Men from the hillsides of Nepal began joining the British Army in 1815,right after the end of the 1st phase of the Anglo-Gurkha War of 1814-16.They have been serving the British Crown ever since.#Gurkha#Gurkhas#Nepal#ENGITA#Engscmp.com/week-asia/opin…
The Gurkhas played an essential role in establishing the British Raj in India and fought for the British in Afghanistan, what was then Burma, Tibet and in countless other conflicts.
In the first world war alone, tiny Nepal,with a population of around 5 million, sent over 200,000 Gurkhas to fight for the British. 1 in 10 never returned. In the second world war over 250,000 Gurkhas fought alongside the British and more than 33,000 never returned.
After 1997,the Gurkhas moved to the #UK & continued to take part in operational duties around the world.Indeed,in the past 200 years there has not been a single war fought by the #British in which #Gurkhas did not fight alongside them to prove their loyalty. #Eng#ENGITA#England
Yet, the British have taken the Gurkhas for granted & mistreated them disgracefully.Between World War 2 & 1994,Gurkhas were paid 10x less than their British counterparts.Meanwhile,those severely injured in either of the world wars were sent home without severance pay or pensions.
When the British left Hong Kong two-thirds of the remaining Gurkhas were sent packing, many of them forced to die in poverty back in the villages of Nepal.
To fight against the discrimination, inequality, and disparity they faced in the British Army, the Gurkhas have been campaigning for justice since the early 1990s.
They have won some rights along the way, including in 2009 the right of abode in the UK for both Gurkhas and their families.
Still,grievances remain & need to be resolved.Gurkhas have drawn up a list of 13 issues,mostly relating to pensions,welfare & legal issues facing Gurkha children coming to the UK.They have appealed to the British government & took to the streets in protest on June15 & July1,2021.
Should the British government continue to ignore them, three #Gurkha veterans will start a #hungerstrike at #DowningStreet on July 21 and starve themselves to death.
Nepal has always treated Britain as its best friend,yet in return the #British have exploited and abandoned the #Gurkhas,so much so that they haven’t even updated the 1947 treaty signed between #Britain,#Nepal & #India surrounding their use.
Meanwhile,due to a lack of #vaccines and proper medical facilities,#Nepal has been overwhelmed by the #coronavirus pandemic & is struggling to save its people.
Despite repeated requests by the government and other organisations, the #British have failed to provide a single vaccine dose for #Nepal. Consequently, many people have died, including #Gurkha veterans.
If the #British can treat the #Gurkhas, their loyal friends of over 200 years, with such cruelty and apathy, how do you think they will treat #Hongkongers?
Johan #Derksen: “Je hebt programma’s dat is al een unicum, dat er een blanke aan tafel zit.”
Insinuerend dat er bij de NPO heel veel mensen van kleur op tv komen en witte mensen in de verdrukking komen.Allemaal feitelijke onzin. Mensen van kleur zijn zwaar ondervertegenwoordigd.