By Tsering Dhundup
DHARAMSHALA, Sept 26: The group of Tibetans under the banner of ‘Advocacy of General Public’ will end its peaceful protest on September 28 amid health concerns of some elderly participants as well as the ongoing parliamentary stalemate, Tseten Phuntsok, the spokesperson of the group said Tuesday. The initiative began on the first day of the parliament session on September 18.
Three elderly participants experienced deteriorating health and were promptly transported to nearby Delek Hospital, Tsetan said. Lobsang Wangmo, aged 70 from Darjeeling, was taken to Tanda Hospital and subsequently transferred to Fortis Hospital, where she remains in the ICU due to breathing difficulties, he further added.
The spokesperson said that the efforts of the participants are ineffective as the parliament has been adjourned. However, he revealed that the groups plans to continue its appeal to the parliamentarians in the next session in March 2024. He also said the group’s demands have been presented to the parliamentarians, including the speaker and deputy speaker.
The group consisting of participants from the Indian subcontinent as well as abroad made appeals to the lawmakers to make necessary amendments in the Charter, including one that will allow the appointment of the Chief Justice Commissioner and two judges of the Supreme Justice Commission, the apex judicial body of the Central Tibetan Administration.
The group also stressed the urgency to appoint the Chief Justice Commissioner and two additional justices of the Tibetan Supreme Justice Commission (TSJC) to establish a robust judiciary capable of administering oaths for future leadership of the exile Tibetan government.
The parliament of the exile Tibetan government has been adjourned since Friday due to the failure to fulfil the quorum of at least two-thirds of MPs, as stipulated in Article 49 of the Charter. Speaker of the Parliament Khenpo Sonam Tenphel revealed that a group of MPs abstained from parliamentary proceedings until the Department of Security resolves allegations surrounding MP Geshe Monlam Tharchin’s purported meeting with Chinese government staff.
An internal meeting was held on September 23 to discuss two issues; how to convene the parliament and the public protest by a group of Tibetans. However, a large number of MPs did not attend the meeting citing in essence, the lack of confidence to solve the issues during the internal meeting.
Speaking to the media, Security Minister Gyari Dolma emphasized that the onus to convene the parliament falls on the parliamentarians and not the Department of Security as the issue in contention was not raised in the parliament by the Department of Security. She also said that her Department is unable to definitively provide a deadline for the probe as the investigation is dependent on the cooperation of the sources.
As thing stand, the parliament has been unable to convene since September 22 and a bulk of the agendas tabled for the autumn session yet to be completed. The ongoing stalemate of the legislative body of the exile Tibetan government, many say, has further widened the ‘trust deficit’ that the public has in representatives that they elected.
Tenzin Nyidon contributed reporting.
One Response
Very true. We have lost our trust in many of the legislative members. Due to their personal differences and occupation only in these things, they are not able to fulfill their duty. Their duty is see that our administration and Justice are functioning properly. Because of their differences among themselves, they are not able to install the Justice Commissioners and four Ministers.
The concept of having parliament members from all regions of Tibet and all schools from our religion, is that they work unitedly in harmony, peace and courtesy. They are supposed to avoid everything that would cause disunity in our society. Our situation is not like the different political parties in an independent country. We can’t be against each other like the politicians in these free countries. Our duty is to work unitedly in good wishes among ourselves so that our society is in harmony. Our aim is to work for our people as a whole and see a solution to our beloved country. Our opposition is only the communist Chinese and not among ourselves.
I don’t understand why they can’t convene the meeting to the end. There can be points to discuss, but that must be discussed and solved in peace. If not, let it be solved by the responsible organ and in the mean time continue the meeting according to the agenda. In the free countries almost all the different political parties are not the same opinion, but no one thinks to adjourn the periodic parliament proceedings. Because they are elected from their people to represent them and that they discuss thoroughly.
One thing is sure. The communist Chinese are rubbing their hands and amusing with their wicked faces. But our sisters and brothers in Tibet are feeling very sad and they loose their hope in us. That is very sad. This situation is very sad for us all. I wonder how His Holiness the Dalai Lama thinks over this situation. We have much to thank His Holiness the Dalai Lama in worldly sense as well as spiritually. We can’t make him somehow disappointed. He is always forgiving but please make efforts that he hears also some positive things from us.