Lance Corporal Gyanendra Rai

[Trooped_Again]

As a Scotsman and an ex-serviceman, I'm absolutely gutted at the response from a Scottish MSP.

Scotland used to be very proud of its servicemen and women, what's happening?

L/Cpl Rai deserves support from ALL corners of the U.K.

 

[hackle]

As a Scotsman and an ex-serviceman, I'm absolutely gutted at the response from a Scottish MSP.

Scotland used to be very proud of its servicemen and women, what's happening?

L/Cpl Rai deserves support from ALL corners of the U.K.

Agreed on that last, BUT, all the MSP said is that defence isnt a matter for the Scottish Parliament. Some of us express outrage when MSPs "poke their noses into" defence matters. It would be a great pity and very misleading if anyone comes away with the idea that Scotland is somehow any less proud of our servicemen and women than other corners of the UK. In fact the reverse is true. Note the thoroughly well-deserved popular success of the Black Watch play.

 

[Blood]

"….all the MSP said is that defence isnt a matter for the Scottish Parliament".
I agree hackle and I dont think anyone was accusing Scots of not supporting their own.

My anger is directed at the comment in relation to MSPs stating defence is nothing to do with the Scottish Parliament, I agree that in part he is right but then why is Defence debated in session and reported on? Some examples (all available on the website are) are:

Thursday 16 January 2003 9:30 am Debate on The Current International Situation- IRAQ

Monday 24 March 2003,
S1M-4054 Robin Harper: Attack on IRAQ,
S1M-4050 Mr John Swinney: The Current International Situation—That the Parliament deeply regrets the commencement of military action in Iraq……..
Supported by: Michael Matheson, Bruce Crawford, Ms Sandra White, Christine Grahame, Andrew Wilson, Nicola Sturgeon, Fiona Hyslop, Mrs Margaret Ewing, Kay Ullrich, Irene McGugan, Colin Campbell, Fiona McLeod, Tricia Marwick, Alex Neil, Fergus Ewing, Mr Gil Paterson, Mr Kenny MacAskill, Linda Fabiani, Brian Adam, Michael Russell, Shona Robison, Mr Kenneth Gibson, Richard Lochhead, Alasdair Morgan
S1M-4049 Dennis Canavan: Stop the War—That the Parliament condemns the commencement of war against Iraq and calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities with a view to recommencing efforts to find a peaceful solution.
Supported by: Mr John McAllion, Elaine Smith, Margo MacDonald, Tommy Sheridan, Robin Harper, Mr Lloyd Quinan, Dorothy-Grace Elder

14th Meeting, 2004 Scottish National Party Debate on the International Situation-
S2M-1374 Mr John Swinney: International Situation-That the Parliament reaffirms its support for the United Nations and its belief in the primacy of international law….

Thursday 11 November 1999 Official report into Pardon for Executed Soldiers
That the Parliament believes that it is not too late to restore the names and reputations of the soldiers of the British empire forces court martialled and executed…….

Thursday 12 May 2005 debate on motion S2M-2794, Scotland's veterans in the name of Malcolm Chisholm.

Two points here. Firstly if it is nothing to do with the Scottish Parliament, stop wasting money discussing it and writing official reports. However, secondly there is an obvious precedence for a debate on this matter in relation to what I have read on the SP website, and there is a way of officially raising the plight of these brave Gurkha in the form of a statement or questions to Westminster.
Why MSPs are you willing to ignore this problems and trying to pass it to someone else.

 

[snorkypig]

Gents posted on request from our friends on aarse.

Dear All

I just want to give you an update.

I post a thank you on PPruNe for their help. I still can't seem to register on RumratioN, so could someone please pass them this word of thanks:

"Dear RumratioN

I am so very grateful to all your forum members for the work they have done to get my client, Tul Bahadur Pun VC, into the UK. I am also proud of the work you are doing to help Gurkha Lance Corporal Gyanendra Rai (see www.VCHero.co.uk for more details) who was very seriously wounded in the Falklands and who has also been told that he does not have "strong ties" to the UK.

You are all welcome to come and welcome “home†Mr Pun VC who arrives in the UK on 4 July 2007, at Heathrow Airport, at 5:55 pm, on the Virgin Flight VS301 from New Delhi. The bigger the crowd, the more my client will know that this country (not its politicians) respect what he did 63 years ago on 23rd June 1944. I also want to make sure the media knows that this country respects those who wear the uniform and hold the line (including one very special man from Nepal with a little bronze cross on his chest!).

I am forever indebted to you for the help you have given to my Gurkha clients and for the help you are giving to OUR Gurkhas.

Kind regards

Kieran O'Rourke
Howe & Co Solicitors
Ealing, London "

If someone is already registered on RumratioN could they please kindly post the above thank you for me. I would be so very grateful. I am waiting for PPruNe mods to allow my "novice" posts “through†so that I can personally thank PpruNers for their support.

I will continue to make all the main posts here, on ARRSE, as the central focal point and then the word can be spread amongst our many friends by other forum members. No disrespect is intended to any other Service or Forum, it’s just I have only 1 set of hands but 1000s of helpers!

Finally, for your information, we have done an email shot to the South Atlantic Medal Association (SAMA) (1982) and the response to the position of Lance Corporal Rai, in just 24 hours, has been amazing. They are a good bunch of people in that organisation. Anyway, what's been done to my client L/Cpl Rai is outrageous, as the pictures of his wounds and the fact he fought for this country's honour in the Falklands should have been enough to allow him to live here if he chooses.

If you have any Falkland veterans in your contacts books, then please refer them to VCHero.co.uk and get them to note what is being done to one of their comrades. Hopefully, the media will now finally pick up Lance Corporal Rai’s cause!

Thanks forever ARRSERs! See you on 4th July at Heathrow and afterwards!

Kieran O'Rourke
Howe & Co Solicitors
Ealing, London

 

[smoothbore]

I have e-mailed my MP about L/Cpl Rai and he has promised to write to the Home Office & the MoD.

 

[OSLO]

I think we can extend the list of contacts to any veteren or serving person.

 

[aberdeenlad]

Update to letters sent.

Alyn Smith MEP - No reply.
David Martin MEP - Replied by email. Wrote to Home Secretery.
Ian Hudghton MEP - No reply.
Elspeth Attwooll MEP - No reply.
Struan Stevenson MEP - No reply.
John Purvis CBE MEP - No reply.
Catherine Stihler MEP email reply. She has writen to Home Secretery.
Alison McInnes MSP - Replied by post. Passed my email on to my MP.
Nigel Don MSP - No reply.
Maureen Watt MSP - Replied by post. She wrote to Home Secretery, copied her letter to me.
Nanette Milne MSP - Received email reply, has asked Cons at Westminster to deal with.
Richard Baker MSP - No reply.
Alex Johnstone MSP - Replied by email. Not my problem gov, tell Westminster about it. Sent a dissapointed email back to him, have heard nothing from him since.
Alex Salmond MSP - No reply, Never phones, Never writes.
Malcolm Bruce MP - Replied by email and post. He also wrote to Home Secretery and copied me with letter, he does seem to back the armed forces.
Marlyn Glen MSP - Replied by post, asked me to contact my MP.

 

[aberdeenlad]

I received a further reply from Malcolm Bruce today. He has made quite a few representations on behalf of the Ghurkas and has kept me informed along the way. In his latest letter he has copied me with a reply from Richard Biscoe (standard fob off data protection act blah blah). Mr Bruce MP decided he didn't like the response and has written to the home office again. Will let you know what reply he gets.

It should be noted that Malcolm Bruce has supported every campaign regarding the military that I have brought to his attention. If only we had another 300 MPs like him.

I also received a reply from Alex Salmond - nothing to do with me mate, I have passed your concerns on to your MP Mr Malcolm Bruce. It seems all the MSPs and MEPs like to pass the buck when it comes to our armed forces and the buck seems to stop with Mr Bruce.

Lindsay

 

[exile1]

BUMP...............because you know it's worth it..................

 

[dondon]

Utter respect for them . :salut: :salut:

 

[SILVER_FOX]

Even if he never did a days work after moving into the country, he would have already done far more than many others who do get in illegally and then are naturalised in one of the Governments many immigration numbers swindles when they simply wipe the slate clean to balance the books.

SF