By Tenzin Tsering
Dharamsala, 1 October : With just three days to go for the preliminary rounds of the election for Kalon Tripa (Prime Minister) and the Tibetan parliament a group of young Tibetans hoping for a better democracy held a debate “The Member of Parliament Election’s preliminary debate” yesterday.
Youth for Better Democacry, a group of Tibetan youth engaged in creating awareness about the upcoming elections earlier released its list of 10 nominees each from the three traditional provinces for the election of the 15th Tibetan parliament. The list included both incumbent and former MPs and also some new candidates.
Five incumbent MPs and 6 new faces took part in yesterday’s debate at the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts auditorium and took questions from the audience.
Various groups have come out with their own lists of candidates for the parliamentary and the Kalon Tripa elections.
The proposed candidates, the YFBD says, have agreed to stand in allegiance to the principles adopted by the group which clearly specifies that nominees must not to engage in sectarian, religious or factional politics in the parliament, to respect political stands of both the ‘Middle Way Policy’ and ‘Independence’ and to practice non discrimination and democracy in the Tibetan community.
However, some other groups and regional associations which have brought out their lists have made it a condition for a candidate to adhere to the Middle Way Policy of the exile Tibetan government to be endorsed by the groups.
“It wasn’t too long that we were worried believing there was no one to succeed Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche. Today we have several people standing in Kalon Tripa election. I am very happy that we are moving on with so much public interest and enthusiasm in choosing good leaders. More than Kalon Tripa, YFBD believes that we must have good non-factional people in the parliament,” said Tenzin Tsundue, Tibetan writer and activist who is one of the volunteers of the group.
Tibetan exiles will witness the first phase of the election which is known as prelminary elections on October 3, 2010 with the final phase or the final election being scheduled for March 20, 2011.
In the last Kalon Tripa election in 2006, low voter turnout was witnessed. 72,000 people (60%) registered to vote but only 32,205 people (26.8%) actually cast their votes. Estimates show that some 120,000 of the approximately 150,000 Tibetans in exile are above the age of 18 and are eligible to vote.
“Democracy requires citizens to participate in their government, beginning with the duty to vote. And for the Tibetans in this critical phase in our freedom struggle with His Holiness the Dalai Lama getting older, we believe that the Tibetan youths have a huge role to play in the progress of our democracy, hence in YFBD, we have voluntary participation from many Tibetan youths from different backgrounds willing to make a more vibrant democracy in the exile polity,” said Tenzin Sonam, another volunteer.
“It is an important duty for the young Tibetan voters to exercise their franchise and contribute towards a successful realisation of our democracy” said Tsering Youdon, an incumbent MP in her speech at the event.
Youdon noted an episode involving Tibetan younger citizens exhibiting lack of responsibility saying that “a group of college students in the South India had requested for a facility to register their Green Books at their area, but only 14 students turned up out of 100 students.”
YFBD which is a network of young Tibetans across the global community-especially in India- with a common vision to build a stronger democracy is hopeful that through their campaigns, public awareness programs and educating the masses, there will be more informed participation in the exile democratic endeavours.
