By Phuntsok Yangchen
DHARAMSHALA, December 29: The Tibetan Parliament in Exile has congratulated Shinzo Abe on being re-elected as the Japanese Prime Minister with a majority earlier this month.
Abe got 328 votes against 73 for acting opposition leader Katsuya Okada in the lower house of the Japanese Parliament. The upper house of the parliament also confirmed Abe’s election to the Prime Minister’s post.
In his congratulatory letter to Abe, Penpa Tsering, Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament wrote, “On behalf of all the Tibetan people, inside and outside Tibet, the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile wishes to congratulate you on your emphatic re-election win.”
“We have been very appreciative of your support for the cause of Tibet in general and the commitment that you showed during the visit of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Japan,” he wrote. “We wish you all the success in your endeavors and appeal to you again to play a pro-active role in reducing the current grave situation inside Tibet and in finding a lasting, mutually-beneficial solution to the issue of Tibet,” the letter read.
Shinzo Abe had earlier served as Japanese Prime Minister between 2006 and 2007 and then resigned for health reasons. He became Prime Minister again in 2012.
The Tibetan Parliament also congratulated former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and late Madan Mohan Malviya on being awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honor.
“The Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, on behalf of all the Tibetans, expresses our heartfelt congratulations to you on being awarded India’s highest civilian award – The Bharat Ratna. Moreover, the announcement of this prestigious award coincides with your birthday where the government of India declared the day as ‘Good Governance Day’,” the Tibetan Parliament said.
Calling Atal Bihari Vajpayee one of India’s most outstanding Prime Ministers and the charismatic leaders of all times, the Tibetan Parliament thanked him for his support towards the Tibetan cause.
The Tibetan Parliament also congratulated Satya Prakash Malaviya, son of late Madan Mohan Malviya. “While appreciating the Government of India for this gesture towards your illustrious father, I take this opportunity to thank you for your valuable support for the cause of Tibet,” the Tibetan parliament wrote.
