Dharamshala August 28–As the Tibetans gear up for the upcoming assembly elections various programmes of creating awareness among the public are being organized in the virtual Tibetan capital. Tibetan legislators, Election Commissioner, government researcher came face to face with the public today in what could best be described as a curtain raiser for the preliminary elections of the 14th Tibetan Assembly.
A panel discussion titled ‘We the People’ was held at the auditorium of the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts. Arranged jointly by the Students for a Free Tibet, Regional Tibetan Youth Congress and Tibetan Centre for Conflict Resolution, the panel discussion was aimed at generating awareness about the importance of voting and elections.
“We want people to know the importance of democratic rights and duties as well,” says Tenzin Choeying, India coordinator of the SFT.
Despite heavy rains which preceded the session, more than 600 people gathered to listen to the panel of speakers comprising of Ms. Gyari Dolma, Vice Chairperson of the Assembly of the Tibetan People’s Deputies, Mr. Tashi Phuntsok, the Election Commissioner, Mr. Karma Choephel, member of ATPD and president of the National Democratic Party and Mr. Lugar Jam, researcher at the Department of Security.
The organizers say that their effort is to tell the Tibetan people to make the best utilization of the most precious democratic right of a citizen. And that effort, says Tenzin Choeying, will not be worthwhile if there is no support from the public.
The preliminary polls for the assembly seats will take place on September 11.
