Ghurkas

[Duke Malcolm]

You're just moody because your country's army doesn't have something nearly as good or special as the Ghurkas...

The British Commonwealth of Nations is a Commonwealth of those Nations which were part of the British Empire (except Mozambique), especially the British Dominions (where HM the Queen is Head of State). They remain "friends" and have good relations...

[Adrian II]

You're just moody because your country's army doesn't have something nearly as good or special as the Ghurkas...

Special my foot.

They have been traded and rented out like human commodity, even in cases where they had to suppress fellow Asians.

In the 1950's and 1960's British Gurkhas were rented out to Malaya, Brunei and Indonesia in order to help suppress their resistance movements. In Malaya these Gurkhas were paid 42 Malayan dollars a month for doing all the dirty work; afterwards the Brits sent the Malayan government a bill to the amount of 450 M$ per Gurkha. And Brunei had to pay 1.5 GBP and foot the entire bill for the Gurkha battalion they 'rented'. Good little money-makers, eh?

Of course many of them were sent home empty-handed. Thousands had to herd livestock and plow the fields well into their 60's and 70s' despite the lack of an arm, a leg or an eye which they had lost in 'British' battles. Some committed suicide in British service because of homesickness and humiliation, others did so afterwards because of loss of face or starvation. It is part of their mountain culture not to speak about your dukkha to others. Hence their proverbial reticence.

'Inscrutable' is the word, I believe?

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

AII-Although we don't pay them nearly enough, are you seriously suggesting that getting rid of our Nepalese regiments would be beneficial to Nepal?

I'm not sure these boys would be very pleased to hear that their one avenue of escape has been removed because it's an imperialist throwback.

[Adrian II]

AII-Although we don't pay them nearly enough, are you seriously suggesting that getting rid of our Nepalese regiments would be beneficial to Nepal?

Are you seriously suggesting that Gurkha recruitment is overseas development aid? Please...

I suggest you do as the French do with their Foreign Legionnaires: normal pay, normal pension, normal benefits and bonuses plus the option of French nationality.

Ah, but that would upset the Indians, wouldn't it? After all they have a similar arrangement with Kathmandu to exploit the Gurkhas since 1947.

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

Are you seriously suggesting that Gurkha recruitment is overseas development aid? Please...

Erm...I don't think I said anything of the sort. I simply pointed out that stopping recruitment wouldn't solve anything.

I agree with you, we need to pay them more, and they can already gain British nationality.

[Adrian II]

Erm...I don't think I said anything of the sort. I simply pointed out that stopping recruitment wouldn't solve anything.

That makes two of us. I didn't say recruitment had to stop. I just don't buy the Gurkha romance crap.

[Meneldil]

AdrianII, I understand the way Ghurkas are treated right now isn't really great, and that it can be assimilated to some form of 'slavery' (though that's not what I think), but given the current situation in Nepal, these youngsters will probably have a better life working in the british army. Starving in a mountainous area, while waiting for either the communist guerilla or the governement's forces to shot you isn't really exciting.

[Adrian II]

(..) given the current situation in Nepal, these youngsters will probably have a better life working in the British Army.

Sure, I just said so. That is why they can be easily recruited.

But their treatment is part of an exploitative arrangement. India too abuses them. It is using many more Gurkhas than provided by the 1947 treaty, and it is employing them in wars with neighbouring countries in contravention of said treaty. For instance many Gurkhas have died in the Kargill border war with Pakistan, where they have no business being in the first place. Kathmandu is not protesting, nor is it representing the Gurkhas in their conflicts with the British government. These guys are treated like a commodity, just like prostitutes from poor countries.