by Phuntsok Yangchen
DHARAMSHALA, April 16: The Tibetan Prime Minister (Sikyong) Dr. Lobsang Sangay today launched the official website (www.tibetpolicy.net) of Tibet Policy Institute, and a book in Tibetan language titled ‘Current leaders in Tibet’ here at Gangchen Kyishong, the seat of the exile Tibetan government known officially as the Central Tibetan Administration.
Speaking at a brief ceremony, Sangay said, “I believe that because of the website’s availability in Tibetan and English languages, the Tibet Policy Institute will help to bring out the facts and truths about Tibet and its struggle for both Tibetans inside and outside Tibet and also at the international level.”
The website aims to provide a common forum for Tibet scholars around the world to exchange ideas and share their research insights. The Tibet Policy Institute, said its director Thupten Samphel, hopes that the website will become a lively and invigorating discussion forum for established as well as emerging Tibetan scholars. “The main purpose of this website is to be a platform to put up the works of each researcher at Tibet Policy Institute and I hope it becomes an important study base for international Tibetologists.”
The book ‘Current leaders in Tibet’ compiled by the institute book documents the leadership structure in Tibet and the number of Tibetans vis-à-vis Chinese nationals within the organizational bodies. “It would be interesting to know that the most powerful portfolios in these bodies are almost always held by Chinese nationals. Even the number of Tibetans in these leadership bodies is kept to a minimum,” Sikyong Sangay remarked.
According to the book, six out of the fifteen members of Standing Committee Member of Tibet Autonomous Regional Communist Party of China are Tibetans and seven out of thirteen members of the so-called Tibet Autonomous Region People’s Congress are Tibetans with Pema Thrinley as the Chairman.
Tibet Policy Institute is a policy think tank of the exile administration started months after Sangay assumed office following his victory in the elections held in 2011.
