurkhas the right to live here.

In November, I plan to go to Downing Street and present the Gurkha Justice petition to the Government on your behalf. I want the petition to be so big, so huge, that they simply can't fail to listen.

To make the biggest possible impact, we really need more people to sign: lots more. I want this to be one of the biggest petitions ever handed to the Government, to show our support for the Gurkha cause.

Your support for the campaign is a fantastic boost: thank you so much. But, if possible, I need to ask you to help in two other ways, to encourage others to sign.

Firstly, ask all of your friends and colleagues to sign up to the Gurkha Justice Campaign at www.gurkhajustice.org.uk - please do forward them this email, or email or contact them directly yourself.

And secondly, you can now download a petition form for signing from
www.gurkhajustice.org.uk/gurkha_campaign_petition_form.pdf. Please download and print some copies, and ask friends and colleagues who have not signed on line to sign up. Please do pass it round (some friends of mine have run street stalls asking people for their signatures - I'm not asking you to go that far!) and return completed sheets to me at the address on the form by the end of October.

Finally - thank you again for your support. Together, we can finally right this wrong.

With warmest good wishes,

Joanna Lumley
for the Gurkha Justice Campaign

She really is a remarkable person.

37,652 signatures on the government petition for which links have already been given [many times :)].

Subject: RE: BS: Justice for the Gurkhas/Bravest of the Brave
From: GUEST,AlexTiefling
Date: 25 Oct 08 - 07:54 PM

Let's hope none of the Gurkhas were waiting for medals. I see on the world press this morning that a British Royal Marine stole medals from his colleagues at their barracks and sold them through his uncle on ebay.

It is hard to believe a British soldier could stoop so low as to steal the one thing any soldier holds dear, his medals. One would have thought a Royal Marine would have had some morals, clearly not.

The British Royal Marine Craig Firth was told by Judge Paul Darlow, "It is difficult to put into words how despicable his conduct was. The judge said what he did "lifts it beyond the normal breach of trust."

Craig stole the medals from fellow marines at Bickleigh Barracks, Plymouth, between 2005 and last year.

Both him and his uncle pleaded guilty to the theft of medals from fellow marines and the theft of another package of 31 medals belonging to the Ministry of Defence.   

It didn't stop there, they also admitted stealing a computer, digital camera and sat nav, as well as other items from the stores of 42 Commando Royal Marines.

The judge said the value of the medals was £25,000 to a collector. But he added: "It does not begin to reflect the value to those men who earned these medals. They are incapable of value."

He said Firth had "plundered" his colleagues' "treasured possessions."

Subject: RE: BS: Justice for the Gurkhas/Bravest of the Brave
From: GUEST,Hogspear
Date: 26 Oct 08 - 06:12 AM

Pretty bad all round.

Subject: RE: BS: Justice for the Gurkhas/Bravest of the Brave
From: eddie1
Date: 07 Nov 08 - 11:17 AM

I received the following e-mail from Joanna Lumley today (yes, she and I are very close!)

"I have some great news about the Gurkha Justice campaign that I want to update you on.

Firstly, we now have over 120,000 online signatures with over 20,000 returned in the post. If you haven't done so already, please spread the word to all your online contacts and ask them to sign up online too at www.gurkhajustice.org.uk

Second, there have been some exciting steps forward in the House of Commons.

Earlier this week the Home Affairs Committee of the House of Commons considered the right of Gurkhas to settle in the UK. The committee considered evidence from a range of different people, including our lawyers, a submission from me, and representatives from a number of Gurkha organisations.

I'm so pleased to be able to tell you that they agreed with us entirely, and have sent a letter to the Home Secretary urging her to take "urgent action to redress the currently unfair situation by extending settlement rights in the UK to all Gurkhas". You can read the full text of the letter at http://tinyurl.com/5ou59q

This is a big step forward, with an influential cross-Party committee of MPs backing our cause. This is on top of the High Court's ruling in late September that the Government's action was "unlawful and unfair".

But just unbelievably, the Government has still not changed the law, and has still not yet agreed to offer a fair deal for Gurkhas.

In this week in particular, when we have seen the tragic death of a Gurkha serving in the British Army in Afghanistan, and four soldiers from the Royal Gurkha Rifles awarded the Military Cross, we need to redouble our efforts to make the Government see sense.

Please do whatever you can to ask as many people as you can to sign the petition at www.gurkhajustice.org.uk - I want to take a simply huge petition to Downing Street on the 20th November.

And I'd like you to join me in Parliament Square, Westminster, at 11am on Thursday 20th November, before we hand in the petition. I want to stand together with you and our Gurkha heroes and show just how strong the support for the Gurkhas cause is. Will you join me? I hope to see you there.

Finally, especially for those who can join me on the 20th of November, you can buy Gurkha Justice t-shirts, sweatshirts, bags and more from our online shop with Spreadshirt at http://gurkhajustice.spreadshirt.net. Wear yours with pride - I certainly do - and for the next few days only (until this Sunday), Spreadshirt are offering free postage on all items to show their support for the campaign. Simply use the coupon code GURKHAFREE when ordering, and the postage for your items should be free.

With warmest good wishes,

Joanna
www.gurkhajustice.org.uk

PS. On Sunday, millions of us across the Country will be honouring those who fought and died for us on Remembrance Sunday.

One hundred thousand Gurkhas fought in the First World War. They served in the battlefields of France in the Loos, Givenchy, Neuve Chapelle and Ypres; in Mesopotamia, Persia, Suez Canal and Palestine against Turkish advance, Gallipoli and Salonika. One detachment served with Lawrence of Arabia. 250,000 Nepalese Gurkhas served in the Second World War.

It's time to repay our debt of honour to them. www.gurkhajustice.org.uk"


If you you agree with this petition and haven't already signed, please do so now although it looks like it's well on the way to succeeding already!

I noticed that last Tuesday, the 122nd British soldier was killed in Afghanistan - a private in the Ghurka Rifles!

A big thankyou to all Mudcatters who have shown their support.

Eddie

Subject: RE: BS: Justice for the Gurkhas/Bravest of the Brave
From: eddie1
Date: 24 Apr 09 - 02:15 AM

Finally, finally, finally! Six months after the decision by the High Court to give the Government until the end of 2008 to right the injustice perpetrated against retired members of the Brigade of Gurkhas, we can expect a statement from the Home Secretary today.

Let's hope the news is worth the wait!

BBC News Website

Eddie

Subject: RE: BS: Justice for the Gurkhas/Bravest of the Brave
From: Peace
Date: 24 Apr 09 - 02:24 AM

Indeed.

Subject: RE: BS: Justice for the Gurkhas/Bravest of the Brave
From: eddie1
Date: 24 Apr 09 - 06:06 AM

The British Government is at it again

BBC News Website

It seems they are trying to wriggle out of a High Court ruling and now restrict the right to UK residency to only certain Gurkhas -

"We will be more generous where there has been valour, long service and where there are medical conditions as well.

"It has never been a proposition that all Gurkhas pre-1997 should be given grants or settlements. Along with their spouses and close dependants, that would be around 100,000 people."

Where on Earth does he get his figure of 100,000?

"In September, Mr Justice Blake ruled that instructions given by the Home Office to immigration officials were unlawful and needed urgent revision.

He said the Gurkhas' long service, conspicuous acts of bravery and loyalty to the Crown all pointed to a "moral debt of honour" and gratitude felt by British people."

The government promised to revise its guidance, but in March 2009, the Gurkhas returned to the High Court to try and enforce the ruling."

It would seem that the Government is trying to replace one set of unlawful instructions with another set, equally unlawful and discriminatory.

I have just talked with a retired Gurkha officer (English) and we both feel quite ashamed to be British.

Eddie

Subject: RE: BS: Justice for the Gurkhas/Bravest of the Brave
From: Jean(eanjay)
Date: 24 Apr 09 - 09:57 AM

These rules on the eligibility of Gurkha veterans to live in the UK have taken the government months to come up with and they are a disgrace. It is clear that Joanna Lumley feels angry about them and I feel the same.

Have they deliberately come up with ridiculous criteria that hardly anybody can satisfy?

Subject: RE: BS: Justice for the Gurkhas/Bravest of the Brave
From: Teribus
Date: 25 Apr 09 - 04:57 AM

Brown and his clowns will not be in power for much longer. Hopefully this will be put right by the next Government in power.

Subject: RE: BS: Justice for the Gurkhas/Bravest of the Brave
From: Eric the Viking
Date: 25 Apr 09 - 05:25 AM

This is a national disgrace. We (Our government) let any rag tag and bobtail bunch of scroungers, thieves and parasites from anywhere in the world in by their thousands yet refuse entry to the very people who fought side by side with British troops and continue to do so. It shows just how much loyalty to Britain is worth !!Some git minister said on TV last night "that we don't want possibly thousands of them as new immigrants". I'd sooner have thousands of Gurkhas and their families than the shite that's here and keeps coming.

Subject: RE: BS: Justice for the Gurkhas/Bravest of the Brave
From: GUEST,AlexTiefling
Date: 25 Apr 09 - 07:14 AM

I back the government on this one. We are an island. We are running out of space as it is. There is no automatic right. They were well paid to do a job. The job is over and that is the end of the story.

Subject: RE: BS: Justice for the Gurkhas/Bravest of the Brave
From: eddie1
Date: 25 Apr 09 - 07:31 AM

I find it really difficult to back a Government that takes six months to come up with one sheet of paper.

Eddie

Subject: RE: BS: Justice for the Gurkhas/Bravest of the Brave
From: Jean(eanjay)
Date: 25 Apr 09 - 08:21 AM

What the British government is doing here is shameful.

Subject: RE: BS: Justice for the Gurkhas/Bravest of the Brave
From: GUEST,AlexTiefling
Date: 25 Apr 09 - 09:08 AM

No it is not my dear. What it is doing is thinking of you and I and not setting a trend for Tom, Dick and Harry to make claims and make themselves comfortable in the UK.

Subject: RE: BS: Justice for the Gurkhas/Bravest of the Brave
From: Eric the Viking
Date: 25 Apr 09 - 09:29 AM

I'm sorry? "What it is doing is thinking of you and I and not setting a trend for Tom, Dick and Harry to make claims and make themselves comfortable in the UK".

I thought we had the commonwealth and the European union. Anyone from those states can come here and does freely. No end of illegal immigrants of many nationalities as well.Strikes me that we haven't been too choosey in the past.We should welcome those who show commitment no matter what race, colour or religion, but we don't want those who don't reciprocate. Lets kick out some of them instead.

Subject: RE: BS: Justice for the Gurkhas/Bravest of the Brave
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 25 Apr 09 - 12:50 PM

As a respectful tourist, I enjoyed the following VISIT to Nepal, and hope some Nepalese can enjoy a VISIT to England. Further, I'm glad they have recently become a republic, and hope and pray that England will soon follow. As both Tibetans and Nepalese have a name for it, I've use the English one...

Poem 23 of 230: ABOVE EVEREST

When flying from Nepal to Thailand,
    I was given a "good-side" seat;
And, as I looked out the plane window,
    The view I saw was really neat.

For breaking through a thick sheet of cloud
    Were the high Himalayan peaks;
And, rising the highest of them all,
    Mount Everest - heaven bespeaks!

From walkaboutsverse.sitegoz.com
Or blogs.myspace.com/walkaboutsverse

Subject: RE: BS: Justice for the Gurkhas/Bravest of the Brave
From: Jean(eanjay)
Date: 29 Apr 09 - 08:40 AM

Gordon Brown is climbing down and these ridiculous rules should be reviewed in a few weeks. He has had a lot of pressure from many MPs including some from his own party.

Joanna Lumley has been wonderful with her commitment to this.

Subject: RE: BS: Justice for the Gurkhas/Bravest of the Brave
From: Jean(eanjay)
Date: 29 Apr 09 - 12:17 PM

good news

Subject: RE: BS: Justice for the Gurkhas/Bravest of the Brave
From: eddie1
Date: 29 Apr 09 - 05:40 PM

This is wonderful news. I'm almost beginning to believe we live in a democracy after all.

BBC News


I would loive to say more, but crusty old hardass that I am, I have tears in my eyes.

Eddie

Subject: RE: BS: Justice for the Gurkhas/Bravest of the Brave
From: GUEST,lox
Date: 29 Apr 09 - 07:30 PM

I couldn't help laughing at David Cameron -

"Hey ... look at me ... I'm on their side too ... ask me a question ... take a picture of me with my arm around Joanna Lumley"

I'll be voting for the liberal democrats next time.

Subject: RE: BS: Justice for the Gurkhas/Bravest of the Brave
From: eddie1
Date: 30 Apr 09 - 12:17 AM

I see that on the Justice For Gurkhas website
Justice For Gurkhas
where they have been mounting a petition calling for that justice
it states, "Signatures so far: 200640 at 04:45 BST on Thursday 30 April 2009."
Maybe someone from the Government should have read that before their sad efforts.

Eddie

Subject: RE: BS: Justice for the Gurkhas/Bravest of the Bra
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 30 Apr 09 - 01:01 AM

Tried to post this before and was told I am not connectedto the Intenet so trying again I am a military brat and haven't done any research but I know the Gurkhas were revered by my parents..........just revered, My father called them the bravest of the brave.....

Subject: RE: BS: Justice for the Gurkhas/Bravest of the Brave
From: Jean(eanjay)
Date: 30 Apr 09 - 05:22 AM

My father was in the army too and he spoke so highly of the Ghurkhas. They most certainly do deserve to live in this country. The government got this one totally wrong. All those months it has taken them to come up with that pitiful one sheet of paper.

Subject: RE: BS: Justice for the Gurkhas/Bravest of the Brave
From: Leadfingers
Date: 21 May 09 - 09:29 AM

Looks like the petition had a good effect !!

          Reply

Subject: RE: BS: Justice for the Gurkhas/Bravest of the Brave
From: Jean(eanjay)
Date: 21 May 09 - 03:49 PM

This is excellent news.

Subject: RE: BS: Justice for the Gurkhas/Bravest of the Brave
From: eddie1
Date: 28 May 09 - 01:27 PM

I'm a bit late coming in on this as I'm in Germany and have only just got access to a pc. All I have to say is:-

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But, and it's quite a big but, what about pension rates?

Eddie

Subject: RE: BS: Justice for the Gurkhas/Bravest of the Brave
From: katlaughing
Date: 28 May 09 - 01:32 PM

That IS good news!!

Subject: RE: BS: Justice for the Gurkhas/Bravest of the Brave
From: Richie Black (misused acct, bad email)
Date: 13 Oct 10 - 06:58 PM

Just an update on this story, the Gurkhas were back in court again today.

Nepalese Gurkha veterans lost the latest round of their legal battle in London with the Ministry of Defence over their British army pensions.

A test case, which would affect some 25,000 veterans, is seeking equal pension payments with soldiers who retired after a July 1, 1997 cut-off date, when the Gurkha headquarters was moved from Hong Kong to Britain.

They are paid a third of the pension that Gurkha veterans who retired after the 1997 date receive, which is on a par with their British colleagues.

The case was dismissed at the High Court earlier this year, but the British Gurkha Welfare Society then took it to the Court of Appeal.

However, the appeal was rejected today.

The Gurkhas, recruited from Nepal, are a long-standing part of the British army, with a reputation for ferocity and bravery.

Retired Major Tikendra Dal Dewan, chairman of the British Gurkha Welfare Society, expressed his disappointment after the appeal rejection and said he would consider taking the case to the European courts.

"There is a cost benefit to the UK in resolving this issue, let alone the moral obligation of ensuring a respectable quality of life for these elderly Gurkhas and their families, all of whom have given great and devoted service to the UK's armed forces," he said.

About 200,000 Gurkhas fought for Britain in World War I and World War II and more than 45,000 have died in British uniform.

Around 3,500 now serve in the British army, including in Afghanistan. Gurkhas have won 13 Victoria Crosses, the top military award for valour.