By Tenzin Choephel
Phayul Correspondent
Kathmandu, October 16 – Mr. Kelsang Tsung became the new chief of the Tibetan Refugee Transit Center in Kathmandu today, the departing chief Mr. Ludup Dorji handed over the responsibility to the new Chief amidst a small function consisting of staff members of the Center. The Tibetan Refugee Transit Center is the first place where all newly arriving Tibetan refugees from Tibet should register in order to proceed to their destination in India where they usually seek an audience with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and then either joins Tibetan schools or monasteries or start a new life. The Center receives over 2500 Tibetan refugees annually.
The departing chief thanked all the staff for their co-operation and support during his tenure and also requested them to continue to do their good work with the new chief also. He served the Center for about two and half years since April 2004, during his tenure, the Center has installed additional facilities like water filter, bathrooms and most important of all a new three storey building for additional accommodation is undergoing and near completion and along with that the Center will have new lawn and path developed which is dirt at present and very inconvenient during monsoon rain. Mr. Ludup Dorji has served the Tibetan Government (in Exile) for 26 years in various positions and is a very respectable person in the Tibetan community. He reminded all the staff about the message of His Holiness the Dalai Lama about the importance of the Center, newly arriving Tibetans should be received well, they come here with big hope, so talk nice to them, don’t use harsh words and don’t show bad expressions as it would have big impression on them about His Holiness and Tibetan Government in Exile.
The new chief also promised to carry on the good work of Mr. Ludup Dorji and requested all the staff to co-operate and support him. A representative of Kashag, Mr. Lobsang La has been sent to oversee the handing over process and he was happy to see that everything is in place and wish for the smooth operation of the Center that has seen some major hindrances in the past year including the stopping of issuing exit permit to Tibetan refugees, however, it was managed and as of now the Center is running smoothly and it is the first and most importance place for the newly arriving Tibetans from Tibet.
