Gurkha Veterans Launch Indefinite Hunger Strike Over Pensions
Three Gurkha veterans have started an indefinite hunger strike to demand fair pensions from the UK government. The protest is organised by the British Gurkha Satyagraha United Struggle Committee, following a brutal 13-day relay hunger strike just last month.
Unfair Pension Rules Spark Fury
Gurkha veterans who retired before 1997 are currently barred from receiving a UK Armed Forces pension — a privilege British soldiers don’t have to miss out on. Only those who served on or after 1 July 1997 can transfer into the Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS), with their full service time counting towards their pension.
For pre-1997 service, however, veterans get short-changed: each year counts for just 23% to 36% of a pension year, depending on rank.
History of Hunger Strikes and Broken Promises
This isn’t the first time Gurkha veterans have gone on hunger strike. Back in 2013, under Prime Minister David Cameron, a 15-day strike led to the formation of an all-party parliamentary group promising to fix the pension gap. Yet, years later, the issue remains unresolved, forcing veterans back onto the protest trail.
Theirs is a fight for fairness and recognition. And with hunger strikes returning, the pressure on the government to act is mounting.
