KATHMANDU, June 21: Gorkha Ex-Servicemen’s Organization (GESO) has demanded that the 1947 Treaty reached between Nepal, India and Britain be scrapped, arguing that it is 'against human rights and highly discriminatory'.
Organizing a press conference at Reporters Club Nepal on Wednesday, GESO Chairman Padam Sundar Limbu accused the Nepal government of being a mute spectator on the unequal 1947 treaty reached between Nepal, India and Britain.
“The Nepal government is silent even after India and Britain, who prefer to call themselves as democratic nations and pioneers of human rights and the countries of rule of law, have been discriminating British Gorkhas on pension and other facilities,” said Limbu reading a press release.
Reacting to the statement provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that 12 British Gorkhas died in the line of duty in Britain, Limbu termed it as ‘absolutely false’.
Experts discuss historic Nepal-Britain 1923 Treaty
He further said that the number of British Gorkhas who lost their lives in the line of duty as British Gorkha soldiers is not only 12. The number might go higher as they have been serving in the British Army for the last 202 years, according to Limbu.
Regarding pension, Limbu said a British soldier draws 700 British Pound while a British Gorkha solder of the same rank gets only 200 Pound as pension.
Similarly, there is a provision that a British national serving for 22 years in the army retires on pension but a British Gorkha is given retirement after he completes 15 years in service. It is not in line with the 1947 Treaty.
Even this service of 15 years is taken only as 36 percent contribution and pension is provided after calculating under equivalent to six years in service.
Speaking on the occasion, Revolutionary Maoist leader Hari Krishna Gajurel said that the 1947 treaty signed between Nepal, India and Britain is unequal, discriminatory and unjust. “This is not only against the interest of Nepal but also breaches human rights under the cover of which human trafficking is taking place.”
Advocates Fanindra Karki, Chandra Prasad Pokharel and Dilli Prasad Neupane, who are looking into the case related to the 1947 Treaty, which is sub judice at the Supreme Court, said the case is likely to be scrapped.
Advocates Karki and Pokharel said that India and Britain unilaterally signed the 1947 Treaty which is still not in the interest of Nepal.
“If one of the sides breaches the treaty, if they find it impossible to carry out further or if there is change in the international law, the treaty will be scrapped,” they said.
Foreign Department Head, GESO Uttam Prasad Rai, Jivnarayan Shrestha, Indra Karki, Anju Thapa, Jeni Kunwar, Mahadev Tripathi among others were present at the program.
