Gurkhas in Hong Kong show solidarity as part of global march for separate state in India

At least 200 Gurkhas and Nepali speakers staged a rally in Central on Sunday as part of a global campaign for a separate state in Darjeeling, eastern India.

The Global Gorkhaland Unity March was held in over 100 towns and cities across the world, including Perth, Pittsburgh and Edinburgh. It aimed to pay tribute to those killed in recent clashes between police and Gurkha activists in the Himalayan town who have revived a decades-old demand for a separate state for Gurkhas within the borders of India.

Darjeeling is currently part of West Bengal state.

“It’s extremely important for us to have a separate state,” said Subash Thapa, president of the United Gorkha Community of India – Hong Kong, which organised the local rally.

“If we get our own land, when people ask where we from, we can always say we are from Gorkhaland in India. That’s the pride we must have. But so far we don’t have that kind of pride.”

Participants, mostly dressed in black, gathered in Chater Garden at around 12.30pm. They said it was their duty to support their compatriots fighting for a separate state.