# PREM SAGAR POUDEL
A year ago, when I visited Tibet in China, I experienced myself that Tibet was developing at a high speed and the Tibetan people’s lives was changing due to the development.
There are about twenty thousand more Tibetans in Nepal who accept the one China policy and about one hundred and eighty thousand reside in India, Nepal, USA and other countries. Initially, the exiled Tibetans settled and crossed the border in accordance with its 1967 protocol of 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. Initially, the Tibetans settled in Mustang, Manang, Khumbu and Walung (Olangchung Gola). Tudikhel, Swayambhu, Bouddha they migrated later. However, Tony Hagen was instrumental in resettling the exiled Tibetans. Hagen was involved for in the settlement of exiled Tibetans in Chilsa-Solu, Dhorpatan-Baglung, Pokhara, Jawalakhel.
Issues such as promoting economic efficiency for Tibetan exiles, reducing poverty, promoting social equality, promoting social integration and protection from social exclusion, promoting social stability and promoting autonomy were brought up by international organizations.
Issues such as promoting economic efficiency for Tibetan exiles, reducing poverty, promoting social equality, promoting social integration and protection from social exclusion, promoting social stability and promoting autonomy were brought up by international organizations.
The United States helped the guerrilla movement in Tibet from 1951 to 1971 in the first period to destroy its opponents (communism). In the second period, it tried to rehabilitate Tibetan exiles in Nepal in slum camps, including a carpet factory based on the Swiss model and in the third period, since 1989, they have been helping to establish a democratic government of exiled Tibetans. The West’s main motives seem to be to retaliate against China in the past by being anti-communist and now based on trade, oil and gas from the South China Sea and the encirclement of China under the Indo-Pacific strategy. Therefore, the West is using everything from Nepali leaders to soft power. The Americans advocated for the promotion of global democracy and the promotion of humanism in Tibet (Taiwan’s Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission – later MTAC) to manage fleeing Tibetans in Nepal.
At this time, the Tibetans, who have been raising their voices in favor of an independent Tibet, are in the elegance of parliamentary elections. This election is expected to be different from previous years for Tibetans scattered as refugees, raising their voice against China.
In the face of this election, the United States is trying to send a message to Tibetans to unite against China once again. The US Senate passed the Tibet Policy and Support Act-2020 on December 28. With the election loosing, President Donald Trump has called for such an act to be passed.
The law, introduced by President Trump after failing in a trade war with China, has the power to ban Chinese officials and appointing a successor to the Dalai Lama who resides in India.
The 14th Dalai Lama, who has lived in India since 1959, has said his successor could be born outside China. After Lama was born in Amdo, Tibet on July 16, 1935, the movement for an independent Tibet has been debated from various angles.
The 14th Dalai Lama, who has lived in India since 1959, has said his successor could be born outside China. After Lama was born in Amdo, Tibet on July 16, 1935, the movement for an independent Tibet has been debated from various angles.
By law, the United States has given the right to decide the reincarnation of another Dalai Lama to the current Dalai Lama, Tibetan religious leaders and the Tibetan people. However, the United States considers the Central Tibetan Administration in Dharamsala, India, to be the political representative of the Tibetan people. Lobsang Sange is currently the chairman of the administration.
China could traditionally announce the 15th Dalai Lama. In such a situation, the work of the religious leader of the Tibetans in the geography of Tibet falls into the hands of the Dalai Lama, who has been declared by China. If the West declares a separate Dalai Lama against China’s declaration, the campaign to promote the slogan of an independent Tibet will be intensified. At the same time, there will be confusion within the Tibetan community over who will be the religious leader.
A year ago, when I visited Tibet in China, I experienced myself that Tibet was developing at a high speed and the Tibetan people’s lives was changing due to the development. Due to the effective policy adopted by the government for the well-being and human rights of the Tibetan people, it cannot be believed that the Tibetans will return to their old condition on the basis of religion.
With such confusion, it can be estimated that the need for the Dalai Lama is diminishing within the geography of Tibet. It is clear that Tibet has changed a lot since 1959. A year ago, when I visited Tibet in China, I experienced myself that Tibet was developing at a high speed and the Tibetan people’s lives was changing due to the development. Due to the effective policy adopted by the government for the well-being and human rights of the Tibetan people, it cannot be believed that the Tibetans will return to their old condition on the basis of religion.
The United States has strongly supported the Dalai Lama since the founding of the People’s Republic of China. There is no doubt that the Dalai Lama has so far succeeded in defending the slogan of an independent Tibet due to the support of the United States. The third generation of those who left Tibet with the Dalai Lama and went into exile has reached in the youth age. They seem to be more concerned about their career than the demands of their predecessors for an independent Tibet.
The necessary budget for the Tibet Policy and Support Act 2020, which came into force after President Trump signed it on December 29, has also been prepared. The US Congress has also allocated a budget of 25 million US dollars for 2021 under this Act. This support will last until 2025.
In recent times, US interest in Tibetans has grown significantly. The most important reason for this is the age of the Dalai Lama. After the Dalai Lama, the United States has wasted more than seven decades of investment in the Tibetan’s favor, if they unable to find the right character. As a result, Americans have been interested in the election of Tibetan organizations.
What is Parliament in Exile?
According to the Green Book of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, 100,000 Tibetans live in India. They live in the United States, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, France, Mexico, Mongolia, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland. The exiled Tibetan parliament is headquartered in Dharamsala, Kangra District, Himachal Pradesh, India.
The Parliament in Exile is the highest body running the Dalai Lama’s government. It is also the apex body of the central Tibetan administration. The 45-member in parliament is represented by 30 members from Tibet’s Kham, Amdo and Tisang Yu regions at a rate of 10 in each. Eight members of parliament are elected from four traditional Buddhist schools in Tibet. Two represent the western region. Two from Europe, one each from Australia and Asia, Canada and North America are represented in Parliament. According to the Green Book of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, 100,000 Tibetans live in India. They live in the United States, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, France, Mexico, Mongolia, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland. The exiled Tibetan parliament is headquartered in Dharamsala, Kangra District, Himachal Pradesh, India.
Until 2006, it was called the Assembly of Representatives of the Tibetan People (ATPD) as its chairman and vice-chairman. It was then called the Exiled Tibetan Parliament. It was led by the Speaker and Deputy Speaker. Tibetans around the world vote in parliamentary elections. According to the Green Book, 80,000 voters will now participate in the parliamentary elections. Of these, 56,000 are in India.
Any Tibetan in exile after the age of 18 can vote for an exiled parliament. Those who are over 25 years of age outside the geography of Tibet can apply. The first phase of the two-phased election was held last Sunday, January 3. Those elected from the first round of elections can become candidates for the post of Speaker in the last round of elections.
Lobsang Sange completed his second term as CTA chairman this year. To pass the Tibet Policy and Support Act (TPSA) by the US Senate is analyzed as having an important hand of Sange. Born in Darjeeling, India, Sange graduated with a master’s degree in international law from Howard University in the United States and resides there. He has taken American citizenship. He is widely regarded as an influential leader in Tibetan affairs who could influence the US government.
In his 10 years in office, Sange has re-established the Tibetan issue as the US interest. After the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the issue of independent Tibet was shaded internationally. Amid the frustration among Tibetans, Sange became CTA president for the first time in 2011.
In his 10 years in office, Sange has re-established the Tibetan issue as the US interest. After the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the issue of independent Tibet was shaded internationally. Amid the frustration among Tibetans, Sange became CTA president for the first time in 2011.
Whoever wins, at first the CTA official to speak out on behalf of the Tibetans under the guidance of the Dalai Lama. But based on the role they played in the past, Tibetan voters have been choosing the CTA president. Eight office-bearers participated in the January 3rd election. Based on the results as of January 7, Penpa Trasing is ahead. He has received 15,800 votes so far.
He will face Kelsang Dorjee Aukatats (Kayador) and Gary Dolma in the final phase. Both Kayador and Dolma have garnered more than 10,000 votes. Kayador is ahead of Dolma by only a few votes. Dongchung Nagodupade, who is behind them, got only 4,000 votes. These four candidates alone have garnered more than a thousand votes. The other four contestants appear to have less than a thousand votes.
The first candidate, Penpa was born in India in 1969. As a peasant family in Tibet, followed the Dalai Lama from Amdo Chentaka to India. Penpa, a Tibetan school product, has been playing various roles with the Dalai Lama since graduating in economics from Mandras Christian College. He is currently the Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile.
Kyador, who has served as the Dalai Lama’s representative in North America and Central Africa, has won the Dalai Lama’s trust in a short time. He has been working on Tibetans for 23 years. He is currently the director of the Social Resource Development Fund. Kyador, who holds a Master’s Degree in law from Tufts University in the United States, has served as head of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA). He is campaigning with a commitment to make the Tibetan movement organized and effective.
He was instrumental in making public the 5-50 goals for Tibetans. According to this goal, a timetable has been set for resolving the Tibetan problem in 2022. Its goals of being flexible in preserving the Tibetan language, culture and traditions for the next 50 years are mentioned in the 5-50 thought. This thought was put forward in 2017.
Born in India in 1964, Dolma is competing with Kayador as well. She is a law graduate from Punjab University, India. Dolma, who was elected an exiled Tibetan MP in 1991, has been an MP for the next two decades. Dolma, who has served as deputy speaker of parliament, is a leading woman in the upper echelons of exiled Tibetans.
US-India:
in recent times, the trust of Dharamsala has been with the United States more than India. This is one of the reasons why Lobsang easily got a second term. He managed to get reliable financial support from the US government for the Tibetans.
The current speaker of parliament is Lobsang, an American lobbyist. He has even taken American citizenship. He is also a high-ranking official residing in the United States who has spoken out on Tibetan issues. In recent times, the US seems to be more interested in Tibet than India. As a result, the United States has been systematically increasing investment in hospices. Despite taking refuge in India, the Indian government seems to be equally interested in every activity inside the hospice. After Narendra Modi was elected as the Prime Minister, the monitoring of Lama’s program was increased. The Dalai Lama’s rally in Delhi in March 2018 was banned by the Indian government. The Dalai Lama entered India on March 31, 1959, leaving the Tibetan border. In March 2018, various programs were held to mark the 60th anniversary of the Dalai Lama’s arrival in India. The Indian government had also instructed high-ranking government officials and ministers not to participate in the Dharamsala program. China welcomed the move by the Indian government. Despite India’s efforts to control the activities of the hospice, the United States seems to be openly in favor of the hospice. Due to which, in recent times, the trust of Dharamsala has been with the United States more than India. This is one of the reasons why Lobsang easily got a second term. He managed to get reliable financial support from the US government for the Tibetans.
Kayador is more likely to run for president in the next election due to the generous support of the United States, while Penpa is leading in the first round due to his work in India. Due to the large number of voters in India, it cannot be said that Penpa will not be the Speaker of the Tibetan Exile Parliament. Dolma now seems to have more votes from Tibetans in India than from American Tibetans. If Penpa and Dolma compete, the American lobby’s vote is equally likely to go to Dolma because she is a woman. If this happens, the era of women in Dharamshala will begin.
Impact in Nepal:
Nepal is a land of attraction for those working for independent Tibetans. Since the Khampa uprising, anti-China activities have been taking place on Nepali soil, whether the government wants it or not. Whatever the leadership of the hospice, American influences in Nepal seems to do more. It is clear that the US investment in Tibetans is reaching up to Nepal. Tibetans have been living in Nepal without identity cards for a long time. The Government of Nepal has not yet stopped them from roaming freely. In 2058 BS, the then Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa had agreed to deport the Tibetans captured in Nepal from Bhairahawa to India. Refugees detained by police are now being handed over to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Nepal has not recognized Tibetans who came to Nepal after 1989 as refugees. As a refugee, they get a travel document from the Ministry of Home Affairs for traveling abroad. Due to which they can easily travel abroad. As, the US continues to increase its investment in Tibetans, that also affects in Nepal as well. It cannot be said that the Americans did not pressurize to Nepal for the Tibetans who came to Nepal after 1989 to issue refugee identity cards.
Last year, eight lawmakers, including two co-chairs of the US House of Representatives on human rights, wrote letters to Nepal’s ambassador to the United States. The letter expressed concern that Nepal had deported six Tibetans seeking asylum. The Americans seem to think that the government of Nepal should address the concerns of all Tibetans who have come to Nepal. As passed law by America, Refugees living in Nepal for a long time must obtain an identity card.
Article 6 of the law states that in addition to the amicable agreement, Nepal is requested to provide legal documents to allow Tibetan refugees living in Nepal to engage in economic and social activities. Article 6 states, “The Secretary of State shall request the Government of Nepal to implement the amicable agreement with the UNHCR and to provide legal documents to the Tibetans who have fled Tibet for a long time due to the risk of prosecution and to participate fully in Nepal’s social and economic activities.” Sam Brownback, the US Ambassador to Religious Freedom, who visited Nepal in October 2019, discussed about Tibetans. “My visit to Nepal is linked to Tibet,” Brownback told the Nepali Times. “Nepal is the main transit point for Tibetan refugees. Nepal has historically allowed them to come and transit. After the Chinese pressure, something has slowed down. I have discussed this with the foreign minister and others.’
On the other hand, it is not easy for Nepal to say no to the United States on this issue. In such a situation, if people close to the United States come to lead the Tibetan exile parliament, the first effect will be seen in Nepal. For this, we have to wait till May 14, 2021.
Nepal will come under further pressure due to growing American interest in Tibetans. On the one hand, Nepal has repeatedly expressed its commitment with China not to allow Nepali land to be used against China. On the other hand, it is not easy for Nepal to say no to the United States on this issue. In such a situation, if people close to the United States come to lead the Tibetan exile parliament, the first effect will be seen in Nepal. For this, we have to wait till May 14, 2021.
