Taken from an article in www.nepalnews.com Gurkha Soldiers: The other side of the story It is quite natural to show concern when any fellow citizen is killed, specially if he or she is killed in a war. When such a tragedy happens in a battle taking place far away in another country, the controversy intensifies even more. Perhaps it sounds strange when one says a citizen of one country has been killed in the war of another country. However, Nepal has a chance of this happening more than perhaps any other nation in the world, because thousands of its young men are recruited by the armies of Great Britain and India. This has been possible through a tripartite agreement signed between the three countries. But even before India was given independence by Great Britain, the British Army had started recruiting the hardy and tough Nepalese, specially from the hilly areas. And these people had proved their worth in the First and Second World Wars and at other battles too. Now, some politicians and intellectuals in Kathmandu are questioning the very logic or morality in sending our young men to work in foreign armies. Some political parties had made it a point to raise this issue once in a while in the past too. Surprisingly, joining these ranks of politicians, have been some retired personnel of the British Army itself. An Association has been formed and through that organisation a lot of pressure has been put on the British Government to treat the Gurkha soldiers in its army on par with the native soldiers. Both the theories sound very logical and any sensible person can see the point that is being made. For example, why should Nepalese be recruited in foreign armies and then be sent to do the fighting for them? Also, after they have been recruited, why should the Gurkhas, who are well known for their bravery, be treated less equal than the British? However, one has to answer more questions than these to understand this matter well enough. First of all why have these young Nepalese chosen to go and work for another country? Is it for fun or adventure? Is it because they are traitors? Is it because they don’t care about their country? No. It is because of the abject poverty they see in their villages and the opportunity they don’t see in their own country. Joining these armies is the only way out to make something of their lives and provide a good life for their families. One another aspect is, who are these young people? They are the youths of the various ethnic communities living in the hilly areas of Western and Eastern Nepal. The Gurungs and Magars are mostly from West Nepal and the Rais and Limbus are from Eastern Nepal. One interesting point that could be raised here is, what percentage of the population do these ethnic communities make up? If added, just these four ethnic sides could make up about 30 per cent of the Nepalese population. But how many of the people belonging to these tribes are doing well in the country? Probably a negligible number, compared to the Brahmans and Newars, who add up to make less than half the population of these ethnic people. In terms of employment opportunities in such places like the government bureaucracy, political parties, University, government corporations and even private sector, a handful of people may be there. No in depth research has to be made to find any statistics regarding these numbers. How many Magars, Gurungs, Rais and Limbus are there as party leaders? How many of them are ministers? How many are secretaries or top ranking bureaucrats? How many head govt corporations? How many are ambassadors, vice chancellors, generals in the army, top ranking officials in the police or even doctors and engineers? All such things point out that these people have not received the opportunity to go into any sector, except eke out a bare living in the hardy hills of their villages. Some may find it too harsh when this is said, but it is a fact that there is some sort of a discrimination against these ethnic people. Yes, the Gurungs and Magars and Rais and Limbus are a straight forward lot. Specially so the Magars, but this does not mean they are slow in learning or in gaining knowledge. When given the opportunity, the members of these tribes have proved that they can compete with the best. But when no chance is given, how can they do anything? It has been reported that even in such an extreme case like the Maoist insurgency, almost 50 per cent of the people killed by the police are Magars. And ironically, almost 50 per cent of those killed by the Maoists also happen to be Magars. How could this have happened, it does not happen even in Kosovo. It is either the Serbs killing the Albanaians or the Albanian extremeists killing the Serbs. More interestingly, who is the leader of the Maoists? The two top leaders are Brahmans. Now the point is, when all doors have been closed, if a young and determined boy gets the opportunity to go and find a good job from which he can make money which he could never dream of if he stayed back home, then who wouldn’t take up such an opportunity? There are hundreds of thousands of young people from these communities now, who are what they are, an educated lot and professionals, just because their fathers and other family members received the opportunity to find work either in the British or Indian armies. Had they been given the same opportunity here, it is sure they would never have left their motherland. So ideologically, it is definitely wrong to go and work abroad, including in places like Japan, Australia and the Middle East, forget the British or Indian armies. But what can the poor people do when they have no option back home? Therefore, if the political parties and other so called intellectuals who write from their comfortable rooms here in Kathmandu don’t want to see Nepalese working in foreign armies, then they must first provide equal opportunities to these people here in their own country. Otherwise it will be sheer hypocrisy in shedding crocodile tears for them. Now to come to the protesting former army personnel, one simple question is, did the British government drag them to go to join its army? It is common knowledge that youngsters in the hills of Western and Eastern Nepal, consider it their fortune to find a job in the British army. Their second choice is the Indian army. They prepare night and day to join these armies. There is fierce competition and only a lucky few are recruited. Furthermore, they know fully well the terms and conditions when they join the army. Had it not been for their army job, they may have been poor porters or ordinary labourers barely making out an existence and ignorant of all their rights. Then why the protest now? Yes, seeking to increase pay and perks through quiet dialogue is one thing, but jeopardising the future of other young Nepalese like them, who could have made a better life, is sheer selfishness. What if the British government says enough is enough and not recruit any Gurkha boy? Who will lose more? As for sending the army men to fight in places wherever their employer finds it necessary, is it logical to ask any question regarding this? What have these tough and brave people who have proved themselves in innumerable wars been recruited for? To change guards at the Buckingham Palace or to make a march past at India’s Republic Day parade? It would be an insult to the bravery of these people to even think like that. So before making any judgements and comments in newspapers, it would be worthwhile to contemplate on all these issues on why a young boy has made the tough decisions of leaving his near and dear ones and going abroad to find work. At least those people who are secure about their existence and living in the comforts of Kathmandu are not qualified to make honest comments about this.