Sita Mademb in Dharan, Sunsari
Gajendra Ispo of Dharan was employed as a soldier in the United Kingdom for 17 years. When he came back after receiving his pension in 1993, Dharan was still relatively empty. But within the last couple of years the town had become a thriving middle class residential area for ex-Gurkhas who set up their homes in the city. Visitors to Dharan were stunned by the smart houses and beautiful gardens.
Recently the houses have gradually been emptying, the gardens neglected as more than half the 10,000 ex-Gurkha families in Dharan migrate and settle in the UK.
But Ispo says he is not for settling in the UK, "I want to live a life of dignity in my own country. In the UK, I will be degraded to a second grade citizen. Why go to a foreign country to slave for others? My principles don't allow that."
Since the Gurkha Army Ex-Servicemen's Organisation (GAESO) was set up, Ipso has been actively involved in the fight for equal treatment of the Gurkha soldiers. He has been trying to help the families of the remaining ex-Gurkhas in Dharan. But as most Gurkhas have left to settle in the UK, he says he has not been able to help as much as he would have liked to.
Supporting Ipso is Ram Narayan Kandagwa, who has also decided to stay back. After his pension arrived, he completed his PhD on Nepali British relations with special focus on Gurkhas. Kandagwa explains, "I am against going to the UK because I believe that we have to make a contribution to Nepali society. British society, culture, religion and lifestyle are different. Language is a problem as well. In addition, our life will be of a lower standard. My life here is good, why should I leave? There is no point." Along with Ipso and Kandagwa other Dharan residents who have opted to stay include Ramesh Rai, Nara Bahadur Thapa and Bhaktesar Rai.
But there are very few who choose not to join the race. According to GAESO there are about 40,000 ex-Gurkhas, the majority of whom have chosen to migrate with their families, which totals 60,000 Nepali people. Towns like Dharan, Damak, Pokhara, Butwal, Itahari and Palpa, which used to have heavy settlements of ex-Gurkhas, are now almost deserted. Many families sold their houses and property before leaving.
Dharan became a thriving town, thanks to the money invested by former soldiers. The former Gurkhas established Depot Secondary School under the one-day salary program. Gurkha Savings Cooperative has operations worth Rs 110 million. The Gurkha Community Building was well attended and land worth Rs 10 million was bought to construct Gurkha Department Store. British Gurkha Memorial Park, a Rs 150 million project, is being constructed to encourage tourism in Dharan. The present financial crunch aside, there is now a shortage of manpower to run these organisations. They seem destined to fold.
The Ex-Gurkha Organisation, women's committee used to have 300 general members and was very active in social service activities in Dharan. Now they rarely have enough women to justify holding a meeting. Local businessmen say the mass emigration has had a detrimental impact on local businesses. Remittances have also gone down.
But the situation has not discouraged the ex-Gurkha community. Despite the low manpower, they are determined to carve out an identity for themselves and perpetuate the ongoing works. Those who have left also contributed to the projects.
The Gurkhas united in 1995 to fight against the injustice of inequality. They had put forward a four-point demand of which three have been granted. The soldiers who fought in World War II received compensation of 10,000 pounds each in 2002. Gurkhas recruited after 1997, were granted a permanent residence visa in 2003. Then, another ruling in favour of the Gurkhas earlier this month granted permanent residency to soldiers who had been in service for more than four years. Permanent residency was not a part of the four-point demand. Their main demand, which is for Gurkha soldiers to receive a pension equal to that of their British counterparts, is yet to be fulfilled.
The UK started recruiting Nepali soldiers after the 1816 Sugauli Treaty. There are now 35,000 Nepalis in the British army. Every year more than 200 Nepali youths are recruited.
STAYING HOME: (r-l) Gajendra Ispo, Nar Bahadur Thapa, Bhaktesar Rai,
Ram Naryan Kandangwa are a handful of former Gurkha soldiers who have
decided not to emigrate to the UK
Gurkha soldiers gather at a mass
meeting earlier this year
http://www.nepalitimes.com
Gajendra Ispo of Dharan was employed as a soldier in the United Kingdom for 17 years. When he came back after receiving his pension in 1993, Dharan was still relatively empty. But within the last couple of years the town had become a thriving middle class residential area for ex-Gurkhas who set up their homes in the city. Visitors to Dharan were stunned by the smart houses and beautiful gardens.
Recently the houses have gradually been emptying, the gardens neglected as more than half the 10,000 ex-Gurkha families in Dharan migrate and settle in the UK.
But Ispo says he is not for settling in the UK, "I want to live a life of dignity in my own country. In the UK, I will be degraded to a second grade citizen. Why go to a foreign country to slave for others? My principles don't allow that."
Since the Gurkha Army Ex-Servicemen's Organisation (GAESO) was set up, Ipso has been actively involved in the fight for equal treatment of the Gurkha soldiers. He has been trying to help the families of the remaining ex-Gurkhas in Dharan. But as most Gurkhas have left to settle in the UK, he says he has not been able to help as much as he would have liked to.
Supporting Ipso is Ram Narayan Kandagwa, who has also decided to stay back. After his pension arrived, he completed his PhD on Nepali British relations with special focus on Gurkhas. Kandagwa explains, "I am against going to the UK because I believe that we have to make a contribution to Nepali society. British society, culture, religion and lifestyle are different. Language is a problem as well. In addition, our life will be of a lower standard. My life here is good, why should I leave? There is no point." Along with Ipso and Kandagwa other Dharan residents who have opted to stay include Ramesh Rai, Nara Bahadur Thapa and Bhaktesar Rai.
But there are very few who choose not to join the race. According to GAESO there are about 40,000 ex-Gurkhas, the majority of whom have chosen to migrate with their families, which totals 60,000 Nepali people. Towns like Dharan, Damak, Pokhara, Butwal, Itahari and Palpa, which used to have heavy settlements of ex-Gurkhas, are now almost deserted. Many families sold their houses and property before leaving.
Dharan became a thriving town, thanks to the money invested by former soldiers. The former Gurkhas established Depot Secondary School under the one-day salary program. Gurkha Savings Cooperative has operations worth Rs 110 million. The Gurkha Community Building was well attended and land worth Rs 10 million was bought to construct Gurkha Department Store. British Gurkha Memorial Park, a Rs 150 million project, is being constructed to encourage tourism in Dharan. The present financial crunch aside, there is now a shortage of manpower to run these organisations. They seem destined to fold.
The Ex-Gurkha Organisation, women's committee used to have 300 general members and was very active in social service activities in Dharan. Now they rarely have enough women to justify holding a meeting. Local businessmen say the mass emigration has had a detrimental impact on local businesses. Remittances have also gone down.
But the situation has not discouraged the ex-Gurkha community. Despite the low manpower, they are determined to carve out an identity for themselves and perpetuate the ongoing works. Those who have left also contributed to the projects.
The Gurkhas united in 1995 to fight against the injustice of inequality. They had put forward a four-point demand of which three have been granted. The soldiers who fought in World War II received compensation of 10,000 pounds each in 2002. Gurkhas recruited after 1997, were granted a permanent residence visa in 2003. Then, another ruling in favour of the Gurkhas earlier this month granted permanent residency to soldiers who had been in service for more than four years. Permanent residency was not a part of the four-point demand. Their main demand, which is for Gurkha soldiers to receive a pension equal to that of their British counterparts, is yet to be fulfilled.
The UK started recruiting Nepali soldiers after the 1816 Sugauli Treaty. There are now 35,000 Nepalis in the British army. Every year more than 200 Nepali youths are recruited.
STAYING HOME: (r-l) Gajendra Ispo, Nar Bahadur Thapa, Bhaktesar Rai,
Ram Naryan Kandangwa are a handful of former Gurkha soldiers who have
decided not to emigrate to the UK
Gurkha soldiers gather at a mass
meeting earlier this year
http://www.nepalitimes.com
Namaste,
ReplyDeleteOnce again I will be retruning to Dharan. Once again I will be playing my pipes in the British Gurkha Cemetery, Dharan. I am still seeking the village of RIT BAHADUR RAI (16 years) who died as a Gurkha rifleman in IRAQ in 1941. That village is GARIGAON. I want to simply play the tune of 'Going Home' for a wee lad who never did. I will if possible once again decorate the Gurkh statue in Dharan as a token of my respect for all Gurkhas who died so far from their native home. HOME is a wonderful word. It describes the place where ones ancestors live, where we played as children and where one day we may rest in peace. Unfortunately things change. My home in Liverpool, England is no longer the place I loved. It has lost it's culture and the small plot of land in which my father lays is now derelict and his marker desecrated.
I will at 11am on Wednesday the 11th November 2009, stand in the cemetery and remember the gallant Gurkhas who died fighting for the preservation of all out cultures. Will I ever find the village of GARIGAON ???????
Bill Jenkins (75 years)
Liverpool
UK
Namaste Bill Jenkins
ReplyDeleteFirst of all i salute yours openion and showed the respect of Gorkhas,who had fought for British. And right now they are still fighting for the equality. And i know from yours comment you are still searching the birth place of Rit Bdr Rai,firstly we have to know the district of garigau after that we would find his village.
sita mademba
sitamademba@gmail.com
Namaste,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your reply. Ar last I an getting some support. After years trying the 'dignatories I have found that people like you are helping. However it seems that the village of GARIGAON will ever elude me. I am aware of the meaninf of the name but the only village I can find with that name is near OKALDHUNGA Si far I have received no information from that area. Du you think it would be worthwhile my advertisinf in the Napal media for some one who knows of a RAI family from GARIGAON who lost their relative in IRAQ ?????.
Bill Jenkins
Liberpool UK
Nemaste. Reference forgotten Gurkha RIT BAHADUR RAI. My research has narrowed my search down to a village near RUMJATAR, Okhaldunga. I hope to contact someone there and perhaps visit in November 2010.
ReplyDelete