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Gurkhas win right to settle in Britain

LONDON: After a long and bitter legal battle, a group of retired Gurkha soldiers, who served in the British Army, have won the right to settle in Britain.

Those who retired before 1997, when their regiment was based in Hong Kong, were not eligible for an automatic right to stay on grounds that they do not have strong residential ties with Britain. They need to apply for British residency and can be refused.

But on Tuesday, in what was hailed as a landmark judgment, the High Court ruled in their favour in a case brought by five ex-Gurkhas and the widow of another colleague. Justice Blake said Britain owed Gurkhas a “moral debt of honour” in view of their long service, conspicuous acts of bravery and loyalty to the Crown. The ruling, which is likely to benefit some 2,000 retired Gurkhas, was described by the community as a vindication of “commonsense.”

“Today we have seen a tremendous and historic victory for the gallant Gurkha veterans of Nepal. This is a victory that restores honour and dignity to deserving soldiers who faithfully served in Her Majesty’s armed forces. It is a victory for commonsense; a victory for fairness; and a victory for the British sense of what is right,” said their lawyer Martin Howe.

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