UK threatens to deport widow of hero Gurkha killed in Afghanistan

[Enrique]

Source: The Mirror

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/05/09/betrayal-of-gurkha-hero-s-family-widow-told-day-after-he-dies-she-and-family-must-leave-britain-115875-21346056/

The widow of a hero Gurkha killed in Afghanistan was told she has no right to stay in Britain – just 24 hours after he was blasted to death by a Taliban suicide bomber.

Still stunned by news that Kumar Pun had given his life for Britain on Thursday, his wife Parbati was told on Friday she and his children could be ordered out of the UK next year.

And even though Kumar, 31, of Dover, loyally served his Queen and Country for 13 years, his wife may not even qualify for an Army widow’s pension.

The revelations come amid huge public outrage led by actress Joanna Lumley at the Government’s refusal to give all Gurkhas an automatic right to live here when they retire.

(...)



Read more: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/05/09/betrayal-of-gurkha-hero-s-family-widow-told-day-after-he-dies-she-and-family-must-leave-britain-115875-21346056/

[Captain Hilts]

1. If Liz and Phil read of this it will be fixed. She'll slap Brown a whammy to fix it. nt

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. I can't believe how stupid the government and military are being over the Gurkhas

Every one of their decisions just makes people hate them more. They're the Keystone Kops of public relations.

[Enrique]

3. why are they doing it?

Is there pressure from some quarters to get the Gurkhas out of the country?

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. No; the country is united against the government on this

However, they'd save a relatively small amount of money by not paying pensions, or allowing in families who might then go to school.

It's amazing; there was even a quote from a candidate for the openly racist British National Party saying the Gurkhas should be allowed to live in the UK. Because everyone who's racist, or who bangs on about 'too much immigration', is also intensely patriotic and pro-military, and likes the Gurkhas for their military service.

Joanna Lumley’s campaign for fair treatment of Gurkha veterans is hugely popular, the poll shows, with nearly three quarters of people, 74%, saying all Gurkhas who served Britain should be allowed to settle in this country along with their dependants.

Only 4% backed the government’s proposed restrictions, while 14% said there should be limits but not as tight as those proposed by Labour ahead of Lumley’s meeting with the prime minister last week.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6256717.ece

[Thothmes]

5. Why, they are mere mercenaries to the British Crown

and have been for the last two hundred years. Use them up, throw away the husks and forget them.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

6. The US wasted no time trying to kick out the families of 9/11 victims

It’s the depraved indifference of bureaucrats

[jdadd]

7. Family now told they can stay....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8042287.stm

[enlightenment]

8. A story that was on the BBC yesterday.

The larger story here is that Parliament is still denying a number of Gurkha the right to immigrate to the UK, despite their service to the Crown.

Shameful.

edited to remove 'morning kneejerk snark' . . .