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Gurkhas fail in immigration bid ( UK )
itn yahoo ^ | 4/24/09

Posted on 04/24/2009 10:29:33 AM PDT by george76

Gurkhas have lost a bid to overturn a ruling that stopped them automatically settling in the UK after leaving the Army.

Those who left the Army before 1997 were not given the right to automatically settle in the UK after four years' service.

Last year, a High Court judge ruled that the policy excluding older veterans was unlawful and in need of urgent review.

There are currently around 3,500 serving Gurkhas. More than 200,000 fought during the First and Second World Wars, with 43,000 giving their lives.

Ragprasad Purja, 43, served with the Gurkhas for 17 years. He said: "It is the saddest day for the Gurkhas and the saddest day for the British Government.

"I cannot believe that this Government made such a decision. I was proud of my service but now I am very sad."

The Gurkha brigade was formed following the partition of India in 1947 but Nepalese Gurkha soldiers have been part of the British Army for almost 200 years.

(Excerpt) Read more at uk.news.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; United Kingdom; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: gurkha; gurkhas

1 posted on 04/24/2009 10:29:33 AM PDT by george76
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To: george76

yet again they crap on the people who have helped the country and then they let in 3rd world countries like Pakistan, Sudan, Somalia etc

and then they wonder why people are leaving at record levels


2 posted on 04/24/2009 10:30:56 AM PDT by manc (Marriage is between a man and a woman no sick queer sham--- end racism end affirmative action)
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To: manc

Second that.


3 posted on 04/24/2009 10:34:36 AM PDT by snarks_when_bored
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To: george76
Serve the UK and risk your life for the UK - No citizenship

Plot against the UK and kill UK citizens - Citizenship granted

tick tock tick tock

4 posted on 04/24/2009 10:34:47 AM PDT by ryan71 (Time to buy guns and ammo, People.)
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To: george76

Here’s a tip for the Gurkhas: Convert to Islam, take up international terrorism, spout off about how much you hate the country and resolve not to get a job when you get here.

You’ll get in for sure.


5 posted on 04/24/2009 10:35:57 AM PDT by Leg Olam (TOP SECRET! Os plan, 1 invade Poland 2 annex Sudetenland...)
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To: george76

I could certainly see granting residence automatically to any Gurkhas who did a full 20. And any of them should get preference, they should certainly get bumped to the front of the line. It makes sense to give preference to people who love you and have proven it again and again.


6 posted on 04/24/2009 10:37:37 AM PDT by marron
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To: george76
More than 200,000 fought during the First and Second World Wars, with 43,000 giving their lives.

More than 1 out of every 5. Given the number of hate-preaching imams Britain seems to accept, it's hard to believe they can't give these brave men who've fought for Britain the option.
7 posted on 04/24/2009 10:38:04 AM PDT by AnotherUnixGeek
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To: george76

“Gurkhas fail in immigration bid ( UK )”

I have about a dozen in my humidor...


8 posted on 04/24/2009 10:41:06 AM PDT by jessduntno (When POTUS is used in reference to Obama, does the TU stand for Totally Useless?)
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To: george76
The Gurkhas deserve better. They have served Britain well in the military.

Britain also shut out the Hong Kong Chinese in 1997, who were in danger of being swallowed up by a Communist country.

Meanwhile, Islamics flood into the U.K. illegally and threaten stability there.

I guess Muslims have "preferred" status when it comes to immigrating to England.

9 posted on 04/24/2009 11:01:53 AM PDT by Jess Kitting
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To: george76
'British army may not recruit Gurkhas'

The Times of India

 

 

LONDON: The fearless Gurkhas, who have been part of the British Army for almost 200 years, may no longer be recruited over fears that the veterans will cost too much for the government.

Military chiefs have warned that the historic Gurkha regiment could be scrapped if a landmark legal ruling results in thousands more veterans being allowed to settle in Britain, the Evening Standard newspaper said.

Under new regulations that are set be announced by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith in the next few weeks, the rights of former Gurkhas who left the regiment before 1997 are expected to be widened significantly. It could turn historic regiment into the most expensive infantry regiment in the British Army.

The change follows a High Court order last year which granted five of the Nepalese veterans the right to stay in Britain in a test case victory which led ministers to pledge a review of the rules covering up to 2,000 ex-Gurkhas in the same situation.

Campaigners believe that there should be blanket residence rights for the veterans and their dependants, who under the existing regulations are only entitled to move to Britain if they served after 1997.

According to the report, military officials are concerned that such rights for the warriors, who have served in Afghanistan and Iraq, could leave the British taxpayers with a substantial bill of between 1 billion pounds and 3 billion pounds.

"This could make the Gurkhas too expensive for the Army," said a senior defence official.

"We all acknowledge the fantastic service the Gurkhas give, particularly now in Afghanistan, but they may be too costly," the official was quoted as saying by the paper.
 

 

Britain ready to take in Guantánamo prisoners

Deal will help Obama to close down terror jail

 

Britain is preparing to receive foreign terror suspects from Guantánamo Bay so that Barack Obama can shut it down, The Times has learnt.

Government sources say that Britain now supports moves to rehouse the detainees, despite previous refusals to help President Bush.

A Downing Street official said that a process to deal with the detainees was being put in place and that decisions “would be for the Home Secretary to decide on a case-by-case basis”.

The issue is the subject of intense negotiations within Whitehall. The Foreign Office appears much keener on the idea than other departments, which will have to deal with the suspects’ immigration status and whether they will need special housing and cash benefits. Having foreign terror suspects with no links to the UK housed here inevitably will provoke controversy.

Excerpted. Read more at:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article5426064.ece

 

10 posted on 04/24/2009 11:14:40 AM PDT by MyTwoCopperCoins (I don't have a license to kill; I have a learner's permit.)
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To: george76
I'm guessing Gurkha's aren't muslim.
11 posted on 04/24/2009 11:15:08 AM PDT by skeeter
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To: george76

I don’t have any anitpathy for our British cousins, nor do I take pleasure in their difficulties but I swear, everything I read, see or hear about Britian anymore sounds like it was written by Lewis Carrol.


12 posted on 04/24/2009 11:15:21 AM PDT by VR-21 (Think it's time we stop, Hey what's that sound.....)
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To: MyTwoCopperCoins

Britishers have always been cool with the denizens of their empire fighting and dying, often in the first waves of attack for centuries. As long as the dam furriners don’t come to Ole Blighty, all was A-OK.

Perfidious Albion, indeed.

Meanwhile, jihadis and their familes live on the UK dole - Qatadah, Chaudury etc etc .


13 posted on 04/24/2009 11:55:30 AM PDT by swarthyguy ("We may be crazy in Pakistan, but not completely out of our minds," ISI Gen. Ahmed Shujaa Pasha)
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