For the members of the Local Tibetan Assemblies, Settlement Officers, and members of the Regional Tibetan Freedom Movements of Dalhousie Phuntsokling, Shimla, and Dolanji Bon Tibetan Settlement in Dalhousie, Himachal Pradesh, the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile organized a five-day workshop with the goal of strengthening democracy at the grassroots level.
The workshop’s resource people include lawmakers Dorjee Tseten and Geshe Atong Rinchen Gyaltsen.
Before the workshop began on May 15, there was a brief opening ceremony at which Dalhousie’s Tibetan Settlement Officer Phurbu Tsering gave his welcome address. This was followed by addresses from the resource people, a thank-you note from the LTA Chairperson at Dalhousie, Phurbu Dratul, and an introduction of the agenda by TSO Secretary Passang Choekyi.
Speaking to the attendees of the workshop, legislator Dorjee Tseten emphasized the crucial role that His Holiness the Dalai Lama played in creating the Central Tibetan Administration, one of the most distinctive democratic exile systems in the world. Additional information on how the Central Tibetan Administration evolved into a legal system after the 11th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile adopted the Charter of Tibetans in Exile.
The MP briefed the group on the current situation inside Tibet, including the increased restrictions, the absence of fundamental human rights like the right to assemble, among other things, and informed them of the growing number of international parliamentarians who support the Central Tibetan Administration and its position.
The legislator urged the attendees, in particular the younger ones, to take advantage of this chance to learn about Tibet’s history and the present political situations in other democratic nations as Tibetans living in a free nation.
In his closing remarks, parliamentarian Dorjee Tseten encouraged the attendees to use this training to strengthen the operations of their local Tibetan assemblies and their capacity to comprehend and handle problems affecting the broader population.
Geshe Atong Rinchen Gyaltsen, a member of parliament, then outlined the goals and purposes of the workshop’s planning and thanked everyone for attending. He discussed the value of collaboration between a settlement officer and an LTA chair for the success of the settlement and gave a quick rundown of the workshop’s five-day program.
He encouraged the audience to ask as many questions as they could as he talked on the development of democracy in the Tibetan community, a gift from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and he counseled them to work in accordance with his guidance and objectives.
He emphasized the significance of the general public being aware of how the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile operates and the functions of MPs, who serve as representatives of the populace and a link between them and the executive (kashag).
Geshe Atong Rinchen Gyaltsen, a politician, shared the procedures and business conduct for the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile on the first day of the program.
On the second day of the course, MP Dorjee Tseten gave a detailed explanation of the budget laws.
There are 18 people registered for the five-day session from May 15 to May 19.
Since its founding, the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile has had six LTA workshops, with the first five taking place in Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh), the sixth in Phuntsokling (Odisha), the seventh in Sonamling (Ladakh UT), the eighth in Gangtok (Sikkim), and the ninth in Salugara (West Bengal).
By providing participants with in-depth knowledge of the Central Tibetan Administrative, the Budget Policy, the proceedings of the Parliamentary session, and other topics, the LTA workshops seek to strengthen democracy at the grassroots level so they can make informed decisions and hold public officials accountable.
The National Democratic Institute and USAID are providing funding for this session.
