By Kelsang Rinchen,
Phayul Reporter
The 7th General Body Meeting of Tibetan Women’s Association (TWA), the only Tibetan women’s NGO in the exile diaspora, began today at the main hall of Tibetan Medical and Astro Institute in Dharamsala. More than 130 women representatives from its 43 regional branches in and outside of India are participating in this meeting which is held after every three years when a new team of executives will be elected to lead the Dharamsala headquarter of TWA.
Agendas for this meeting includes the most topical Sino-Tibetan dialogue, security concerns for His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the fate of the missing Panchen Lama. Heated discussions and debates would go on for the next 5 days on these issues and resolutions would be passed thereof on April 7 when the meeting will finally conclude.
The chief gusets on the occasion were former Kalon, Mr Kelsang Yeshi la and member of Tibetan Parliament in exile, Mrs Tsering Norzom la. Mr Kelsang Yeshi spoke on the resumption of Dharamsala-Beijing relations and stressed the need for caution and thorough planning on the part of exile government in dealing with the Chinese counterparts. He said dialogue with China was nothing new since it happened way back in 1950s when China drafted the 17 point Agreement using force and deceit.
Mrs Tsering Norzom welcomed the release of Ngawang Sangdrol from China’s Drapchi prison and her arrival in Chicago on March 28 for medical care. However, she expressed her apprehensions that this recent positive gesture from Beijing was, in anyway motivated by the upcoming visit of Jiang Zemin to the United States. Mrs Norzom also shared her concerns on some “burning issues” like the rising unemployment among the Tibetan youths and substance abuses.
Both the guests voiced their opinions on the importance of women in building the society and in nurturing the future seeds of Tibet.
Later in the day, regional executives presented their yearly reports on activities ranging from political to social service and financial status.
Kelsang Rinchen can be contacted at kalsangr@yahoo.com.
