The Shillong Times | 1 March 2021
SHILLONG, Feb 28: Fifty-two-year-old Lobsang Sangay, a Harvard scholar who has served as Sikyong (President) of the Central Tibetan Administration of the Tibetan Government in Exile (TGiE) for two tenures beginning 2011, is set to relinquish his post by May this year. Sangay is currently travelling to different parts of the world to meet with Tibetan communities. He arrived at Shillong from Arunachal Pradesh, on Sunday evening and after visiting the monastery at Lumparing on Monday morning will leave for Guwahati.
When asked what his major contributions to the CTA have been during his two tenures, Sangay says, “I have delivered more than I promised. When I assumed office I had prepared a booklet with ten questions and promises which revolved around the welfare of the Tibetan people across the globe. Education has improved markedly and the financial situation of the CTA improved by 175%, thereby allowing for more welfare activities.”
The most significant achievement of Lobsang Sangay’s tenure is his ability to push through the Tibetan Policy and Support Act, 2020 (TPSA, 2020) which was passed by the Trump Administration in December 2020. The TPSA would make it official United States policy that the succession of Tibetan Buddhist leaders, including the succession of the Dalai Lama, be left solely to Tibetan Buddhists to decide, without interference from the Chinese government. Chinese officials that interfere in the process of selecting Tibetan Buddhist leaders would be subject to sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act, including denial of entry into the United States.
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