David Enright, a solicitor representing the Gurkhas, has criticised new rules on the eligibility of veterans to live in the UK
A Londonderry solicitor who won a legal battle for the two
Victoria Cross winning Gurkhas to live in the UK has said he is
"disgusted" with new government rules on how many Gurkha veterans can
also get permission.
Ciaran McGuinness, a nephew of Sinn Fein's Deputy First Minister
Martin McGuinness, worked on the cases of Gurkha veterans Tul Bahadur
Pun and Lacchiman Gurung.
The Home Office said that new rules would allow about 4,300 more to
settle, but the Gurkha Justice Campaign said it would be just 100.
Mr McGuinness said the decision was "an absolute joke".
"Whether you agree or disagree with the British army, this is about
having a valid case. This is about loyalty that has been received but
not reciprocated."
Mr McGuinness spent five months travelling across Nepal, working on
cases including that of VC recipient Tul Bahadur Pun, who wanted to
move to the UK for medical reasons but had been told he was unable to
demonstrate strong enough British ties.
'Disgrace'
"When you're in Nepal everyone is so welcoming, it's just a disgrace
that the government has taken all that goodness the Gurkhas have to
offer and when the time has come to give something back, it's been
sadly lacking."
The regiment moved its main base from Hong Kong to the UK in 1997
and the government had argued that Gurkhas discharged before that date
were unlikely to have strong residential ties with the UK.
That meant those who wanted to settle in the UK had to apply for British residency and could be refused and deported.
Immigration Minister Phil Woolas outlined the eligibility criteria
in a written ministerial statement. Gurkhas and their families will be
allowed to stay in the UK if they meet at least one of five
requirements.
But campaigners say this will severely limit the number of eiligible veterans, and have vowed to continue their campaign.
'Passion'
One of the solicitors currently involved in the case, and a former colleague of Mr McGuinness, is David Enright.
Mr Enright, who is also from County Derry, used a famous slogan by DUP former leader Ian Paisley, to state his opposition.
He told reporters: "I will take the words of a famous country man of
mine, the Gurkhas have stood by us or 200 years and will we give up on
them now? Never! Never! Never!".
Mr Enright said it was a moment of "passion".
"For anyone from Northern Ireland, that statement has resonance. Ian
Paisley demonstrated a level of determination, whether you agree with
him or not.
"And we are determined, we have represented these men for some time, we've seen the conditions they live in.
"My grand-father served in Burma in the second world war, he had his life saved by the Gurkhas so I owe my life to them.
"The Paisley remark has a strong resonance for me, I'm a Northern Irish man and quite a passionate man too."
Last edited: 24-Apr-09 05:45 PM
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