Department of Security established in 1959, is one of seven departments within the Central Tibetan Administration and is headed by Kalon (Minister). Its main responsibility is to provide security to the person of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and to monitor changes in the exiled Tibetan community as well as inside occupied Tibet. I am extremely glad to acknowledge that to date no untoward incident has happened to the security of His Holiness due to unwavering support and assistance from the Government of India and various State Governments and also the dedication and alertness of all concerned staff in the Department.

Though invisible but constant blessings of Tibet’s deities and collective prayers of Tibetan people have also played a significant role in the security of His Holiness, I thank all of them and further appeal to them to be ever more vigilant and proactive in their works as a security threat is projected to increase in a rapidly evolving and changing socio-political environment aided by our emboldened adversary.

It is but natural that every human society has its own internal dynamics, which produce its share of divergent views and dissension, and the Tibetan community is no exception to them. However, it is our responsibility to remain alert and take necessary measures to prevent any threat to the larger cause of Tibet and the interest of its people. It is superfluous to state the importance of unity among us for our struggle and therefore, we must ensure localism and sectarian issues do not flare up.

It is also strategically important for us to maintain cordial relationships with local people and to abide by the prevailing laws and customs of host countries. However, we have been observing that many Tibetans in frantic pursuit of their desire to migrate to Western countries by all means are using fraudulent methods to obtain visas. Many of them also get duped by unscrupulous agents taking huge amounts of money. I request all Tibetans to use legal and proper channels for obtaining necessary documents and to avoid unnecessary troubles for themselves and also for the larger community.

I may also reiterate here that His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s overall schedule is very rigid throughout the year devoting as much time as possible to international engagements and whatever time he finds in between should be used for rest and recuperation, therefore, I appeal all my fellow Tibetans to refrain from seeking audience and inviting Him for any program unless it is very important and has national significance.

Finally, I extend my warm greetings and best wishes to all my colleagues at the Department and other concerned officials. Thank You.