This site has been set up so that Gilly's family and many friends can share their thoughts and stories at this overwhelming, difficult time. Feel free to add your contributions by clicking here and then on 'Post a Comment'
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Gilly at the Leamington Peace Festival 2006
Do It Today!
29 comments:
For a bright star!
Gilly was a rock to our family when my cousin, Mikey Powell, died in police custody in 2003, and his support and interest in the case had been continued throughout all these past years. We were shocked and dismayed by this tragic news and stand with you Gilly's family, friends and associates through your grief.
I send these few lines on behalf of all of Mikey's family who were all very fond of Gilly who made several trips to Birmingham to see us during those early painful months. He will be sorely missed, but the legacy of compassion and care that was at his core will live on through all those whose lives he touhed.
Once again, our most sincere condolences.
Tippa Naphtali
on behalf of the Powell family & friends
My Friend, My Brother, My Conscience
I cannot express enough in words my sadness at our brothers loss.
I met Gilly at Preston back in the early 90's, where we shared a house and from day one we hit it off. Our politics, our views, our attitude was exactly the same. When he realised I had been involoved in the Newham 8 campaigns and NMP from my school days we became even closer.
We'd do little subtle things like put posters of Udham Singh Shaheed on our room doors at the house so that people would ask who that was. In explaining to people who he was Gilly would come into his own.
When he lived in London before he bought his house , he, my brother and me shared the same bedroom in my parents house. We used to jokingly call him Gilly "the Hitman" Hart after the American wrestler Bret the Hitman Hart, because of his similar looks and long curly hair.
He would go to all the family functions. He was the adopted family memeber. Such was his charm and warmth, all my family members took him to their hearts.
More recently, for 10 years I had been nagging him to visit my house in Birmingham, and in typical Gilly style out of the blue he turned up at my house on the 10/3/2007. If I had known a week later he would be no more I would have forced him to stay longer.
Kabir said why cry at the death of a Saint? He is just going back to his home., but when that Saint is a much loved friend/brother, it is very difficult to come to terms with.
Yeh Dosti, Hum Naheen Chorain Gai.
Chorain Chorain Gai, Dhum Magaar.
Tera Saath Naa Toraain Gaii.
Heavens Gain is Our Loss.
Vic Singh (and the East Ham Boys)
Gilly’s passing has shaken me to my core. An empty feeling has fallen upon me, I have lost a member of my extended family, I have lost a fellow freedom fighter, we have all lost a compassionate, caring, human being.
I reach out to his wife and family and I say to you that he shall live on.
We shall all find strength in his memory.
Benjamin Zephaniah
Gilly’s passing has shaken me to my core. An empty feeling has fallen upon me, I have lost a member of my extended family, I have lost a fellow freedom fighter, we have all lost a compassionate, caring, human being.
I reach out to his wife and family and I say to you that he shall live on.
We shall all find strength in his memory.
Benjamin Zephaniah
Gilly's two favourite quotes:
By any means necessary - Malcom X
When all other means have failed it maybe necessary to draw the sword - Guru Gobind Singh
I never met Gilly personally but am aware of the work he did, and the support given to so many families affected by custody deaths.
Rest in Peace
Larry Fedja
4WardEver Campaign
This is too sad......It does not feel right to speak about Gilly in the past tense......so I won't. The Spirit is Eternal...The Physical is for a time...We Love you Gilly and will always remember your kindness, your sense of humour, your friendship, your peaceful, calming soul and of course, your parties. You are my Patron Saint of Parties xxx
I like many others am still in shock and total disbelief at the sudden death of Gilly Mundy.
I have known Gilly all my life starting way back in the 1970's growing up in a small terraced street in Leamington Spa.
It is only recently I've learned of Gilly's work and the huge impact it has made to others in need of help,guidance, truth and justice. Gilly has achieved so much in his 36 years more than others will ever achieve in a lifetime.
He has touched many lives and I'm glad he touched mine.
Gilly you will be in my thoughts always.
Amritpal Sanghera
Leamington Spa
gilly's warmth, humour and genorousity is what stays with me the most in these difficult times. everytime i get sad all i can think about is his smiles and laughter... his never-ending party spirit and the twinkle in his eye which meant the party was getting started. patron saint of parties is damn right!
i can imagine him telling we to wipe my tears away with the cheery optimism he always carried with him.
i know people always say this but it really couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. so many people i know who only met him once were touched by his presence, his politics, his warmth.
it was an honour to work alongside him at INQUEST and see the compassionate and unjudgemental way he treated everyone. i felt i learnt much from him and so much support. as for the families he worked with, you could practically see him them strength and he was so so proud after our last families forum to bring people together in this way so they can share and feel supported. he loved his families and they loved him.
the thought of eating a bag of fish and chips, a next day egg-fried pizza, a kfc bucket or a pumpkin pie will surely never be the same again...
Yasmin xxx
Our brother Gurpreet Singh Mundy, better known to most of you as Gilly but to the family he has always been called ‘Gureela’.
Soon after his birth, the name Gureela was suggested by the family’s best friend, Naranjan Singh Noor (a Punjabi poet and himself a fighter against injustice and racism)
Gureela named after the Viet Kong Guerrilla’s – freedom fighters in Vietnam.
So Gilly/ Gureela was born a freedom fighter.
Mahatma Ghandi said –
You must be the change you want to see in the world.
We are proud to know that Gilly was actively working for change - fighting for victims of injustice and following in dad’s footsteps in serving the community.
Even after his passing he has given the hope of a better life to others through organ donation. May god bless them all with a bright future.
On behalf of our family I would like to thank all Gilly’s colleagues at Inquest, the doctors and nurses at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead – Thank you to all of you that will have joined with us to remember and celebrate Gilly, and also helped to comfort Dad, Debbie and our family for the last 12 days.
Love is stronger than death even though it can't stop death from happening, but no matter how hard death tries it can't separate people from love. It can't take away our memories either. In the end, life is stronger than death.
Gilly has not gone - he is with us now and always will be, in our hearts and minds
Jeenda reh Gilly !
Thanks for all your help bro - see you sometime in the future.
Imi - The Mubarek family.
I am shocked and sadden to learn of the tragic loss of Gilly Mundy. I didn't know him as his beloved family and friends did but met him a couple of times at the October marches in Trafalgar Square (where we walked for justice in the names of all our loved ones who had died at the hands of the state) and also had the chance to join a talk group with him last year. I found Gilly to be warm and charming and completely understanding of each of our situations. He will be sadly missed by those he loved and who loved him and also by the many many people he touched through his work.I will always remember him and will walk again in October in memory of my son and in memory of Gilly Mundy........God Bless you Gilly.
May you rest in peace, you were a true modern day freedom fighter who knew how to party. Your spirit and your legacy will live forever.
So it is last year's United Families and Friends "Walk", as my mate Gwen Calvert calls it. We're in Trafalgar Square and Gilly asks me if I'll carry a stock of the letter we're handing in to Downing Street and distribute it to folks when we get there. No bother. Then Yasmin asks me if I'll carry the banner. Me? I'm nearly pension age and I've been carrying banners since '68. Tell her Gilly's given me a job already. Result!
Then I give a hand at Inquest's office on a couple of days a week doing back office drudgery. Gilly asks me to "folderise" some papers for him. Much merry mock of this torture of the poor old english language. Nice to see, too, with what equanimity he accepts half the post we get being addressed to "Ms Gilly Mundy", doubtless pronounced in lawyers' offices across the country as in Jilly Cooper.
There are people who have done the full four score years and ten and done barely one whit of the good our Gilly has done in his time on our planet. Never fear, brother. We're going to go on following your lead. 'Cos of your example, we'll go on giving our committed and professional support to the rights and the needs of those afflicted by the callous and casual conduct of officialdom.
I pay tribute to the strength & courage of a wonderful person who was my cousin Gilly. To his determination to make a difference to society. For his tenacity to live life to the full. Its not how many moments you live in a lifetime but how much life you can live in a single moment, which knowing Gilly he would have over packed them. For his need to help the weak and vulnerable, a quality he maintained even in death through his generosity of organ donation. We wish all the recipients a long healthy life.
I pay tribute to the strength, courage & dignity of my uncle Mota Singh & Debbie. They have been an inspiration to us all over the passed few weeks. May they continue to have such strength.
I pay tribute to the love, support & friendship of all Gilly’s & Debbie’s friend and colleagues. To their determination in continuing with the various charities close to Gilly’s heart. We thank you for extending that love & support to Gilly’s immediate & extended family. To know he was so loved, liked & respected has gone in some way to ease our pain over his loss. God bless you all
To Gilly gone but never to be forgotten. Forever in my heart
Your “ Rakharee” will always be here
Love always
Pappu (Gus)
I met Gilly while reporting on the inquest into the death of Gareth Myatt, a 15 year old boy who died while being restrained while at the privately run Rainsbrook Secure Training Centre. He seemed to support Gareth's mother with a gentle strength, and his commitment to fighting injustice was plain to see. We only had a few brief conversations, but there are some people who can convey their warmth and sincerity in a glance, and he was one of them. I’d like to offer my condolences to his wife, family and friends.
Helen McCormack, freelance journalist
Hi to the Mundy family and especially Gilly's wife Debbie. I was on the internet today and read all about a man who I didn't know of before today. What a fabulously gifted and warm human being! I live in Australia and we are still experiencing Aboriginal deaths in custody. Strangely my name is Debra Mundy and this is the reason i stumbled on the page. I wish Debbie peace and all the support from her friends and family. I lost my father in February this year and he wasn't a Freedom Fighter but believed that to be human was to be the same.
love Debra Mundy
Big condolences to his family. Remember him from Edge Hill. I set up the Black Caucus and the Anti-Racist Group there with other Black students. Gilly got involved and just flourished in this environment. Think I saw him once over the years at a demo or a conference. Bruv was everywhere fighting injustice. Big respect to him for staying true. So so few of us left. Now who will continue to carry the torch?
A Song from my Heart
Written by Mota Singh at 5:00am on the morning of
Tuesday 27 March 2007 : the day of Gilly Mundy’s cremation
And spoken at the Leamington Gurudwara later that day
Messages of sympathy
Phone calls, messages
Cards, tears in Gilly’s friends’ eyes
Faces of sorrow
Awakened me from the sleep of weakness
Shaken me to hold my head high
Some said
Loss of dear son
Loss of love
But I never believe someone you love will ever die
No – no I am not a defeated person
I am a believer
I believe in the laws of Nature
My god is Mother Nature
No religion of any kind or label
We are all the one family
Of Mother Earth
The air we breathe is Guru
Water is Father
Mother Nature controls mountains, seas, rivers, trees, plants flowers
And billions of kinds of creatures big and small
I am only a tiny bit
Part of the system
My joy my pain
It is not mine and I do not feel
Yes I share with everyone
I am not afraid
I am not sorrowful
Yes I smile
Swing on the waves of sorrow
My goal is love and service to nature
I can wake up after sleep
What is my place on the show
My act on the stage
The stage of life?
I can sweep the floor
The face of Mother Earth
Remove the dirt
My Mother is kind and fair
And visible through light of sun and moon
Stars and clouds
Rain and sunshine
Thunder and high wind
Typhoon cyclone tsunami
Playing with scored goals
Of birth and death
Equality and fairness
Love and sorrow
Great show
Sometimes we feel we are kicked and beaten
But I am not dented by these
My belief protects me
I am not selfish
I am contented
Love, sorrow, happiness is my wealth
I am only a tiny bit
That belongs to the biggest of the big
Unknown
Only one who is never born can never die
Only can be seen by grace of Guru
One who shows right path in life
Right direction
I am not a saint
I do not close my eyes
And pretend to pray
I am not dog who eats and eats
I am not a follower of wealth
And pray or act for gain
I can sound high
Because I am hollow
And I am not living to be served
But I believe
And get happiness to serve others
Who are victims of injustice
Gilly may be my son in people’s thoughts
But he belongs to people
His friends and his comrades
Those who stood together in common fight
Against injustice in society
Struggle carries on
Gilly will be always with us
Love to you
Everyone
Let us hold our heads high with pride
And thank the Almighty
Thanks
I knew Gilly back in 1993 but had not seen or spoken to him since 1999/2000. I just literally heard a few hours ago that he died and am still in shock to say the least because back in the day i remember him being an extremely chilled out guy who was always smiling - just want to say R.I.P. Gilly!
i like gilly mundy memorial community school.
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Hey Gilly,
I salute for what you did in east London, and I'm proud for what you did for the victims of racist violence in east London! You were absolutely a spectacular person who lived for others! Honestly I would have never bumped into this site if my girlfriend din't fought with me. She is one of the woman who can never stop complaining about my doings. I would also like to thanks Debbie who supported her husband all the way from beginning to built a school that would fulfill dreams of people who can't afford education due to lack of financial problems. I would love to be part of such a great institution. I wish I had a brother like Gilly who lived his entire life to provide a better future for coming generation! I salute to Gilly!!
Abc
Canada!
الان يمكنك الحصول معنا علي افضل الخدمات من صيانة وستنجهاوس وعلي ايدي فريق متخصص في اعمال الصيانة من اكبر فريق عمل في صيانة وايت وستنجهاوس وبأقل الاسعار التي يتميز بها توكيل وستنجهاوس في اي وقت الان
افضل عروض وخدمتات شركة سوقني اكبر شركة تصميم مواقع يمكنك التواصل معها يوميا وعلي مدار ال 24 اسعة حيث اننا متخصصون يمكننا العمل من خلال فريق مجهز ومتخصص يمكنه العمل علي تصميم احدث الاكشال لمواقع الشركات والعمل من خلال شركة تسويق الكتروني لاختيار افضل الطرق علي التسويق واشهار مواقع الشركات بكل سهولة وسرعة .
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الان من خلال موقع سفرك نوفر لكم حجز افضل فندق في المالديف بجوار الشواطئ المميزة و الرمال الساحرة كما نعلن لكم عن حجوزات أفضل فنادق ماليزيا و كولالمبور بأفضل الأسعار مع عروض خاصة للعائلات و كذلك حجز فنادق في تايلاند في أفخم المواقع و أكثرها رقي
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