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GAESO braces for further legal contests in British courts
KATHMANDU, NOV 06 - The Gurkha Army Ex-Servicemen’s Organisation (GAESO) today announced that it would fight two battles simultaneously against Britain for equal pensions and other allowances.The organisation’s meeting held today concluded with a decision to launch an international campaign against "discriminatory" British policy as well as to file a new case demanding equal treatment for the Gurkhas with their British counterparts.GAESO, defeated by the London appellate court in a similar case last month, further added that a fresh legal battle would be ensued in the British Court based on the body of evidences gathered by the organisation recently.
The organisation also said it was considering the latest offer made by the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence for negotiation on the issue raised by it."We will take part in the dialogue as a part of our ongoing movement," GAESO chairman Padam Bahadur Gurung said at the press meet organised in the capital today. "But the battle in the courts and streets will continue until the equality that we deserve for our works for nearly two centuries is ensured."
GAESO’s lawyer Gopal Siwakoti Chintan said that there could be a compromising point to arrive at on the issue of equal pension if the British government wanted to discuss it with open heart and mind."Increment in pension also could be the mutual meeting point, provided the British government is able to convince us," Siwakoti said.
Today’s GAESO meeting trashed the comparison made by the Kathmandu-based British envoy and a British general between the monthly salary of the Nepali prime minister with that of a retired Gurkha captain’s monthly pension as an attempt to humiliate the Nepalese people and also being against diplomatic protocol.Gurung also alleged that Gurkha soldiers had never received a single farthing from the revenue collected from the British people.
"Those Gurkhas who served before World War II were returned empty-handed while the post-War personnel were stationed in Asian countries whereby no financial burden was imposed on the British government," said Gurung. "With the transfer of Hong-Kong to the mainland, a British Gurkha battalion is provided to Brunei, which is responsible for all the expenses of maintaining the forces."
Former parliamentarian and foreign policy expert Hiranya Lal Shrestha, speaking at the press conference, said there was an urgent need of the government’s initiatives to solve the problems.Posted on: 2003-11-05 08:57
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