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Ron Brind Posts: 19041 Joined: 26th Oct 2003 Location: England | quotePosted at 14:39 on 25th October 2008 Thanks for keeping an eye on it Lyn G! |
Ron Brind Posts: 19041 Joined: 26th Oct 2003 Location: England | quotePosted at 14:32 on 7th November 2008 I have some great news about the Gurkha Justice campaign that I want to update you on. Firstly, we now have over 120,000 online signatures with over 20,000 returned in the post. If you haven't done so already, please spread the word to all your online contacts and ask them to sign up online too at www.gurkhajustice.org.uk Second, there have been some exciting steps forward in the House of Commons. Earlier this week the Home Affairs Committee of the House of Commons considered the right of Gurkhas to settle in the UK. The committee considered evidence from a range of different people, including our lawyers, a submission from me, and representatives from a number of Gurkha organisations. I'm so pleased to be able to tell you that they agreed with us entirely, and have sent a letter to the Home Secretary urging her to take "urgent action to redress the currently unfair situation by extending settlement rights in the UK to all Gurkhas". You can read the full text of the letter at http://tinyurl.com/5ou59q This is a big step forward, with an influential cross-Party committee of MPs backing our cause. This is on top of the High Court's ruling in late September that the Government's action was "unlawful and unfair". But just unbelievably, the Government has still not changed the law, and has still not yet agreed to offer a fair deal for Gurkhas. In this week in particular, when we have seen the tragic death of a Gurkha serving in the British Army in Afghanistan, and four soldiers from the Royal Gurkha Rifles awarded the Military Cross, we need to redouble our efforts to make the Government see sense. Please do whatever you can to ask as many people as you can to sign the petition at www.gurkhajustice.org.uk - I want to take a simply huge petition to Downing Street on the 20th November. And I'd like you to join me in Parliament Square, Westminster, at 11am on Thursday 20th November, before we hand in the petition. I want to stand together with you and our Gurkha heroes and show just how strong the support for the Gurkhas cause is. Will you join me? I hope to see you there. Finally, especially for those who can join me on the 20th of November, you can buy Gurkha Justice t-shirts, sweatshirts, bags and more from our online shop with Spreadshirt at http://gurkhajustice.spreadshirt.net. Wear yours with pride - I certainly do - and for the next few days only (until this Sunday), Spreadshirt are offering free postage on all items to show their support for the campaign. Simply use the coupon code GURKHAFREE when ordering, and the postage for your items should be free. With warmest good wishes, Joanna www.gurkhajustice.org.uk PS. On Sunday, millions of us across the Country will be honouring those who fought and died for us on Remembrance Sunday. One hundred thousand Gurkhas fought in the First World War. They served in the battlefields of France in the Loos, Givenchy, Neuve Chapelle and Ypres; in Mesopotamia, Persia, Suez Canal and Palestine against Turkish advance, Gallipoli and Salonika. One detachment served with Lawrence of Arabia. 250,000 Nepalese Gurkhas served in the Second World War. It's time to repay our debt of honour to them. www.gurkhajustice.org.uk |
L Posts: 5656 Joined: 10th Jun 2004 Location: UK | quotePosted at 14:35 on 7th November 2008 Oh you beat me to it Ron! |
Ron Brind Posts: 19041 Joined: 26th Oct 2003 Location: England | quotePosted at 15:18 on 7th November 2008 Never mind Lyn, thanks as before for keeping an eye on it for us. As you will see I have deleted it.....na,na,nana, na! With a he, he, he because Peter says so!! |
Mick Covell Posts: 349 Joined: 7th Nov 2008 Location: USA | quotePosted at 21:18 on 11th November 2008 Your absoloutly right Ron . We do owe the Gurkhas a debt of honour . Its nothing less than a disgrace the way these brave men have been treated . I am adding my name to your petition and wish I could be with you on the 20th . |
Stephanie Jackson Posts: 3911 Joined: 13th Apr 2008 Location: UK | quotePosted at 21:31 on 11th November 2008 Great Ron - I've added my name. I also noticed that the first Gurkha died in the Afghanistan conflict recently. They are still there fighting alongside us even though we have treated them so disgracefully. |
Ron Brind Posts: 19041 Joined: 26th Oct 2003 Location: England | quotePosted at 07:51 on 12th November 2008 Thanks for adding your support Mick and Stephanie. Should just point out though, that it is not me leading the campaign but Ms Joanna Lumley no less! You are of course right in what you say! |
Beth Austin Posts: 1090 Joined: 14th Sep 2007 Location: UK | quotePosted at 18:52 on 14th November 2008 I am most impressed with the responses shown in here. I wasn't familiar with the Ghurkas before moving here 12 yr ago, but have learned of them, about them and that allows me to see more clearly Why you feel, believe and think about them as you do. They are to be commended for all they have done, and continue to do, and those in this group are to be respected for their belief, appreciation, and degree of gratitude being shown to the Ghurkas. I had the pleasure of meeting a team of Ghurkas, approx. a 3 months ago, on the Firing Range in Whitburn, Tyne & Wear. They were doing a practice session on the range, and i happened to stop by with my camera, and spoke to the one who was doing guard duty, whilst the others were on the range. I was most impressed with the young man. His turn on the Firing Range was coming up in 20 minutes, so we had 20 minutes to chat. I learnt more in 20 minutes from that young soldier than I could have learnt by reading about them. I flet most honored to have had that chat with him. This is just my little experience with the Ghurkas, but it will be a Forever Memory. |
Posts: Joined: 1st Jan 1970 | The lates update from Joanna - On Thursday, I will be in Parliament Square, Westminster at 11am before handing in the Gurkha Justice petition. |
Mary Lipscombe Posts: 17 Joined: 16th Oct 2008 Location: UK | quotePosted at 21:34 on 25th November 2008 I have signed the petition for the Ghurkas and so has my husband, I think the way they have been treated and still being treated is disgraceful. They are the bravest of men, always been loyal to our country and yet they have been kicked in the teeth, SHAME on this government. |