Nepal: Maoists threaten Gurkha recruitment.

Esav Benyamin

Esav Benyamin

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This is a link from a thread in the Current Events forum, probably of more interest here than there: Gurkha's No More? As this hasn't happened yet, the opposing viewpoints are more or less negotiating positions before the proposal comes before parliament.

Former Gorkha soldiers here warned of countrywide protests if the Maoists closed the "Gorkha recruitment centers" and prevent Nepali youths to join the foreign forces. They also denounced the Maoist announcement to this effect terming it a rather "self suicidal decision" as over 200,000 Nepali families would be directly affected if such centers here were closed.

"I take exception to the Maoist's decision of closing down such centers which have long since been acting as a backbone of the country's economy," said Gopalman Gurung, former Gorkha soldier and erstwhile mayor of Lekhnath Municipality. He was speaking at a function organized by Nepal-India Friendship Association here at Pokhara on Saturday.

"We won't remain quiet (if the centers will be closed). Over 50,000 former Gorkha soldiers will hit the streets which will cost dearly to Maoist," he warned.

Such reaction comes at a time when CPN-Maoist is poised to lead a soon to be formed government. The party has mentioned, in its CA election manifesto, that it would shut down all Gorkha "recruitment centers".
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What kind of question is that? The story is new, it's coming from the opposition, not the "Glorious People's Party", and since it seems the parliament hasn't been formed yet, it may only be campaign propaganda by one faction of the Maoists.
 
Nevertheless, someone might know the answer -- the Maoists' rationale.

I imagine it's something like, "Our men should not shed their blood as running dogs of the capitalist conspiracy agianst the workers of the world." (Maoists bein' such peace-lovin' types.)
 
I have a feeling it's along those lines. You fight for China's interests, or you slave for China's interests. That's usually how socialist governments work.

Although there's really only an implication of what would happen, but I don't think even China wants 50,000 Gorkhas running around as insurgents.
 
Dunno how "connected" the Maoists are to China...but, not unlike Tibet, might have to do with a sense of national identity on the part of the Nepalese, and the cohesiveness of the Ghurka training.

justspeculation.
 
I always thought that if anybody could keep the Maoists at bay, it'd be the Gurkhas, one way or the other. One step backward for Imperial China.
 
It's hard for me, as an American, to speculate as to the mindset of the proposal, either for abolishing Ghukha recruitment centers, or for even wanting to become a Gurkha in the first place. On the one hand, I can see folks being upset that so many young men are basically becoming mercenaries for foreign countries. On the other hand, Gurkha recruitment represents one of the few opportunities for upward mobility, and I suspect remittances for relatives, in Nepal. My guess is that the legacy British colonial institution pits nationalist sentiment against economic reality. It'll be interesting to see how this works out.
 
Weel, I think it's a combination of the opportunity for young ment o fulfill the natural lust for adventure that we pretty much all have as young pups, coupled with the fact that the pay is probably better than anything they can expect in their station in life if they stayed home.

Not unlike some of the reasons that poor young men would have for running off to the Foreign Legion.
 
nothing the commies do is ever in the true interests of the people. Dah! This is not rocket science people and it is only through the "useful idiots" that we pretend that communism will bring anything other than misery and woe for the people under such systems.

The State is EVERYTHING. Individuals are nothing.....
 
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