Kathmandu: Former Deputy Mayor of London Borough of Barnet and ‘Civic Ambassador’ Councilor Lakshya Gurung has sent a letter to the British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, requesting to increase the humanitarian aid for Nepal affected by the severe floods and to deploy British Gurkha soldiers.
In a letter sent on behalf of the Nepalese community in the UK, Councilor Gurung mentioned that after the devastating floods in the northern regions of Nepal including Rasuwa, more than 1,000 people including British citizens have died, more than 4,000 have gone missing and the flood has caused extensive damage to houses and infrastructure. As the search and rescue work continues, the number of dead and missing people is increasing day by day.
Expressing his gratitude for the initial crisis relief aid of 5 million pounds announced by the British government, Councilor Gurung made the following three major demands to the UK government to further strengthen the historical relationship between Nepal and Britain:
Increase humanitarian aid and long-term development budgets: Increase long-term development aid for immediate relief such as water, medicine, food and temporary shelters for affected communities, as well as rebuilding damaged roads, bridges, schools and health facilities.
Deployment of British Gurkha Team: Similar to the rescue after the devastating earthquake of 2015, this time also the deployment of British Gurkha troops for rescue, humanitarian aid and reconstruction in the worst affected northern region.
Global leadership against climate change: Although Nepal’s role in global greenhouse gas emissions is only 0.12 percent, the impact of climate change is high, so the UK should take the lead in global climate cooperation for mountainous and vulnerable countries like Nepal.
“Britain has both a moral responsibility and a historical opportunity to stand with Nepal and the Nepali people at this difficult time,” Gurung, who is also a former Gurkha soldier, recalling in the letter the historical relationship of more than 211 years and the contribution of the Gurkha soldiers.
