DHARAMSHALA, September 2: Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama today attended the official function in the Tibetan exile headquarters of Dharamshala to commemorate the 52nd Tibetan Democracy Day, although he chose not to address the gathering.
Thousands of Tibetans packed the courtyard of Tsug-la Khang to take part in the muted celebrations in solidarity with the ongoing critical situation inside Tibet.
The function began with the unfurling of the Tibetan national flag by Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay and the proud rendition of the Tibetan national anthem.
The Kashag in its statement called the day a “proud” one for all Tibetans for having “fully realised His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s cherished wish to transform the Tibetan polity into a vibrant democracy.”
Despite persistent appeals by Tibetans, the Dalai Lama, last year devolved all his political authority to the elected Tibetan leadership, declaring the fulfilment of his “long-cherished goal” of bringing democracy to the Tibetan people.
“This precious gift of democracy will be treasured by all Tibetans in the same way we have treasured and embraced Buddhism for over 1300 years,” Dr Sangay said. “As Buddhism offers liberation from suffering, democracy will provide the Tibetan people the means to attain freedom from injustice.”
The elected Tibetan leader called the Dalai Lama a “true democrat,” recognised and applauded by leaders around the world for his 60 years of “total dedication, sincere motivation and visionary leadership.”
“The preciousness of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s contribution towards reform and democracy will be fully appreciated by generations of Tibetans to come,” Dr Sangay said.
Kalon Tripa noted that while Tibetans in exile “commemorate this important anniversary, our thoughts remain with our brothers and sisters in Tibet” and the 51 Tibetans who have set themselves on fire demanding the return of the Dalai Lama and freedom in Tibet.
“It is a tragic irony that His Holiness the Dalai Lama is accessible to millions of people around the world, but not to his own people calling out for him in Tibet.”
Dr Sangay said the Kashag and the Tibetan Parliament will be discussing “ways and means to address the urgent and critical situation” inside Tibet during the upcoming Second Special General Meeting of Tibetans from September 25-28.
In his address, the Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile Penpa Tsering said that since the devolution of political powers by the Dalai Lama, efforts have been made to carry on the work of the Central Tibetan Administration with “ever greater success than in the past.”
“Our success in these endeavours is not only a source of great happiness to the Tibetan people but also an emphatic rebuff and cause of dismay to communist China whose successive leaders have never ceased to entertain a vicious hope for the disintegration of the Tibetan community in exile as a united people,” Speaker Tsering said.
He added that the status of the CTA continues to “be the same as that of the erstwhile set up in terms of its being recognised by the Tibetan people.”
“This fully democratically established Central Tibetan Administration will remain rock stable for as long as the just cause of the Tibetan people remains to be resolved, with the political leadership elected by them remaining firm in pursuing a free and democratic path towards it, and continuing to represent the Tibetan people both in Tibet and in exile.”
He also urged the leaders of the People’s Republic of China to have a “serious sense of responsibility on the situation in Tibet and review all the policies that they have adopted on it thus far.”
The annual ‘Gaden Phodrang Students Award’ for excellence in academics was given away to three Tibetan students who topped in their respective streams in the 2012 All India Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations during the function by Dr Sangay.
