Nepalese Gurkhas end hunger strike over UK military pensions
A 13-day hunger strike by former Nepalese Gurkha soldiers has ended after the British government agreed to enter talks with the Nepalese Embassy over veterans' pensions
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A 13-day hunger strike by former Nepalese Gurkha soldiers came to an end Thursday after the British government agreed to enter talks with the Nepalese Embassy over equal pensions for veterans.
The agreement came a day after one of the veterans, 60-year-old Dhan Gurung, was admitted to the hospital with heart problems.
Gurkha soldiers, who are recruited from Nepal, have served the British Army for more than 200 years, including during both world wars and most recently in Afghanistan They have a reputation as hard and loyal fighters, and are known for the trademark curved kukri blades they carry sheathed on their belts.
The hunger strikers were part of a group of protesters calling for equal pensions for Gurkhas who retired before 1997 and are not eligible for a full British armed forces pension.
“Our primary concern is always the health and welfare of our serving personnel and veterans, and this strike was not a course of action we encouraged," the Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
“We look forward to meeting with the group next month alongside the Nepali ambassador to move forward together," the ministry added.
The Gurkha Equal Rights campaign group said in a tweet that the hunger strike has been called off after “13 days of fast unto death.”
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.