Gurkhas win battle to make government pay

Former Gurkhas who suffered beatings while imprisoned by the Japanese during the Second World War have won compensation from the British Government.

In a test case which could eventually cost £3m, three Gurkhas who served with the British Army had challenged a Ministry of Defence decision excluding them from compensation payments for British prisoners of war. Their lawyers argued they were victims of racial discrimination. A High Court judge ruled yesterday that the decision not to compensate the soldiers was a breach of their human rights and because of their age they should be compensated as soon as possible.

The former Gurkhas, Pahalman Gurung, Gaurisor Thapa and Hukumsing Pun, now stand to receive payments of £10,000 each from a fund set up to benefit British PoWs.