The Brigade of Gurkhas

[David Morton]

I am reprinting a letter to Philip Woolas from Captain Bryn Wayt. This is a peculiarly British thing as the Brigade of Gurkhas are employed in the British Army and paid a pittance and when their service is done, they are packed off back to their impoverished land (Nepal|)without very much to show for their loyalty to our country. I, for one, feel they are getting a very raw deal.
Brigade of Gurkhas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yesterday marked the judgement by this man Philip Woolas as to why only a small portion of the 20,000 or so men eligible (about 4,000) will be allowed to saty here in the UK after their loyal service to the Crown.

Bryn Wayt is Ex Royal Air Force and when I knew him professionally , he was a Captain on a Shackleton Squadron, then on the Nimrods, and finally a Skipper in British Airways until his retirement 5 years ago. He has been a loyal friend for many years.

Make of it what you will.
Here is the letter:

Mr Woolas,

Ref A: Statement on Gurkhas right to settle in the UK | Home Office
Ref B: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/s...chapter15/section2a/section2a.pdf?view=Binary
Ref C: UK Border Agency | Chapter 15 - Armed forces
Ref D: House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 18 Oct 2004 (pt 14)
Ref E: More than 230 terror suspects free to stay in Britain - Times Online


I am writing this as an ex-serviceman who ONCE was willing to lay down my life for this country - the same Code of Honour members of the Brigade of Gurkhas signed. I now would rather go to prison than fight for the likes of you and your kind who now abuse the freedoms so dearly won for this once Great Britain.


The Brigade of Gurkhas - strangulated leave to stay is an abomination

I am utterly disgusted at your stance, and HMG's cowardly participation, of failing to allow the men from the Brigade of Gurkhas and their families leave to stay in the UK.

By building artificial, stupefying criteria, you have alienated a whole nation and shamed yourself forever. All the perfumes of Arabia will not wash the stink of that decision from you or your government's persona.

Statement on Gurkhas right to settle in the UK | Home Office
Border and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas has released a statement announcing that the government will use new criteria to consider applications from former members of the Brigade of Gurkhas who want to settle in the UK.

You know that "new criteria" will basically only allow Officer's the entitlement to stay in the UK - because most ranks can only serve a maximum of fifteen years! What a cheap, dirty, cowardly trick that was Mr Woolas.
-------------


Is that the same criteria your debased Home Office used when a bunch of gun-wielding low-life aircraft highjackers flew into Stansted on a B727 in February 2000? "The men, armed with four guns, a knife and two hand grenades, threatened to kill passengers and blow up the plane."
TWO question for you Mr Woolas:
(a) Where are, Ali Safi, Abdul Shohab, Taimur Shah, Kazim Mohammed, Reshad Ahmadi, Nazamuddin Mohammidy, Abdul Ghayur, Mohammed Showaib, Mohammed Safi right now? (a clue: Nazzamuddin Mohammidy was last known working at Heathrow airport as a cleaner!)

(b) How many of the 77 Afghans and "the other passengers" who illegally entered the UK are earning a living and paying tax in the UK?
Ref D: Mr. Browne: <!--Mr. Browne-->The 77 Afghans who arrived on the hijacked aircraft at Stansted Airport in February 2000, including the hijackers and the other passengers [160], have claimed asylum and have been supported under Section 111 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.


"Where there are strong reasons........." Being prepared to die for this country wearing the uniform of the Brigade of Gurkhas is one hell of a "strong reason" I would suggest.
I don't see any strong reasons mirrored in the principles applied to allowing illegals immigrants leave to stay on our shores. I don't see 'them' having to have won Level 1/2/3 awards for bravery.

You, and your government, because of complete neglect and astronomical incompetence have wiped the board of any 'honour' you may once have had - you and your government have torn up the law papers and permitted HUNDREDS terrorists to remain in this country!
Ref E: - Latest Home Office figures show that of the 963 people detained under Britain’s terrorism laws between September 2001 and November 2005, 232 were identified in the department’s records as having applied for asylum, 214 of them before being arrested.
[SIZE=+0]Questions for you Mr Woolas: [/SIZE]
[SIZE=+0](a) How many of the said 963 are earning a living and paying tax in the UK?[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+0](b) How many of the said 963 have been deported?[/SIZE]


[SIZE=+0]Conclusion[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+0]Your decision and that of your Home Office puppets have shown it is time for you and your tribe to be demobbed - preferably to some 3rd world country hell-hole or in lieu of that, bear arms and fight in Afghanistan for how ever long it takes, and if you stay for 20 years or win the VC, DSO or MC, then you will be allowed back to the UK.[/SIZE]



Yours sincerely,

Captain Bryn Wayt

 

[David Morton]

Gurkha Justice Campaign

Go on - you know it makes sense..........

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Gurkha Justice Campaign

Go on - you know it makes sense..........

Makes more than sense David, The Gurkha's are renowned world wide as great and loyal warriors, who have fought with distinction and bravery for many years and through many campaigns on OUR side.
To treat them like this is a disgrace and will be shaming the U.K. in the eyes of the rest of the world.
If I were a citizen of the U.K. I would certainly join the campaign.
Come on you blokes in the U.K. get up off your collective arses and join.
Make a noise, write to your local member. The Gurkha helped you in your hour of need, now is the time to repay them.

 

[David Morton]

Pete,
Thanks,
Dave

 

[Brett James-McCall]

Dave,
I totally agree with you this... I was ranting at the TV when I heard this. How people who are employed officially as a unit to lay down their life for this country are not entiteled to live here is beyond me, yet just turn up in the back of a lorry and we'lll give you a house......

Brett

 

[domtoni]

Brett,

And we will give them everything they want, including the rights to change our laws, culture and way of life. Just wait 15 - 20 years.

Dom

 

[Nick]

Dom,

The soldiers are still selected from young men living in the hills of Nepal - with about 28,000 youths tackling the selection procedure for just over 200 places each year.

So with such a small number that could possibly settle in this country, the voting power would not be able to "change our laws, culture and way of life".

Even if they did with values such as :-

"They are tough, they are brave, they are durable, they are amenable to discipline. They have another quality which you could say some British regiments had in the past, but it's doubtful that they have now, that is a strong family tradition"

I'd vote for them.

Nick

 

[Keith]

Signed. Thanks David for bringing this to our attention.

Brown needs a Kukri up his Jacksie.

Ayeeee Gurkhali!

 

[domtoni]

Nick,

My comments were not Gurkha related, but referenced to people coming from a not so distant land to Napal. We have lots of them here in the Midlands, and like I said, wait 15 - 20 years.

 

[domtoni]

Guys,

I should have also said that I support the Gurkha's coming into the UK to live.

Dom

 

[David Morton]

Dom,
I took it as read. Thanks.
Dave M

 

[Nick]

Dom,

Apologies to quick off the mark as usual.

Nick

 

[domtoni]

Nick,

No problem. I have been a bit to outspoken on my political views over the past 9 months (I trust you guys realize I am a Yank), and am abhord by the left influencing the political structure in the west.

So I tried to be a bit discreet !!!

Sorry if this created any unclarity or confusion.

Dom

 

[David Morton]

Being outspoken can be a virtue as well. Don't stop on my behalf. If I don't like
something I'll say or I'll bin it - but if, in your opinion, something needs to be said then go ahead.
ps: 'Thread drifts' can be so very rewarding as well.

 

[Mike Pass]

Signed. These are great, honourable and brave people and deserve everything we can do for them. The attitude of the govermment is a disgrace and makes you ashamed to be British.
Mike

 

[David Morton]

Thank you Gentlemen. There are plenty more of us on this GT40 site here in the UK who could make the effort. Please raise a finger.....
Let me recount a short period in my life when I was priviledged to know one of these guys called Tarpa. We were both at a place called M.R.U. Headley Court near Leatherhead in the UK( which was a Medical Rehab Unit). He was one of the comissioned riflemen - a big big honour in the Brigade - and he had a major accident up country in one of the Jungle theatres we had at the time. He was sleeping in his tent and a tree nearby was struck in an electrical storm and fell across him while he was sleeping. He was casevacced out after a RAF medic amputated one of his legs in situ - both legs were trapped under the tree. He went to the PM Hospital and was flown back to Wroughton in the UK and there they were about to amputate the other leg but he asked if they could try and save it. It was very mangled but they did save it. Shortening this story, this guy had never gambled, never been with a women, never been in the West End at a show, in fact the list of 'nevers' was endless. He was long term at Headley but by the end of that time, he was playing football, badminton, and his greatest pleasure each morning was to lead morning warmups. Tarpa was wordly wise by the time we finished with him. In fact he became one of the ringleaders. I can still see him leaning over the vertical side of the Wall of Death at the fair on Derby Day and the look of amazement at the riders going round and round. I recall he would get totally pissed on about 3 pints of beer and need to be carried home which was no mean feat as we were all invalids on crutches at the time.
Once Headley Court reached a natural conclusion in his recovery, he applied to remain in the UK as the Army were about to discharge him. I went to his Army Discharge pissup celebration and guess what ? The Ministry of Defence told him he was to be flown back to Katmandu as he did not meet the criteria for residency in the UK. He was no longer required. This guy had one and a half rows of medals for campaigns in the British Army. He would not admit anything about any of the actions he was involved in.
But he was no longer required.

 

[Jack]

Typical of self-serving politicians and big government (anywhere). Your story is compelling, wish I had a vote.

 

[Ian Anderson]

Signed

Ian

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

From the Telegraph.

The decision by the Home Affairs Select Committee to hold ministers to account for the shabby treatment of the Gurkhas is welcome. At every turn, the Government has proved evasive and duplicitous in pursuit of its policy of withholding settlement rights to these former members of our Armed Forces. The High Court ruled last September that the Home Office was acting unlawfully in excluding Gurkhas who had been discharged from the Army prior to 1997. Last month, campaigners were forced to return to court because the Government had not acted on the judgment. Last week, the Home Office finally issued new rules and the reason for the delay was obvious. It takes time to draft regulations so painstakingly crafted to keep out as many Gurkhas as possible. The new rules specify that only those with 20 years' service will be allowed settlement rights. As most of the applicants to settle here were riflemen, and as riflemen were only allowed to serve for 15 years, we have the perfect Catch 22.
The Home Office claimed that without erecting such hurdles, 100,000 Gurkhas would enter Britain. The Gurkhas say that just 1,350 of them have lodged appeals to stay and, with three or four family dependants each, the total would not top 10,000. Given that the number of illegal immigrants living here stands, on the Home Office's own figures, at nearly 500,000 (the real figure is probably twice that), the Government's stance is even less defensible. The Gurkhas have been brave and loyal servants of this country and deserve better than to be treated with such contempt by Home Office bean counters.

YouTube - The Gurkhas 1/6

 

[Murray Cowley]

Signed, and a big Dandya Baht to all the Gurkhas who have served.

Murray