DHARAMSHALA: A ten-day Tibetan lawyers training organised by the Tibetan Supreme Justice Commission of the Central Tibetan Administration began today at the College for Higher Tibetan Studies, Sarha, near Dharamshala. Over 35 Tibetan teachers from branch schools of Tibetan Children’s Village, Sambhota Tibetan schools, Tibetan Homes Foundation as well as schools from Nepal are attending the training.
Speaking at the inaugural session, Chief Justice Commissioner Ngawang Phelgyal Gyechen spoke in detail about the evolution of the Tibetan Supreme Justice Commission and the role it played in sustaining the rule of law in the Tibetan community.
“Since it formally came into existence on 11th March 1992, the Tibetan Supreme Justice Commission has conducted various trainings to produce more number of Tibetans with lawyer’s qualification,” he said adding, so far, we have produced over 118 qualified Tibetan lawyers through our training programmes.
“Due to our present circumstances, we don’t necessarily need LLB or LLM qualifications to be a Tibetan lawyer, an intense training on the Tibetan charter, the code of judiciary, the code of civil procedure and the evidence act will suffice,” he said.
“The training is being held for teachers this year as they play a vital role in educating our children. If our teachers are qualified in our judicial system, it will simultaneously create more awareness about the Tibetan judiciary in the younger generation,” he said.
The training will conclude on 5 January 2014. Resource persons include the Chief Justice Commissioner, Justice Commissioners Tsering Dhondup and Ngawang Choedak and local Tibetan Justice Commissioners.
The Tibetan Supreme Justice Commission (TSJC) is the highest judicial organ and one of the three most important pillars of the Tibetan democratic administration in exile or the Central Tibetan Administration.
Under the provision of the Article 67 of the Tibetan Charter, the TSJC drafted the Code of Judiciary, the Code of Civil Procedure and the Evidence Act; these were enacted into law on 28 March 1996, with the approval of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
