Dharamsala Marks 44 years of Democracy
Dharamsala 3 September: The Tibetans in Dharamsala and the Central Tibetan Administration yesterday celebrated the 44th democracy day. Taking part in this official function held at the Tsuglakhang courtyard were Mr. Jadur Sangpo, the Supreme Justice Commissioner, Mr. Namgyal Tsering and Mr. Lobsang Khedup, Justice Commissioners, Mr. Pema Jungney, Chairman of the Assembly of the Tibetan People’s Deputies, Ms. Gyari Dolma, Vice Chairperson of the Assembly of the Tibetan People’s Deputies, Kalon Tripa Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche (the first directly elected head of the Central Tibetan Administration), Kalon Thupten Lungrik, minister for education, religion and culture, Kalon Lobsang Nyima, minister for home affairs.
Speaking on the occasion, Kalon Tripa Samdhong Rinpoche, the executive head of the Central Tibetan administration, stressed the importance of reforms, and said once the changes stop a society or a political system will slide into a state of stagnancy.
“Realising this, His Holiness the Dalai Lama advised me to direct my efforts toward reforms when I took the oath of office as the administrative head.”
On Tibet-China relations, Rinpoche said he is making efforts to maintain the new contact with the Chinese leadership, hoping that it will lead to a positive outcome for both the sides.
Thanking the Tibetan people for their cooperation in building an atmosphere of trust with China, Rinpoche expressed concerns that he was noticing a slight setback among the public in perpetuating this positive gesture.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama had persisted in urging people’s direct participation in decision-making, warning that relying on a “single individual” would prove to be an act of suicide.
In 2001 the Tibetan people went to the polls to elect their political leadership. This so pleased His Holiness the Dalai Lama that he termed it the crowning glory of the achievements of exile Tibetans.
Mr. Pema Jungney said that the Kasahg’s efforts to have elected representatives in the Tibetan settlements have not been implemented fully, and hoped that the Kashag would do so as soon as possible.
“The success of democracy depends on people’s understanding, cooperation and concern towards the social cause. Therefore, the members of the Assembly of Tibetan People’s Deputy visit Tibetan settlements based in India, Nepal and Bhutan to educate the Tibetan people on political situation, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s meritorious deeds, guidelines for future Tibetan polity, charter of the exile Tibetans, political stand of the Central Tibetan Administration, programs and resolutions of the ATPD etc.”
One of the first pronouncements made by His Holiness the Dalai Lama after arriving in India showed that a process of democratisation had already been envisaged by His Holiness even before leaving Tibet. Forty four years ago His Holiness the Dalai Lama, in pursuance of his efforts to democratise the exile Tibetan community, outlined a detailed programme to a large gathering of Tibetans at Bodhgaya in 1960.
He advised them to set up an elected body with three exile representatives for each of the three provinces and one each for the four religious sects. Elections were duly held and the first elected representative body in Tibet’s history-the Commission of Tibetan People’s Deputies (CTPD) took office on September 2, 1960. This historic day since has been observed as the democracy day.