Nepalese Gurkhas and their battle for equal rights

For almost 200 years, Nepalese Gurkhas have played a key role within the British armed forces. The dynamics of this ongoing relationship are complex and in many ways characterised by enduring colonial constructs of race and identity. This article analyses this relationship, paying close attention to the discriminatory treatment afforded Gurkhas on matters such as pay and pensions, mobility within the chain of command and restrictions on their right to settle permanently in the UK. Initially it familiarises the reader with the origins of this relationship, exploring how colonial perceptions of the Gurkhas as a ‘martial race’ continue to occupy a powerful place in the public imagination. It goes on to examine the growing body of Gurkha litigation as a way of understanding why policies that institutionally discriminate against the Gurkhas have been allowed to persist. It contends that colonial constructs of difference continue to occupy the subtext of judicial reasoning and government law and policy vis à vis the Gurkhas. Finally, the article proposes some practical solutions to rectify some of the problems of discrimination Gurkhas continue to experience.