Plaid Cymru AM Lindsay Whittle has demanded justice for the Gurkhas during a debate on the Welsh Armed Forces in the Senedd.
The debate, brought by fellow South Wales East AM William Graham, touched upon many issues – including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) suffered by troops.
Lindsay Whittle, who met representatives of the Wales Gurkha Association in Pontypool, earlier this month said: “There are 75 families in my region of South Wales East. While we all rejoiced at their victory last year, ably led by Joanna Lumley, these brave, gutsy fighters are continuing to fight for equal pension rights. While they won a partial victory last year, there are still 25,000 Gurkhas who retired before July 1 1997 who have been denied the opportunity to transfer into the UK armed forces pension fund. We need to work on that. It was a travesty of justice when the High Court in January 2010 ruled in favour of the Ministry of Defence against the Gurkhas.
“Whether you support war or not – and I do not – let us never forget that these people belong to us in Wales, and that PTSD must be tackled with a degree of seriousness. If the National Assembly for Wales can champion this cause, we can hold our heads high. If we can embarrass and challenge the national Government in London to stand up for the rights of Gurkhas and the rights of those suffering from PTSD, this parliament in Wales will earn the respect of the people of Wales and Britain. I am proud to speak in this debate.”
The Welsh Government has recently announced a support package for those serving in the Armed Forces which includes mental health support for veterans.
The Gurkha's have had a long and loyal association with the UK and deserve the highest respect along with others in our Military Services.
We may not always agree where our politicians deploy these dedicated people but they should be admired for their loyalty and we should appreciate their commitment.
Lindsay Whittle may not have served in H.M. Forces but he does have the courage to visit them in war zones and it is appreciated by all those who have stood up to be counted.