My friend
brisingamen writes, in a wrap-up of her local elections:
"Even more positively, Dhan Gurung became, so far as we know, the first Nepalese Gurkha councillor in this country, taking a seat on Folkestone Town Council."
"Even more positively, Dhan Gurung became, so far as we know, the first Nepalese Gurkha councillor in this country, taking a seat on Folkestone Town Council."
no subject
Date: 2007-05-07 07:57 pm (UTC)I'm blocked from that site...was he a former soldier?
no subject
Date: 2007-05-07 08:12 pm (UTC)Yes--here's the dope from the Folkestone LD website:
Dhan Gurung
Standing for Folkestone Town Council.
Dhan Gurung served as a Gurkha for 18 years and now lives in Richmond Street, Cheriton. Having first been posted to the Shorncliffe Barracks in 2000, Dhan has stayed in the Cheriton area since leaving the army in 2004.
As a soldier, Dhan served in Afghanistan and Bosnia amongst many other postings, and now works as a lead security officer in Folkestone. Dhan is also a musician and singer of note - he made the Nepali Top 10 in 1998 and has released a number of CDs!
Following the successful Gurhka citizenship campaign, Dhan applied for and received British citizenship last year.
Dhan is committed to working for a better Folkestone, and to represent and work to involve the Gurkha community as much as possible in Folkestone life. It is believed that if elected to Folkestone Town Council in May he would be the first Gurkha in the country to become a councillor.
http://www.shepwaylibdems.org.uk/pages/candidates2007-fhs.html#folkestone-cheriton
They also have a page on their Gurkha support campaign:
http://www.shepwaylibdems.org.uk/pages/gurkhacampaign.html