News from Nepal: Gurkhas get Pension Rise

[Craig Gottlieb]

Thought you all would find this interesting:

Foreign Secretary Robin Cook formally handed over the first round of increased pensions -- agreed after years of Gurkha lobbying and a British newspaper campaign -- to a small group of retired soldiers at Kathmandu's Gurkha camp.
Cook, on a brief visit to Nepal, praised the Gurkhas, saying they were an essential part of Britain's armed forces and ''ambassadors'' for the impoverished Himalayan mountain kingdom.
''We are very proud of what the Gurkhas have done with our army,'' Cook told reporters before visiting the camp, where he installed himself behind an imposing counter to hand over the money.
The pension change was greeted with mixed feelings by Gurkha veterans, who welcomed the rise but said they should be receiving the same as British soldiers -- a demand which some groups have said they will continue to fight for.
''I am a bit satisfied, but according to our request it should be more,'' said retired captain Dhani Narayan Pradhan, 65, who served for 25 years including tours in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Brunei and Britain.
He collected a monthly pension on Friday of 20,910 rupees ($303), more than doubled from 8,620 rupees but still far less than a British soldier would expect at retirement.
''We are asking for the same as the British, so I hope they will increase it in the near future,'' he said as he nibbled snacks in the camp with fellow veterans after collecting his money.
Gurkhas have fought alongside British soldiers for nearly 200 years in action ranging from 19th century colonial campaigns to the 1982 Falklands War. Renowned as fiercely loyal and tough fighters, they have served in peacekeeping forces in Kosovo and East Timor.
Recently they have also battled for fairer reward, saying they face risks equal to their British partners and deserve equal treatment.
The inequality in their finances was highlighted last year when a Gurkha sergeant and a British officer were killed together during mine-clearing operations in Kosovo. The British officer's family were entitled to far higher compensation.
In response to a media campaign, Britain announced the doubling in pensions and said Gurkhas and British soldiers killed on duty would receive exactly the same.
Around 3,400 Gurkhas serve in the British army and 25,000 draw British army pensions, which will now range from 6,000 rupees to around 20,000 rupees a month.
Cook defended the latest increases, saying they would make a major difference in a country where the average annual income is just $220 and Gurkha pay already makes up the country's fourth biggest foreign currency earner.
''They deserve it. We don't begrudge it, but it would be wrong to present it as an unfair deal,'' Cook said.
($1 - 68.97 Nepali rupees)

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Craig Gottlieb
Gurkha House
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