(TibetanReview.net, Sep19’26) – A private member’s bill calling for the adoption of the goal of independence for Tibet saw heated exchanges on Sep 18 between the votaries of its supporters and others who questioned the Speaker’s decision to allow its inclusion as such in the agenda of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile (TPiE) session. Eventually put to vote, the motion whether to take it up for discussion and possible adoption was defeated by 23 votes to 15.
While the Middle Way Policy of seeking autonomy for an ethnographically consolidated Tibet under the sovereignty of the People’s Republic of China remains the official policy of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), a vociferous section of TPiE members remain strongly opposed to it. Advocates for the two sides have often clashed in debates and actions on other, unrelated matters as well, including when the CTA was nearly thrown into disarray with a quorum-busting group of elected candidates to the previous, 17th TPiE refusing to take their oath of office in accordance with the provisions of the Charter of Tibetans in Exile for several months.
The Middle Way Policy is a signature move made decades ago by the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader, in an effort to ensure a mutually beneficial solution to the issue of Tibet with the Chinese government. However, China has dismissed it as as a deceptive political strategy – an interim step toward full independence rather than a true acceptance of Chinese sovereignty. However, the Dalai Lama has vowed to stand by it as an article of faith even as he previously asked Tibetans to decide at a special general public meeting whether this should remain the official policy of the CTA.
The bill was introduced by Dotoe member Sangye Dorjee. When the Speaker, Mrs Dolma Tsering, then began taking votes to determine whether to take it up for discussion by the TPiE, Sikyong Penpa Tsering raised a point of order on the inclusion of the bill in the agenda in this manner. He sought to know whether a bill on a matter concerned with a fundamental policy of the CTA could be taken up by a regular procedure when there is a special provision in the Charter of Tibetans in Exile to deal with such matters, pointing to Article 56 of the exile Tibetan mini-constitution.
Article 56 says that “for the purpose of taking a decision on an important policy matter pertaining to the fundamental interests of Tibet or of the Tibetan people, a popular referendum may be initiated through the Central Tibetan Election Commission if a call for such a recourse is made by at least two-thirds majority of the total strength of the Tibetan Parliament” and so forth.
Heated exchanges ensued between those supporting the bill and others agreeing with the Sikyong’s point of order concerns when the Speaker offered to discuss the matter further with the TPiE’s Business Advisory Committee on this issue. Both the sides vehemently disagreed with the Speaker from their own points of view. An exasperated Speaker eventually put the matter to vote.
A second private member’s bill introduced by Lhakpa Tsering from U-Tsang Province and seconded by Dotoe member Gyaltsen Choekye Gagya, requiring the leaders, officials, and staff of the CTA to help promote the use of Tibetan language without mixing it with other languages while carrying out their official duties was adopted.
A bill was also introduced to amend the Charter to include in the TPiE’s Standing Committee members from outside India, Nepal and Bhutan. These members represent overseas Tibetans on the basis of their current residential status. But it received only 23 “yes” votes, far short of the required two-thirds majority in a TPiE with the total strength of 45. The bill was introduced by the North and South Americas member Kalsang Phuntsok Godruk and supported by the Europe and Africa member Thupten Gyatso. Tibetans in India, Nepal and Bhutan elect their TPiE members on the basis of their provincial origin or religious affiliation, as the case may be.
The Standing Committee currently has two members from each of the three provincial constituencies, one from each of the five religious constituencies, in addition to the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker.
The regular, September session of the TPiE is devoted to the discussion of the reports of the different departments of the CTA.
The current session of the TPiE began on Sep 16 and will continue till Sep 25.
On the session’s first day, the TPiE observe a minute’s silence to mourn for Lobsang Palden, known by his activist name Rangzen Lobga, who self-immolated in front of the UN headquarters on Jul 2 and died the same day, as well as on the recent passings of former CTA official and diplomat Kasur Chope Paljor Tsering, renowned American Buddhist scholar with deep Tibetan connections Professor Robert AF Thurman, and Tibet-supporting former US Congressman Barney Frank.
A resolution to mourn the victims of the devastating flash floods which swept through the Tibet-Nepal border post on Aug 26 morning presented by the Sikyong and supported by Kalon Kunga Tashi of the Department of Security was also adopted.