Mundgod: A five days’ workshop organized by Tibetan parliament-in-Exile to the members of Local Tibetan Assembly on  ‘Strengthening of Democracy at the grass root level was held at Mundgod Tibetan settlement from 14-18 June 2019. 

The workshop commenced with Settlement Officer Lhakpa Tsering welcoming the resource persons and TPiE staff to the settlement and briefing them of settlement’s annual report. Deputy Speaker Acharya Yeshi Phunstok briefed the participants on the Tibetan Parliamentary Secretariat and its functioning, Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile’s visitation/assessment program to Tibetan Settlements and communities, visitation of Tibetan Parliamentarians in India and across the world to garner support for the cause of Tibet, and working of standing committee of Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, etc. while Khenpo Sonam Tenphel spoke on the evolution of Tibetan democratic polity, workshop’s program and its significance.

Chairman of Local Tibetan Assembly, Geshe Namgyal Gyaltsen thanked the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile and Tibetan Parliamentary Secretariat for organizing the workshop followed by introductions by the participants, where the participants expressed their hopes of expanding their knowledge to become a trainer or resource person and improvise the proceedings of their Local Tibetan Assembly in future.

Khenpo Sonam Tenphel elucidated the participants in detail, the Parliamentary Procedures, Charter of the exiled Tibetan and the rules and regulations of the session procedures, mandates and structures to be followed in an assembly house while raising starred questions, passing resolutions, legislative amendment proposal and the convention of calling attention motion. He then along with Deputy Speaker engaged in a question-answer session with the participants, providing them with answers and clarifications.

In the second day of the workshop, Deputy Speaker Acharya Yeshi Phunstok elucidated the rules and regulations pertaining to various account heads and budgets as enshrined in the Charter of exiled Tibetan, viz., Recurring Budget, Special Recurring Budget, and the Surkyol Budget.  later in the day, an interactive question-answer session between the participants and the resource persons took place.

 The workshop will continue the next day with the preparation for the upcoming mock session on its last two days.

This workshop aims at strengthening Tibetan democracy at the grass root level by imparting the participants with the detailed information on Central Tibetan Administrative Charter, Budget Policy, proceeding of Parliamentary session etc. with an effort to imbibe them with the capabilities to understand and raise the issues of general public, to make informed decisions and to hold public offices accountable.

This Workshop is funded by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF).