By Choekyi Lhamo
DHARAMSHALA Jan. 3: The Tibetan Supreme Justice Commission (TSJC) has appointed Tenzin Yonten, as the new local Justice Commissioner for the Southern Region in India on Monday. In an official ceremony, Yonten took the oath of office from the pro-tem Chief Justice Commissioner Karma Dadul at the TSJC hall.
The 31-year-old said, “I saw the need to make my community legally aware of the rights and duties they are entitled to in a society like ours,” commissioner Yonten told Phayul after his appointment. The newly appointed local commissioner said that his duties will entail communicating legal duties and also to fill this role as a mediator for issues concerned with the public, including land issues in the South.
“It is important to promote legal awareness in a democracy like ours. The importance of rule of law is crucial to understand the disagreements we have had in the past, and for building a better political environment,” he further explained. Yonten was born and brought up in Tibet, and took refuge in India in 2004.
“I think in a democracy, disagreements would be there, but we cannot do without the rule of law,” Yonten said when asked about the recent conflict between the pillars of democracy. The swearing-in ceremony was attended by the pro-tem Chief Justice Commissioner Karma Dadul, justice commissioner Tenzin Lungtok, TSJC Secretary Yeshi Wangmo, and officials of the TSJC.
Tenzin Yonten was the General Secretary at the Federation of International Students’ Association in Mysore, and also manages an online discussion portal with his colleagues called Democracy and Debate in social media.
