Dunno if you saw on the news, but recently a numbEr of Gurkhas who served 20+ years have been forced back to nepal despite fears they will be in danger at home.
Today 400 protested in liverpool as they have been unable to settle to work, all had served 15 to 30 years.
Should gurkha and gurkha families get citizenship rights after service?.
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Should gurkhas be allowed british citizenship after service?
may18,
There is actually more to this than meets the eye. The UK is obliged to return the Gurkhas to the place of their recruitment by treaty. This, along with stipulations regarding pay and pensions, was dictated under the Tripartite Agreement of 1947. The agreement between Britain, India and Nepal was supposed to settle matters concerning the Gurkhas' future employment by either country once and for all and set these edicts in stone.
All this being said, there is no earthly reason why ex-Gurkhas can't be recruited to work in the UK as they are in many other countries. For a couple of years now the Transportation and General Workers Union and businessmen from various transport firms have been lobbying the Home Office. They want to take advantage of the large pool of retiring Gurkhas with UK licences (including HGVs) as a means of filling the industry-wide shortfall in drivers, but kept hitting a brick wall. Untill recently that is, when a bus company in Wales managed to hire a number of ex-Gurkhas as drivers:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/3809743.stm
I've worked with a number of ex-Gukhas in the UXO and landmine clearance industry and was recently tasked with arranging the recruitment and deployment of the lads from Nepal. The bureaucratic red tape involved in obtaining exit visas from Kathmandu was legendary even by the sub-continent's p*ss-poor substandards! While the Brigade of Gurkhas does assist in post-service employment placement, a more formatted approach from the MoD would really these guys no end.
Regards!
Pasha
There is actually more to this than meets the eye. The UK is obliged to return the Gurkhas to the place of their recruitment by treaty. This, along with stipulations regarding pay and pensions, was dictated under the Tripartite Agreement of 1947. The agreement between Britain, India and Nepal was supposed to settle matters concerning the Gurkhas' future employment by either country once and for all and set these edicts in stone.
All this being said, there is no earthly reason why ex-Gurkhas can't be recruited to work in the UK as they are in many other countries. For a couple of years now the Transportation and General Workers Union and businessmen from various transport firms have been lobbying the Home Office. They want to take advantage of the large pool of retiring Gurkhas with UK licences (including HGVs) as a means of filling the industry-wide shortfall in drivers, but kept hitting a brick wall. Untill recently that is, when a bus company in Wales managed to hire a number of ex-Gurkhas as drivers:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/3809743.stm
I've worked with a number of ex-Gukhas in the UXO and landmine clearance industry and was recently tasked with arranging the recruitment and deployment of the lads from Nepal. The bureaucratic red tape involved in obtaining exit visas from Kathmandu was legendary even by the sub-continent's p*ss-poor substandards! While the Brigade of Gurkhas does assist in post-service employment placement, a more formatted approach from the MoD would really these guys no end.
Regards!
Pasha
"To subdue the enemy without using force, is the acme of skill" Sun Tzu.
Thanks for explaining what to the outsider such as myself seems an astonishing act of ungratefullness. I had heard of the treaty, but thought it governed pay and pensions only. Personally i would like to see it brought into line with commonwealth conditions (citizenship after 3 years) and the treaty negotiated on their behalf but understand that would be difficult.
From a selfish government point of view, i think these people would be a huge asset to britain and an example of ideal desired immigration.
By all accounts the gurkhas who protesed got huge support from the public today with cars hooting and people lining up to offer support and wish them luck. Hopefully there will be more publicity and the public reaction with kick
the MOD into action!!
Regards
From a selfish government point of view, i think these people would be a huge asset to britain and an example of ideal desired immigration.
By all accounts the gurkhas who protesed got huge support from the public today with cars hooting and people lining up to offer support and wish them luck. Hopefully there will be more publicity and the public reaction with kick
the MOD into action!!
Regards
Of course the should!!!
lew
lew
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Ex-URNU-Student
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Funnily enough im not in favour of automatic citizenship for Gurkhas.
Certainly their applications should be viewed more favourably as a resulkt of their service but not outright citzenship.
The reason why? Well wouldnt people start joining the Gurkhas purely to get UK citizenship? Wouldnt standards decline as a result?
We're talking about Nepal remember, a dirt-poor country.
Certainly their applications should be viewed more favourably as a resulkt of their service but not outright citzenship.
The reason why? Well wouldnt people start joining the Gurkhas purely to get UK citizenship? Wouldnt standards decline as a result?
We're talking about Nepal remember, a dirt-poor country.
I doubt they've been joining up 'cause they love the Queen, mate, or for any other reason than getting out the ol' dirtpoor country. And as long as the recruiting/training bunch keep the bar just as high then standards won't fall no matter why they join.Ex-URNU-Student wrote: Well wouldnt people start joining the Gurkhas purely to get UK citizenship? Wouldnt standards decline as a result?
We're talking about Nepal remember, a dirt-poor country.
Ex-URNU-Student,
In reply to your question about standards falling, I'd have to say no thay wouldn't. For every recruit vacancy slot, there are literally a couple of thousand hopefuls. Becoming a recruit in the British Gurkhas is like winning the lottery. In order to cull the crowd, the selection process is long, multi-staged and pretty arduous and ultimately ensures that you end up with the cream of the crop.
There are only a finite amount vacancy slots for recruits each year (when I was with the recruit team in 2000, it was around 250). As it is the Brigade have to turn away perfectly good potential Gurkhas. There were about 750 slots for the final "Central Selection" at the British Army base at Pokhara, where the then CO told me that every single lad that had made it thus far could easily become a Gurkha, but he had to draw hhis line at a fixed number.
As for WHY Gurkhas join up, as Mince has correctly elucidated, the reasons are already overwhelmingly financial. Along with the pride and prestige that goes with being a Gurkha soldier; the monetary reward, chance to travel the world and recieve education and training are all pretty big motivators as it is.
Regards
Pasha
In reply to your question about standards falling, I'd have to say no thay wouldn't. For every recruit vacancy slot, there are literally a couple of thousand hopefuls. Becoming a recruit in the British Gurkhas is like winning the lottery. In order to cull the crowd, the selection process is long, multi-staged and pretty arduous and ultimately ensures that you end up with the cream of the crop.
There are only a finite amount vacancy slots for recruits each year (when I was with the recruit team in 2000, it was around 250). As it is the Brigade have to turn away perfectly good potential Gurkhas. There were about 750 slots for the final "Central Selection" at the British Army base at Pokhara, where the then CO told me that every single lad that had made it thus far could easily become a Gurkha, but he had to draw hhis line at a fixed number.
As for WHY Gurkhas join up, as Mince has correctly elucidated, the reasons are already overwhelmingly financial. Along with the pride and prestige that goes with being a Gurkha soldier; the monetary reward, chance to travel the world and recieve education and training are all pretty big motivators as it is.
Regards
Pasha
"To subdue the enemy without using force, is the acme of skill" Sun Tzu.
If ghurkas were allowed citizenship, it's doubtful any of them would be queuing up to claim benefits like most of the sh*theads that flock here. They're disciplined and motivated. Maybe we should allow them in and ship out some of our own idle scroungers who won't work.
I used to see Ghurkas training at Catterick, and even when going out of camp they would all march together in perfect order. I've never seen a more disciplined lot. Whoever makes the decision to turn away Ghurkas yet allow ex-Iraqui soldiers to come here for asylum needs deporting.
I used to see Ghurkas training at Catterick, and even when going out of camp they would all march together in perfect order. I've never seen a more disciplined lot. Whoever makes the decision to turn away Ghurkas yet allow ex-Iraqui soldiers to come here for asylum needs deporting.
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joshualoftus
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Here's the BBC article about this issue if any of you want to read it.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/mers ... 616892.stm
Personally I believe they should be allowed citizenship if they want it. Even the French give it to Legionaires after only five years.
Cheers,
Josh.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/mers ... 616892.stm
Personally I believe they should be allowed citizenship if they want it. Even the French give it to Legionaires after only five years.
Cheers,
Josh.
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Jason The Argonaut
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Well I think they should be offered UK citizenship after there service is up at lest.
Or as Ex-URNU-Student said there applications should viewed more favorably as a result of their service.
Or as Ex-URNU-Student said there applications should viewed more favorably as a result of their service.
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