By Tenzin Dharpo
DHARAMSHALA, Sept. 2: The head of the Tibetan polity on the occasion of the 58th anniversary of the ‘Tibetan Democracy Day’ urged Tibetans not to exercise their democratic rights to create “disharmony” and “create misinformation” but to prevent the same. President of the Tibetan exile government, known officially as the Central Tibetan Administration, was speaking at the official function held at the Tsuglakhang courtyard here today.
“It is crucial to remember that with democracy come responsibilities. Freedom of speech and freedom of expression do not mean the freedom to spread misinformation and cause disharmony. Using the democratic rights to disrupt our unity fundamentally goes against the democratic vision of His Holiness that began from inside Tibet,” said Sangay.
The Tibetan lawyer is the first elected head of the Tibetan polity to assume responsibility in office after the Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama devolved his political authority in 2011.
Member of Indian Parliament-Lok Sabha, Kunwar Bharatendra Singh, attended the function as the chief guest. Singh in his address said that any government in the world should have humanitarianism as the basic column and contrary to such fundamental norm, China’s repressive regime in Tibet continues to deprive Tibetans of their basic rights to this day.
The official function was attended by a few hundred Tibetans, the Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile Ven. Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, Chief Justice Commissioner Kargyu Dhondup, members of the cabinet.
