Rishi Baral

Gorkha Army Ex-servicemen’s Organisation (GAESO) Chairman Padam Bahadur Gurung today said the Chief of the General Staff of British Army, General Sir Peter Wall’s visit to Nepal was aimed at aborting GAESO’s struggle.

Gurung, however, warned that their struggle would continue despite the British government’s threat. “British government did not make any accord while Nepali youths were recruited for the British Army. He went on to say that the British government has made the future of thousands of Mangolian youths uncertain due to then Rana and British government’s vested interest.” 

“How can the British government hire the youths of an independent country into its army without any written agreement?,” Gurung asked. It was better to close the Gorkha recruitment than ruin the future of thousands of youths. Gurung maintained Nepali youths were ready to fight for the motherland, but not for the sake of foreigners.

Thousands of youths were killed, maimed, mutilated and amputated in World Wars I and II and other British operations. “Who would heal the pain of kin of those deceased during the wars?,” he added.

GAESO is planning to conduct mass funeral rites for 60,000 Gurkha soldiers who had laid down their lives serving the British empire in two World Wars at Salmedanda of Fedikhola VDC in Syngja from November 20 and 23. 

At a press conference in Pokhara today, Gurung said one fist of soil as remains of those killed in different countries would be brought and their last rites would be performed en masse. He said that a cemetery would be a holy site for those peace loving citizens of Nepal and abroad.

People belonging to 18 different castes and ethnic communities including Gurung, Magar, Rai, Thakali, Newar were killed while fighting for the British empire. It is believed that the Gorkha Memorial would serve as research centre as it would have 18 different houses reflecting culture of 18 different castes and communities.

Published on: 19 November 2012 | The Himalayan Times