"Bravest of the brave, most generous of the generous, never had a country more faithful friends than you"Sir Ralph Turner MC. May these words engraved on the memorial of the first Gurkha Victoria Cross winner Kulbir Thapa Magar, ring true to honour the living as much as the dead.
Unveiled on September 25 at Princes Garden, Aldershot, the town also home to the British Army, it was a proud moment for Nepalis in Britain and worldwide.
Commissioned by the Greater Rushmoore Nepalese Community’s Gurkha Memorial Project, this was made possible with many donors predominantly from local Gurkha communities.
The dedication of the team in realizing this project, fundraising amongst British Nepali individuals and organisations, demonstrate how important it was for so many to honour the Gurkha legacy this way. It was also about building future community relationships.
Veterans including children of other Gurkha Victoria Cross winners were also present.
By the statue, sculpted by artist Amy Goodman @AmySculptor, speeches were presented from Gurkha and local authority figures,and the Minister of Defence Peoples and Veterans Rt. Hon @LeoDochertyUK MP. They emphasised the special bond between Britain and Nepal for over 200 years.
The memorial statue is not Kulbir Thapa alone, but Kulbir with a wounded British soldier as blood brothers. To Gurkhas, their wives, widows and families, may Britain reciprocate the courage, bravery and compassion demonstrated by Kulbir Thapa Magar VC.
10 days until the next G2G talk on Gurkha grievances on 15 June 2023 with @NepalEmbassyUK and @DefenceHQ ! As we reflect on last month’s Gurkha events, we hope this new month will be different, with greater professionalism and mutual respect on the British Gurkha Case. 🧵8 parts
To date, minutes of the 19 April G2G have still not been released to the Gurkhas. Any sensitive info from @DefenceHQ would be honoured if explicit agreements to classify and redact sections are made. However, it still should not take this long. @NepalEmbassyUK@khanalroshan83
We still need a spirit of transparency to build trust. The @DefenceHQ 's delays in the most basic procedure to follow talks with minutes punctually, provide agendas for meetings ahead of time, and failures to provide documents to prove arguments is extremely unprofessional.
Today marks the deadline by all British Gurkha veteran groups for @NepalEmbassyUK@MofaNepal@DefenceHQ to give a deadline to set a date for a Terms of Reference meeting. If a date is not given, they may resort to drastic actions. These will be greater than 2021’s hunger strikes
Last week representatives from all Gurkha veteran groups met at @NepalEmbassyUK and made known their concerns. They asked for a date for a ToR meeting which continually kept being postponed. It was already alarming that initial plans were to leave them out of the ToR meeting.
According to HE Gyan Chandra Acharya, he has been asking the British government @DefenceHQ for a date but they are refusing to provide one. Gurkhas are asking for the very least a date for ToR- this is to lay out a road map of subjects to discuss in future G2G talks.
From 21 July 2021, 13 days were set aside for a 24hr hunger strike relay in remembrance of the 13 Gurkha Victoria Cross winners. @Gurkha_Brigade @JohnnyMercerUK @BWallaceMP
Elderly Nepali pensioners took turns, some even going without water, through the summer heat, torrential rains + harassment from @metpoliceuk. Peaceful protests held earlier since spring fell on deaf ears. They hoped if they fasted,the Nepal and British governments would listen.
Assistance to Nepal is appreciated, but we cannot mistake such announcements by @DefenceHQ and @LeoDochertyUK as consistent and adequate generosity for Nepal and its veterans despite similar statements repeated by the government in arguments against Gurkha pension increase 1/4
The UK press featured stories and case studies of the Covid crisis in Nepal in June, Parliament also heard requests for support by @VirendraSharma @NavPMishra
and more, but the declared 200 years of British-Nepal friendship did not speed up support 2/4 telegraph.co.uk/global-health/…
On Monday 22 November, UK Parliament will finally debate the motion ‘We demand that the Gurkhas receive equal pensions’ at 6PM. To mark this historic moment, former hunger strikers, Gurkha veterans, and supporters will be present outside Parliament from 4PM.
We thank and honour all who supported us and helped sign the petition to bring the debate to Parliament. We thank the family of veterans and the British public. #powerofprotest#UK
“the UK is in the unenviable position of being the only country in Europe still imposing punitive restrictions against Nepal (including unconscionable quarantine charges) – in spite of the much lauded over 200-year-old diplomatic relationship between the two countries.” A thread
BNAC @BritainNepalAC statement extracts : "The puzzling continued inclusion of Nepal on the red list has huge implications for the 100,000 strong Nepali diaspora in Britain, including Gurkha regiments in the British army, who have been separated from loved ones for two years"
"From a scientific perspective, this decision to keep Nepal in the red list is simply inexplicable. It makes no
sense in terms of the government’s own published criteria.." @BorisJohnson@UKinNepal@NicolaPollittUK@grantshapps